The immigration rules for Green Card holders and US visa holders have a new update every other day. Other than the Green Card wait time being stretched up to 179 years for H1B visa professionals, the new change to Form I-864 has raised a new wave of concerns in the US. The updated Form I-864 makes Green Card sponsors’ credit information easily accessible, thereby putting their finances and assets under scrutiny, effective August 31, 2026.

What is the latest Green Card news?

USCIS has revised Form I-864 that US citizens and immigrants use as the Affidavit of Support to sponsor immediate family members for a Green Card. USCIS started accepting the new Form I-864 for applications made on or after August 31, 2026. No grace period for the previous edition. The revised form comes with a privacy release that USCIS can use at its discretion to seek Green Card sponsors’ credit information from consumer reporting agencies.

Use of Form I-864, Affidavit of Support 

Form I-864 helps USCIS officers assess your financial capacity to support a family member whom you sponsor for a Green Card and whether the sponsored member would come under the public charge rule. The updated form tightens the Green Card sponsorship process. Privacy Release, a new addition to the form, authorizes USCIS to directly get insights on your credit history and dig more into your financial capacity. Precisely, your credit-related information will now determine whether you can sponsor a family member for lawful permanent residence in USA.

Who new Form I-864 with Privacy Release impacts

Privacy Release being a key change in Form I-864, sponsors with a credit freeze are likely to take a hit from the new Green Card rule. A credit freeze with credit-reporting agencies helps consumers prevent the opening of unauthorized accounts in their name. However, it does not erase their credit history. “If sponsors have a credit or security freeze on their consumer or credit reports, USCIS may not be able to access the financial information that they need to evaluate a sponsor’s eligibility as per Form I-864. To avoid facing a delay or rejection, sponsors should act immediately to remove a credit or security freeze,” said the American Immigration Lawyers’ Association (AILA).

What credit score Green Card sponsors require

In the 24 August 2026 revision of Form I-864, USCIS has not ruled in a credit score threshold for Green Card sponsorship in the family-based category. Neither minimum nor maximum credit score has been specified, according to immigration experts. There is yet no clarity what disqualifying aspects USCIS would derive from a sponsor’s credit-related information. Whether a previous bankruptcy or a missed payment would be treated as a disqualifier – is yet unknown. Immigration attorneys are trying to know how USCIS will use the credit-related insights that it can now directly obtain from credit bureaus.

New Form I-864 does not change income requirement

Other sponsorship requirements including a sponsor’s annual household income remain unchanged in Form I-864.

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Recently, the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency detained an Indian-origin Green Card holder, Venkata Narasamamba Vasamsetty, because she stayed 7 months (more than 180 days) outside USA looking after her ailing father in India in 2022. She has been living in the US for three decades and having strong ties locally. This incident took all immigrants aback and reminded them of the need to understand the Green Card travel rules before taking a long trip abroad.

A Green Card gives you the right to live and work in the US, but it does not mean you can travel outside the US frequently and stay abroad as long as you want. Check this guide to know how long you can stay outside USA on a Green Card, what happens if you stay abroad for a year, whether it affects your US citizenship journey, what Green Card travel rules are…

How long can Green Card holders stay outside USA?

There is no fixed maximum number of days that automatically terminates permanent resident status. USCIS says temporary or brief international travel generally does not affect your PR status, but you can face problems if the government determines that you no longer intend to maintain the US as your permanent home. As a practical guide:

• Less than 6 months outside the US: Generally lower risk if your trip is genuinely temporary.
• More than 180 days outside the US: You may face greater scrutiny on return.
• 1 year or more: The situation becomes significantly more complicated, particularly for Green Card holders’ re-entry to USA.
• Repeated long trips: Can raise questions about whether the US is still your permanent residence.

Can you lose your Green Card by staying abroad for too long? 

Staying away too long from the US increases your likelihood of losing Green Card given the changing immigration rules in 2026. This is known as Green Card abandonment. The commonly referred ‘Green Card 6-month rule’ does not mean your LPR status automatically expires after 6 months of stay outside the United States. Yet, 180 days is a critical threshold. A Green Card holder returning to USA after an absence of more than 180 days is subject to CBP inspections at the entry airport.

