Question 1

Is TR Immigration a law firm?

Accepted Answer

No. TR Immigration is an independent information platform. We publish news and analysis about immigration policy; we do not represent clients, evaluate cases, or provide legal advice.

Question 2

Can I ask about my specific case?

Accepted Answer

We're not able to advise on individual cases. Our content explains policy and process in general terms. Licensed immigration attorneys and authorized accredited representatives provide case-specific legal assistance.

Question 3

Where do your updates come from?

Accepted Answer

We work directly from primary sources, USCIS and State Department publications, the Federal Register, and federal court filings, rather than secondhand summaries.

Question 4

What is the Visa Bulletin?

Accepted Answer

A monthly publication from the U.S. Department of State that lists, for each preference category and country of chargeability, the priority dates that are currently being processed. Our Visa Bulletin section presents the same figures in a more readable form.

Question 5

When is each Visa Bulletin released?

Accepted Answer

The State Department usually publishes the following month's bulletin in the middle of the current month, often between the 10th and the 20th. There is no fixed date and it is not announced in advance.

Question 6

What is the difference between Final Action Dates and Dates for Filing?

Accepted Answer

Final Action Dates show when a visa number can actually be issued or a green card approved. Dates for Filing show the earlier point at which applicants may submit documents to the National Visa Center. USCIS decides each month which chart adjustment of status applicants must use.

Question 7

How is the filing chart determined?

Accepted Answer

USCIS announces the designated chart each month on its Adjustment of Status Filing Charts page, separately for family-sponsored and employment-based cases. Our Visa Bulletin section reports that announcement when available. The USCIS designation determines which chart applies to adjustment filings.

Question 8

What does Current mean?

Accepted Answer

Shown as C in the official bulletin. Visa numbers are available to every qualified applicant in that category, regardless of priority date.

Question 9

What does Unavailable mean?

Accepted Answer

Shown as U in the official bulletin. No visa numbers are authorized for that category in that month, usually because the annual or per-country limit has been reached.

Question 10

What is a priority date and where do I find mine?

Accepted Answer

It is the date your petition was filed, or for most EB-2 and EB-3 cases the date the labor certification was submitted to the Department of Labor. It appears on the I-797 approval notice for the I-130 or I-140.

Question 11

Why does my priority date have to be earlier than the cutoff date, not equal to it?

Accepted Answer

That is how the State Department defines the cutoff. Numbers are authorized only for applicants whose priority date is earlier than the date listed. A priority date that matches the listed date is not yet reached.

Question 12

What is retrogression?

Accepted Answer

A cutoff date moving backward from one month to the next. It happens when more applicants have been reported than there are numbers left in the fiscal year for that category and country.

Question 13

Why do the dates jump forward and then stop?

Accepted Answer

The fiscal year runs from 1 October to 30 September. Early in the year dates often advance to generate demand; later in the year they slow or retrogress so that issuances stay within the annual limits.

Question 14

What does chargeability mean, and can I change mine?

Accepted Answer

Chargeability is the country against which a visa number is counted, normally the applicant's country of birth. Specified exceptions can permit use of a spouse's or parent's birth country. The applicable exception depends on the family relationships and circumstances.

Question 15

Why are China, India, Mexico and the Philippines listed separately?

Accepted Answer

Demand from those countries exceeds the per-country limit, so the State Department publishes separate cutoff dates for them. All other countries share the All Other column.

Question 16

Does the Priority Date Checker tell me whether I can file?

Accepted Answer

No. It only compares the date you enter with the published bulletin data for the category and country you select. Filing rules depend on the chart USCIS designates, your status, and other factors it cannot assess.

Question 17

Do you predict future Visa Bulletin movement?

Accepted Answer

No. We publish the official figures and describe what changed. We do not forecast where dates will go.

Question 18

What is the difference between adjustment of status and consular processing?

Accepted Answer

Adjustment of status is applying for a green card from inside the United States through USCIS. Consular processing is applying for an immigrant visa at a U.S. embassy or consulate abroad through the State Department.

Question 19

What is the difference between USCIS and the State Department?

Accepted Answer

USCIS, part of the Department of Homeland Security, decides petitions and applications filed inside the United States. The State Department runs consulates abroad and publishes the Visa Bulletin.

Question 20

How do proposed rules become law?

Accepted Answer

An agency publishes a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking in the Federal Register, accepts public comment, then publishes a final rule with an effective date. Courts can pause or strike down a rule, which is why we cover both rulemaking and litigation.

Question 21

What does a preliminary injunction against a policy mean for applicants?

Accepted Answer

A preliminary injunction temporarily restricts enforcement within the court order's scope while litigation continues. Its coverage can be nationwide or limited to particular parties or classes, and later court action can change it. Our coverage identifies the scope stated in the relevant order.

