Green Card Articles & Guides

Monthly visa bulletin analysis, policy explainers, and guides for employment-based and family-based green card applicants.

Advertisement
I-485 Process
Green Card Guide

What Happens After Filing I-485: The Complete Timeline

Receipt notice, biometrics, EAD/AP combo card, the medical exam expiry trap, and what to expect while your case sits pending for years.

Green Card Guide

AC21: Can You Change Jobs While Your I-485 Is Pending?

The 180-day rule, same-or-similar occupation test, Supplement J explained, and what to do if your new employer won't cooperate.

Green Card Guide

USCIS I-485 Pending Inventory Explained: What the Numbers Mean

What the USCIS pending inventory report is, how applications are counted by category and country, and how this site uses those numbers to estimate your queue position.

Visa Bulletin Guide

Final Action Date vs Filing Date: Chart A and Chart B Explained

What each chart means, when USCIS authorizes Chart B filing, and why you should file the moment you become eligible on the Filing date.

Green Card Guide

Will Your Child Lose Green Card Eligibility at 21? Aging Out & CSPA Explained

How CSPA protects dependent children, the age calculation formula, and what India EB families need to do before their child turns 21.

Green Card Guide

Getting Laid Off With a Pending I-485: What to Do

Before vs after 180 days, I-140 withdrawal risk, using EAD during job search, and the exact steps to take immediately.

Green Card Guide

H-1B vs EAD While Your I-485 Is Pending: Which Should You Use?

Why H-1B is usually safer, when EAD makes sense, and the Advance Parole travel trap that catches people off guard.