The key issue is not simply the number of days you were away or you are planning to travel outside America. Immigration authorities consider whether you have strong ties to USA, whether you intend to maintain the US as your permanent residence. Strong ties to USA include but not limited to the following:

• A home or long-term lease
• US employment
• Immediate family in America
• Bank accounts and financial connections
• US tax filings
• Health insurance and other ongoing commitments

On the other hand, moving permanently to another country, ending your US employment or establishing your residence abroad can create concerns. Importantly, returning to America once a year does not automatically protect your permanent resident status.

How long can a Green Card holder stay in India?

You can travel to India on a Green Card, but a long stay requires careful planning. If you are visiting India to look after an ill parent, attend to a family emergency or deal with an unavoidable situation, keep certain documents that explain why your trip became longer than expected. You should consider keeping:

• Medical and hospital records
• Flight tickets and changed itineraries
• Proof of your US home
• Employment records
• US tax documents
• Evidence of family and financial ties in America

A genuine reason for an extended stay does not automatically exempt you from immigration scrutiny, but proper documentation can help explain your circumstances.

What happens if you stay outside USA for 1 year or more?

The 1-year travel rule is particularly important for Green Card holders. If you remain outside the US for 12 months or longer, your Green Card generally cannot be used as a normal travel document for returning to America. If you plan to stay away from USA for 365 days or more, consider applying for a re-entry permit even before booking flight tickets from USA to India or any other destination.

What is a re-entry permit for Green Card holders?

A re-entry permit is a special travel document for legal permanent residents who remain outside the US for an extended period. If you have chances to stay abroad for a year or longer, you should obtain a re-entry permit before flying out of the US. Applying for a re-entry permit while physically present in the US is a thumb rule. It is part of careful planning for smooth re-entry to USA.

If you have already remained abroad beyond the permitted period and without the re-entry permit, you may need to have an SB-1 Returning Resident Visa. The State Department says applicants generally need to demonstrate that they had permanent resident status when they left the US, intended to return, and were unable to do so because of unprecedented circumstances beyond their control.

Can long travel outside USA affect your American citizenship application?

Yes. Green Card travel rules and citizenship requirements are related but not the same. For naturalization, an absence of more than six months but less than one year can create a presumption that you interrupted your continuous residence. An absence of one year or more generally breaks continuous residence for naturalization, subject to limited exceptions. So, if you are planning to apply for US citizenship, review your travel history before taking an extended trip.

How to secure re-entry to USA after long Green Card travel?  

Before leaving the US for a long trip:

• Track your exact departure and return dates.
• Avoid exceeding 180 days abroad whenever reasonably possible.
• Keep evidence explaining any prolonged absence.
• Maintain your U.S. home, job and other ties.
• Get re-entry permit if you expect to remain abroad for a year or longer.
• Check how the trip could affect your citizenship eligibility.
• Consult an immigration attorney if your absence is approaching or exceeds 6 months.

The post What are US Green Card Travel Rules? 180 Days, 1 Year, Re-Entry Permit first appeared on Indian Eagle Blog | US-India Travel News | Diaspora Stories.

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Since the very beginning, 2026 has been an eventful year for non-immigrants, particularly Indians in America. Every other day comes with a USCIS or DHS or CBP update for visa holders. Through 2026, the US immigration system has undergone major overhauls with strict compliance measures, like new signature rules for H1B, Green Card, work permit, etc. Travel Beats, the Indian Eagle blog for aviation news, travel guides, and diaspora stories compiles the latest US immigration rules and changes in 2026 for Indians and others.

USCIS updates Forms I-539 and I-765 effective September 15 

Starting 15 September 2026, non-immigrant visa holders must use the new edition of Form I-539 and Form I-765, in compliance to the US immigration 2026 rules. I-539 is for non-immigrant status extension/change applications filed by student visa holders and dependent visa holders (H4 and L2). I-765 is for EAD (employment authorization) applications used by F1 Visa holders and spouses of H1B visa professionals in the US. The 09/15/26 edition of these immigration forms comes with no grace period for outdated forms.

USA ends open-ended Duration of Status for F-1 students

The F1 Visa new rules 2026 constitute a majority of the latest US immigration updates. Effective 15 September, A maximum four-year period of admission will become effective starting 15 September for F1 students who will be admitted for the length of their academic programs, or up to a maximum of 4 years. On or after 15 SEPT 2026, even the existing students in USA will have to request a ‘Duration of Status’ extension beyond four years through a formal, paid application.