Question 22

Where can I check official processing times?

Accepted Answer

USCIS publishes processing times by form and office on its website, and the State Department publishes visa wait times by consulate. Our coverage explains how to read those figures, but the official pages are the source.

Question 23

How do I find a licensed immigration attorney?

Accepted Answer

The American Immigration Lawyers Association directory, state bar referral services, and the Department of Justice list of recognized organizations and accredited representatives are the standard starting points. We do not recommend individual practitioners.

Question 24

What is the difference between a visa and an immigration status?

Accepted Answer

A visa is the document a U.S. consulate issues abroad. It lets you travel to a port of entry and ask to be admitted. Your status is what you hold once you are inside the country, and the length of your permitted stay is set by the officer at admission and recorded on your I-94 record, not by the visa's expiration date. That is why a visa can expire while an authorized stay continues, and why the two dates often differ.

Question 25

How do I check my USCIS case status?

Accepted Answer

Use the Case Status Online tool on uscis.gov with the 13-character receipt number printed on your USCIS notice. It is three letters followed by ten numbers, entered without dashes. The tool shows the last action taken on the case. We cannot interpret what a status means for an individual case.

Question 26

What is a Request for Evidence (RFE)?

Accepted Answer

A notice from USCIS saying it needs more documents or information before it can decide a case. It is not a decision on the case. The notice lists what is missing and the deadline for responding, and USCIS continues reviewing once the response arrives. Our glossary has a short entry on the Request for Evidence.

Question 27

What is premium processing, and does it guarantee approval?

Accepted Answer

Premium processing is an optional USCIS service, requested for a fee on Form I-907, that commits USCIS to act on an eligible case within a set number of business days. Acting means issuing an approval, a denial, a notice of intent to deny, or a request for evidence, so it does not guarantee approval. It is available only for benefit requests USCIS has designated, and the Form I-907 instructions point to the official page for current fees and timeframes.

Question 28

Do I have to tell USCIS when I move?

Accepted Answer

Most noncitizens in the United States must report a change of address to USCIS within 10 days of moving, using Form AR-11, which has no filing fee. Filing it online updates the pending cases you list on the form. Changing your address with the Postal Service does not change it with USCIS. Whether an exception applies to a particular person is a question for an attorney or accredited representative.

Question 29

How long is a green card valid, and what is a conditional green card?

Accepted Answer

Most green cards are valid for 10 years. A conditional green card, issued for example when a marriage-based approval comes less than two years into the marriage, is valid for two years. Its holder generally must file a petition to remove the conditions during the 90 days before the card expires, and Form I-90 is not used to renew it. Our glossary explains conditional permanent resident status.

Question 30

How do I comment on a proposed federal rule?

Accepted Answer

Anyone can submit a public comment on a proposed rule through Regulations.gov, or by mail when the notice says so. Search by the docket number or title shown in the Federal Register notice, and check the deadline listed there, since comment periods are commonly 30 or 60 days. Comments are generally public, and late comments may not be considered.

Question 31

How can I spot an immigration scam?

Accepted Answer

Only licensed attorneys and accredited representatives authorized by the government can give immigration legal advice. In the United States a notario or notary public is not one of them. Official USCIS forms are free, so be wary of anyone charging for the form itself, and do not sign blank forms or let anyone keep your original documents, as the FTC guidance advises. You can report scams to USCIS and the FTC.

Question 32

What is the difference between an immigrant visa and a nonimmigrant visa?

Accepted Answer

Immigrant visas are issued to people who intend to live permanently in the United States. Nonimmigrant visas are for temporary stays such as tourism, business, medical treatment, temporary work or study, according to CBP. A person entering on an immigrant visa becomes a lawful permanent resident once a CBP officer reviews and endorses the visa and paperwork at the port of entry. Our Visa Library groups both kinds by theme.

Question 33

What is an Employment Authorization Document (EAD)?

Accepted Answer

An Employment Authorization Document, often called a work permit, is a card USCIS issues as proof that a noncitizen may work in the United States. It is requested on Form I-765 and does not grant an immigration status. Some people must apply for one to be allowed to work, such as certain applicants with a pending green card application, while others, including green card holders, do not, as USCIS explains. Our glossary has an entry on the EAD.

Question 34

What is the difference between a green card and U.S. citizenship?

Accepted Answer

A green card shows lawful permanent resident status, which lets a person live and work in the United States. Citizenship adds rights: only citizens can vote in federal elections, serve on a federal jury and travel on a U.S. passport, and citizens generally get priority when petitioning for relatives, as a USCIS guide notes. Becoming a citizen through naturalization is optional. Our glossary explains naturalization.

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