Documents
21 articles, newest first.
Parole in 2026: What the Statute Allows, What Was Terminated, What the Courts Restored, and What a Parolee Can Still Do
Parole is permission to be physically present without being admitted, granted case by case and revocable on notice. In 2025 the government ended every categorical parole program and terminated the parole of hundreds of thousands of people by email. Two of those terminations have since been blocked by federal courts and one was upheld. What the status still confers, what it now costs, and where each program stands in September 2026.
Preparing Your Family: The Caregiver Form for Your State, the Documents Folder, and the Numbers to Memorize
A plan settles who collects the children, pays the rent and calls the lawyer in the 48 hours after an arrest. The forms differ by state and some take weeks. What New York, California, Texas, Florida and Illinois provide, what goes in the folder, and what to tell the school.
Where TPS Stands in August 2026: Four Countries Left, One Million Protections Ended, and the Alternatives That Remain
Seventeen countries held Temporary Protected Status designations when the administration took office. As of this month, four do, and one of those ends on September 9. A country-by-country close of the ledger, the Supreme Court decision that settled the litigation, and what a person losing TPS can still file.
Renewing or Replacing a Green Card in 2026: The 36-Month Extension, the 90-Day Window, and the Re-Reviews
The forms are the same ones this site described in 2021. What has changed is the length of the receipt-notice extension, the fees, and an agency that now re-examines green cards it has already granted. A current guide for ten-year cards, two-year cards and everything that can go wrong with either.
Advance Parole, Refugee Travel Documents and Reentry Permits in 2026: Which One, What It Costs, and Why Approval Is Not Admission
Every travel document for a non-citizen is requested on the same form and none of them guarantees you will be let back in. An update of this site's 2021 guide, with the 2026 fees, the processing times, and the travel ban that now decides who should not leave at all.
Alien Registration and Form G-325R: Who Must Register, Who Already Has, and What It Costs You
A 1940 duty to register with the government, dormant for decades, has been enforced since April 11, 2025. Most people with any immigration paperwork are already registered without knowing it. The ones who are not face a decision with real consequences either way.
Work Permits in 2026: The End of the 540-Day Bridge and What to Do When the Card Expires
For three years a receipt notice kept people employed while USCIS processed a renewal, and since October 30, 2025 it does not. USCIS has separately cut most of these cards to 18 months or one year, which means the same person now renews more often with no cushion at all.
The 2026 Fee Schedule: What the Inflation Adjustment Changes on January 1
H.R. 1 indexes its immigration fees to inflation every fiscal year. Three Federal Register notices in November 2025 set the 2026 amounts. Most rise by $5 to $20, a few stay flat, and a filing postmarked on or after January 1 without the new amount is rejected.
The End of the Automatic Work Permit Extension: File Early or Stop Working
Since October 30, 2025, filing a work permit renewal no longer extends the expiring card. The 540-day bridge that kept hundreds of thousands of people employed while USCIS caught up is gone. Who is affected, the timing, and what to do.
TPS Terminations: Where Each Country Stands, and What Happens to Your Work Permit
Between February and November 2025 DHS moved to end Temporary Protected Status for nearly every designated country. A country-by-country account of the notices, the court fights, and the rule that matters most: the termination date, not the date on your card.
Covid-19 Vaccination Required to Apply for Green Card
Starting on October 1, 2021, green cards will only be issued to those applicants, who are vaccinated against COVID-19, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced.
REAL ID to Travel or Fly Domestically
Can I travel with my ID? Do I need the Real ID to fly domestically? Is it possible to provide my Employment Authorization Card (EAD) at the airport?
H-2B Visa Cap
On May 21, 2021, the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Labor made available an extra 22,000 H-2B visas for 2021 for nonagricultural workers.
Who Qualifies for Work Permit in 2021?
Any foreign national who wants to make money in the US has to get an Employment Authorization Card (EAD or work permit).
Affidavit of Support to Sponsor a Visa Applicant
There are different affidavits of support: form I-864 and form I-134. What is the difference and why do you need to submit the affidavit of support?
Renew or Replace Green Card
If you are a permanent resident, who already has a Permanent Resident Card (Green Card), but lost it, or it was stolen, destroyed, then you have to replace it.
Green Card for Two Years
A green card which is valid only for two years is called a conditional permanent resident card (conditional green card).
Advance Parole, Refugee Travel Document, and Reentry Permit
An individual, who is not a US citizen, may be required to obtain additional documents prior to travel abroad, even if the individual has a lawful resident card (green card).
Updated USCIS Fee Schedule (2020-2021)
From time to time the USCIS may adjust filling fees. It is always good to verify the form and the exact fee by using the Fee Calculator https://www.uscis.gov/feecalculator .
Affidavit of Support and Liability of Sponsorship
Most family-based petitions require an affidavit of support, as well as some employment-based ones, require it as well (consult with your attorney).
Green Card Application Vaccination Requirements
An immigrant who applies for a Permanent Resident Card (Green Card) or Immigrant Visa (outside of the United States), needs to receive vaccinations or prove that he/she has already received them according to the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), section 212(a)(1)(A)(ii).