Also, the F-1 Visa grace period (after completion of academic programs) is reduced from 60 days to 30 days. The post-study transition window to apply for OPT, transfer to another program, seek the change of status, or exit the US has become much shorter.

New Advance Parole travel rule 2026: BIA Ruling 2026 

In 2026, the new US immigration rules include an advance parole travel change for certain individuals with pending Green Card applications (I-485) and others in high-risk categories. The Board of Immigration Appeals’ (BIA) decision (dated 13 August 2026) makes it riskier to travel outside the US on an Advance Parole. Traveling on an Advance Parole is now treated as a departure from the US and results in a 3-year or 10-year re-entry ban. Read more about the new advance parole travel rule and check whom it impacts.

Consular interview for minors at US embassies and consulates 

There are some USCIS updates for minor visa applicants, from the newborn to the 17-year-old. The US Embassy in India clarified on 14 August 2026 that minor visa applicants must appear in person for consular interviews, regardless of age. If you are applying for a US visa even for an infant on lap, you must take the infant for the scheduled visa interview, as consular officers need to see every visa applicant in person, irrespective of age, during the interview process.

USCIS can reject incomplete applications without RFE

Among the new immigration rules 2026, the USCIS’ RFE policy has tightened for incomplete applications. Your immigration application or petition is now at the mercy of the officers who are given more discretionary power to reject incomplete applications without issuing a Request for Evidence (RFE) or Notice of Intent to Deny (NOID). This USCIS update applies to pending or filed applications, effective 5 August 2026. The officers may still issue RFEs whenever they think it is appropriate. Even if an RFE is issued, it would come with a tight response deadline unlike the previous 12-week window.

Before filing, make sure you:

• Submit all required forms
• Include the required initial evidence
• Provide supporting documents that establish eligibility
• Use the updated edition of forms and signatures

CBP’s 10-day email alert to US visitors 

Among the new changes in US immigration 2026, CBP’s 10-day email warning is a reminder to foreign visitors and travelers about their remaining days of authorized stay in USA. It aims to prevent them from overstaying the visa and accruing days of unlawful presence in the US. The CBP 10-day heads-up currently targets B1/B2 visitors and those who enter America under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP). It will gradually expand to other temporary visa categories, including F, J, H-1B, and H2, in the coming days.

Additional L1 and H1B extension fees for US employers 

Starting 9 September 2026, H1B and L-1 visa extension petitions will cost US employers more. The Department of Homeland Security has added the 9/11 response and biometric entry-exit fee (Public Law 114-113 Fee) to certain US employers filing renewal petitions for their L-1 and H1B employees. In addition to the regular USCIS filing fees, qualifying employers must pay an extra $4500 for L-1 visa extensions and an extra $4000 for H1B visa renewals.

Public Charge 2026 rule for Green Card applicants

Replacing the relaxed Biden-era public charge rule, the Trump administration brought back a stricter public charge test against Green Card applicants. Effective 18 September 2026, the public charge test would help USCIS officers assess whether non-citizen immigrants are likely to depend on public benefits in the future and their eligibility for a Green Card. This US immigration 2026 policy would authorize USCIS officers to deny Green Cards if the applicant is deemed to use government resources like food stamps, Medicaid, and housing vouchers.

USA seeks to restrict refundable tax credits

In a new move, the US government is seeking to tighten refundable tax credit rules by reviewing non-citizen immigrants’ eligibility criteria. The Department of Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) proposed regulations to enforce the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (PRWORA) – which states that any refundable portion of individual income tax credits is considered a federal public benefit. If this proposed regulation becomes a law, US work visa holders would face “Public Charge Rule” and consequently lose Green Card eligibility for claiming this federal public benefit.

Child Tax Credit (CTC), Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), American Opportunity Tax Credit (AOTC), and the Adoption Tax Credit are the four major federal tax credits with high likelihood of being restricted to aliens. It aims to strengthen the federal tax system for Americans and mitigate the abuse by illegal non-immigrants and ineligible aliens.

