What Does “Discretion” Mean in an Adjustment of Status Case?
In two recent posts, I wrote about the new USCIS policy memorandum describing Adjustment of Status as a form of “extraordinary relief,” and then about the possible legal challenges to that policy. This post focuses on the practical question underneath the entire issue: What does discretion actually mean in an Adjustment of Status case? That…
The Real Legal Fight Over the New USCIS Adjustment of Status Memo
Last week, I wrote about USCIS’s new policy memorandum reframing Adjustment of Status (“AOS”) as a form of discretionary relief that should only be granted in “extraordinary” circumstances. At the time, the biggest concern was practical. Immigration lawyers were trying to figure out whether USCIS officers would begin viewing ordinary family-based adjustment cases differently than…
Adjustment of Status vs. Consular Processing: Which Path Is Safer for Your Family?
In most family immigration cases, there are two possible paths. One is Adjustment of Status, where the green card process happens inside the United States. The other is Consular Processing, where the immigrant attends an interview at a U.S. embassy or consulate abroad. Both paths should lead to lawful permanent residence, but each process is…
USCIS Reframes Adjustment of Status as “Extraordinary Relief”
For decades, adjustment of status has been one of the most important features of the U.S. immigration system. It allows many individuals who are already lawfully present, or otherwise eligible under the Immigration and Nationality Act, to become lawful permanent residents without leaving the United States for an immigrant visa interview abroad. That process has…
How USCIS Officers Evaluate Your Marriage Interview
Learn how USCIS officers evaluate marriage interviews — what behaviors they watch for and how to prove your marriage is real and bona fide.
What Happens After My Asylum Is Approved? A Guide to Life as an Asylee in the United States
When the U.S. government grants your asylum application, it’s a major victory – and the start of an entirely new chapter. Many newly approved asylees ask the same question: “What happens after my asylum is approved?” 1. You Are Immediately Authorized to Work in the United States. Once asylum is approved, you are automatically eligible…
Bringing an Interpreter to Your USCIS Interview: Rules You Should Know
If you have an upcoming interview with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) — such as for Adjustment of Status (green card) or Naturalization (citizenship) — it’s important to understand who can serve as your interpreter and what the current rules are. You Must Bring Your Own Interpreter USCIS generally requires applicants who need language…
USCIS Introduces New $1,000 Immigration Parole Fee — What You Need to Know
On October 16, 2025, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced a new Immigration Parole Fee following passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. Under this law, any person paroled into the United States under INA §212(d)(5)(A) must pay a $1,000 fee, unless a specific statutory exception applies. This new requirement applies to all…
Dual Citizenship
In the simplest of terms, Dual Citizenship is when you have citizenship in two countries. For those who are planning to immigrate to the United States and eventually naturalize, this would mean retaining citizenship in their home country after naturalization. However not all countries will recognize Dual Citizenship, and some citizens may have to renounce…
Consular Processing vs. Adjustment of Status: What is the Difference?
Editor’s Note (July 2026): This article discusses Adjustment of Status under current USCIS policies, including the agency’s May 2026 memorandum describing adjustment of status as an “extraordinary” form of relief requiring a favorable exercise of discretion. For a detailed discussion of that policy change, see our article “USCIS Reframes Adjustment of Status as Extraordinary Relief.“…
