Documents that may help with the consultation
The relevant documents depend on the issue. Useful records can include:
- Passport biographic page and current immigration documents;
- Forms I-94 or CBP entry records;
- Prior visa applications and consular correspondence;
- Forms I-130, I-140, I-360, I-526E, or other immigrant petitions;
- Form I-485 receipt notices and filing materials;
- USCIS RFEs, NOIDs, or denial notices;
- Immigration court documents;
- Prior removal or expedited removal records;
- Criminal court records where relevant;
- Employment and status documentation;
- Old labor certifications or petitions relevant to INA §245(i); and
- Any agency notice containing the legal finding you want reviewed.
You do not necessarily need every immigration record before requesting a consultation. The initial review can help identify which missing records would be most important to obtain.
Questions that can be addressed
Depending on the facts, consultation questions may include:
- Am I eligible to file Form I-485 now?
- Does a prior overstay prevent adjustment?
- Does unauthorized employment matter in my category?
- Was my entry sufficient for INA §245(a)?
- Can an old petition qualify me under INA §245(i)?
- Can INA §245(k) cure my employment or status violation?
- Does a prior removal order affect adjustment?
- Does USCIS or the immigration judge have jurisdiction?
- Do I need an inadmissibility waiver?
- How should I respond to an RFE or NOID?
- Should I file Form I-290B or refile Form I-485?
- Can I change employers while adjustment is pending?
- What does visa retrogression mean for my pending case?
- Can I travel while Form I-485 is pending?
What a consultation does not guarantee
Immigration cases are fact-specific. A consultation provides legal analysis based on the information and records available for review but cannot guarantee that USCIS, DOS, CBP, EOIR, or another government agency will reach a particular result.
Additional investigation or records may sometimes be necessary before a definitive recommendation can be made.