We strive to keep our customers up-to-date on US immigration and international travel through Travel Beats. Sign up to Travel Beats, the Indian Eagle blog, for the latest travel news, airlines updates, discount offers, immigrant success stories, and a lot more. Indian Eagle is a trusted air-ticketing partner of major airlines and a travel-booking partner of Indians in America.

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Indian Passport ranks 80th on the Henley Passport Index in 2026. It has moved up five spots higher than the ranking in 2024, enabling Indian Passport holders to visit 55 countries visa-free or with a visa on arrival in 2026. Only Iran and Bolivia have dropped from the list of countries that offer visa on arrival / visa-free entry to Indians with a valid US Visa or Green Card. Evidently, Indian Passport when backed with a valid US visa stamp or a Green Card exerts more power and influence at international levels.

Check out what countries Indians with Green Cards or US visas can visit in 2026 without applying for a visa in advance:

Visa-free Countries for Green Cardholders and US Visa holders

Singapore: 96-Hour Visa-Free Transit

Among visa-free countries for US Green Cardholders and Indians with a valid US visa, Singapore offers 96-hour visa free transit for guided city sightseeing tours. Since the Free Singapore Tour is available only for passengers of Singapore Airlines flights, many US visa holders and Green cardholders among Indians take advantage of the visa-free transit facility while traveling between USA and India through Changi Airport. The US visa stamp on your Indian passport must be valid for 30 days or more from your arrival in Singapore.

Qatar: Visa-free Doha Stopovers

Among visa-free countries for Green Cardholders and US visa holders, Qatar offers visa-free Doha stopovers to passengers of Qatar Airways flights. Qatar’s visa waiver for Indian passport holders from India and the US is valid for 30 days from the date of issuance at Doha’s Hamad International Airport, given they have a passport with minimum 6-month validity, confirmed return flight tickets, and confirmed hotel booking in Doha.

You can call Indian Eagle’s customer helpline +1800-615-3969 for phone-only budget flight deals of Qatar Airways from USA to Doha, or US to India via Doha. You can call the same number to explore Doha stopover packages and the best deals available at Indian Eagle.

Mexico: Visa-Free for 180 Days

Mexico is one of the countries that offer visa-free entry to Indians with Green Card or a valid US visa. You can stay visa-free in Mexico for up to 180 days. Cancun in Mexico is a most popular beach getaway for Indians in the United States. Just make sure your US residency permit or visa is valid at the time of entry to explore Mexico cities and beaches without any visa hassles.

Peru: Visa-Free for 180 Days

Peru is among the visa-free countries for Green Cardholders and US visa holders with Indian passports. You can stay in this South American country for up to 180 days in a calendar year. Minimum 6-month validity of your US visa is a must for visa-free entry to Peru from the time of arrival. Whether hiking to Machu Picchu or soaking in the charm of Lima is your travel goal, the US visa or Green Card makes it easier for Indians to visit Peru without a visa.

Philippines: Visa-Free for 14 Days

The Philippines offers visa-free entry to US Green Cardholders and US work visa holders among Indians. In addition to visa-free entry to Manila, you can holiday for up to 14 days. Your visa-free stay in the Philippines can be extended once for another 7 days. In certain cases, Indian passport holders don’t need a US visa to travel visa-free to Philippines, but they must present confirm return flight tickets, proof of accommodation, and financial documents.

Thailand: Visa-free Entry

Among visa-free countries for Indian passport holders, Thailand is the most welcoming destination in Asia. Irrespective of your US visa status or validity, you can visit Thailand visa-free for up to 60 days. Starting May 2025, the Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC) is mandatory for all inbound foreign travelers for legal entry into the country. to be filled online at least 3 days prior to your scheduled arrival in Thailand, the digital form replaced the old paper form and includes a healthy declaration too.

Bahamas: Visa-Free for 30 Days

Bahamas makes island travel easy for Indian passport holders with a valid US visa or Green Card. You don’t need a separate visa to enter, as long as your US visa is multiple-entry and has been used at least once to travel to the US. You can stay up to 30 days in the Bahamas visa-free, soaking in its beaches and clear blue waters. Just make sure your passport is valid for at least six months at the time of entry.

Visa-on-arrival Countries for Green Cardholders and US Visa Holders

UAE Visa-on-Arrival for Dubai and Abu Dhabi Stopovers

The United Arab Emirates tops the list of countries that offer visa on arrival to US Green Cardholders and Indians with a valid US visa. The UAE visa on arrival for eligible Indians is issued for 14 days of stay, which is extendable for additional 14 days for a nominal fee. The visa-on-arrival entry to the UAE has been expanded to Indians holding valid visas or legal residency permits from not only USA and Canada, but also Singapore, Japan, Australia, South Korea, and New Zealand. Your Indian passport and Green Card or US visa must be valid for 6 months from the date of arrival at Dubai or Abu Dhabi.

Indian Eagle, the most trusted travel-booking partner for Indians in the US, has the best deals for Dubai Experience packages and ‘Visit Abu Dhabi’ tour packages, in addition to exclusive phone-only flight deals from Emirates and Etihad Airways. Indian Eagle’s air-ticketing and tour-planning team is available at +1800-615-3969 (24/7).

Oman: Visa-on-arrival/e-Visa for 30 days

The Oman visa on arrival for Green Card holders and eligible Indian citizens come for 30 days. Like other visa-on-arrival countries, Oman requires Indian citizens to hold a valid visa from the UK, Canada, the UK, Japan, or Schengen countries. Return flight confirmation and hotel reservation are pre-requisites for visa-on-arrival entry to Oman.

Sri Lanka: Visa on Arrival with ETA for 30 Days 

Among the visa-on-arrival countries for US Green Cardholders and Indian citizens without a US visa, Sri Lanka grants 30-day visa on arrival through an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) online. It is simple and hassle-free. Sri Lanka’s visa-on-arrival requirements include your passport with 6-month validity, return or onward flight tickets, proof of accommodation, and financial support documents.

Bahrain: Visa on Arrival for 30 Days

In the Gulf region, Bahrain is on the list of countries offering visa on arrival to Indians with a US Green Card or visa. You can stay in this beautiful island country for up to 14 days on a single-entry visa or up to 30 days on a multiple-entry visa. Starting in October 2025, Gulf Air flights from New York to India make it easier for US visa holders and Green Cardholders to get Bahrain’s visa on arrival for a stopover. A 6-month valid passport, return or onward travel booking confirmation, accommodation proof and sufficient funds are mandatory.

The booking of customized tour packages in all these visa-free countries for Green Cardholders and Indians on US Visas is just a call away at Indian Eagle! Call our trusted travel advisors at +1800-615-3969 for budget-friendly stopover tour packages for family and individuals, as well as discounted phone-only flight deals.

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Many Indians, both students and professionals, travel to the US with cheap flight tickets, two checked bags, dreams, aspirations, and a common goal – the most coveted Green Card. Their ‘American Dream is synonymous with achieving lawful permanent residency in the US. But not everyone has good luck with it despite taking calculated steps and offering prayers to visa temples. Over 1 million Indians, a majority being from the employment-based visa categories, are still stuck in the Green Card backlog, as per the USCIS stats.

However, “the American Dream – whatever it truly means – stays alive,” says Rajavasanth Rajasegar, who recently shared his 14-year-journey from F1 visa to Green Card on LinkedIn intending to rekindle hopes with the underlying message, “There is delay but no denial”. Like many others, he had had a fair share of uncertainty and anxiety while navigating the US immigration system until the “visa clock” stopped ticking for him.

Rajavasanth Rajasegar, an Assistant Professor at Colorado School of Mines, boarded a flight to Chicago in 2011 with the F1 visa stamp on his dreams. He studied mechanical engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. In the pre-Trump era, his transition from the US student visa to OPT (STEM) to an H-1B visa was smooth and streamlined. There was no looking back after he became a faculty at his alma mater in 2013. “I have been fortunate to have a privileged path,” he wrote in his success story of receiving a US Green Card.

The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) was like home to him as a graduate research and teaching assistance for almost 8 years. He had a fully-funded tenure at UIUC. Thereafter, he spent five years of postdoctoral research at Sandia National Laboratories, America’s premier DOE science & engineering lab for national security and technology innovation. It broadened his first-hand knowledge of mechanical engineering and helped him get a tenure-track position of assistant professor in the same discipline at Colorado School of Mines in January 2024.

He credits his alma maters, mentors, and family for their “incredible support” throughout his journey from an F1 visa to becoming a permanent US resident. Despite the smooth transition, he was not immune to usual US visa worries. “The visa clock always loomed in the background. I still remember asking my manager in FEB 2020 – Can we start H1B just in case?” he wrote in the LinkedIn post.

Like HiCounselor CEO Aditya Sharma who got his Green Card faster in the EB1A category, Rajavasanth Rajasegar chose the EB1A path hoping for the best and the worst at the same time. His Green Card petition in the EB1A category (for foreign nationals of extraordinary ability or international acclaims in science, arts, education, business, or athletics) stumbled over few bumps, including a surprise RFE (request for evidence) questioning the merit of his work.

Two years of adjustment, patience, and paperwork for additional documentation supported by his mentors put an end to his wait for Green Card. “Finally, I became a permanent resident. That visa clock does not exist today,” he wrote. He concluded his ‘Green Card journey’ story from a non-immigrant to an immigrant, wishing “the American Dream stays alive and accessible for the students and professionals who, like me, come here not just for themselves, but to contribute to the future of USA.”

The post Finally I Got Green Card and H1B Visa Clock Stopped Ticking; this Indian in USA Shares his 14-year Journey first appeared on Indian Eagle Blog | US-India Travel News | Diaspora Stories.

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Re-entry to the United States is challenging these days even for legal immigrants, amid President Trump’s immigration crackdown at ports of entry across the country. Green Card holders, who are lawful permanent residents in the US, are not exempt to the scrutiny that the CBP officers have intensified to assess the immigrant status and re-admissibility of foreign nationals (aliens) returning from their home countries or a trip abroad. Precisely, the Trump administration’s no-compromise efforts to fix loopholes in immigration and security has become a gnawing concern for legal immigrants too.

Elderly Indians among Green Card holders, who are flying back to USA after a winter trip to India, are in for an unprecedented surprise on arrival, as the CBP officers are interrogating them and inspecting their documents. Some cases have been reported wherein senior citizens faced intense pressure to sign Form I-407 to voluntarily surrender their Green Cards on arrival at US airports, according to immigration attorneys.

Some elderly Green Card holders spend winter months in India as they are not yet accustomed to bone-rattling winters in America. They are among the targets of ‘Green Card abandonment’. The US Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) states that those who spend more than 365 days in a calendar year outside the US are subject to ‘Green Card abandonment.’ At the same time, they can exercise their right to challenge this in court.

What is more worrisome is that a period of 180 days outside the US, even a shorter absence, has become a premise for the CBP officers to heavily scrutinize Green Card holders, senior citizens in particular.

What are the rights of Green Card holders at the US ports of entry in the above scenario? Immigration attorneys are receiving such queries every day. “Generally, an individual’s Green Card cannot be revoked at the port of entry unless he/she voluntarily signs Form I-407 to surrender it,” Kripa Upadhyay, an immigration attorney in Seattle, was quoted saying in an article by The Economic Times. “Only an immigration judge can take away a Green Card, so individuals should not sign Form I-407,” said another Indian-origin attorney in the US.

Mostly, Green Card holders’ absence from the US for 180 days or more in a calendar year, and their failure to maintain strong ties to the US are triggering CBP officers who have legal rights to inspect and interrogate immigrants returning from their home countries. At the same time, Green Card holders reserve the right to a hearing before an immigration judge if there are attempts to revoke their lawful permanent residence status, like secondary inspections, legal notices, unjust detention on arrival, and threats of deportation. A lawyer can be hired to represent their case during a court hearing.

Immigration attorneys caution Green Card holders against making frequent travel and spending more than 180 days outside the US in a year. If an individual has history of secondary inspections, he/she may come under the CBP scanner on return from overseas travel. It is recommended that Green Card holders maintain tangible evidence of their strong ties to the US, like employment, family, property, or filing tax returns during their overseas stay for months. They can show the evidence during a routine inspection or additional scrutiny by the US Customs officers.

As part of the immigration law enforcement by President Trump, Green Card holders must have a re-entry permit for re-admission to the USA after spending 365 days or more abroad. In view of this, immigration attorneys advise Green Card holders to apply for a re-entry permit before flying out of the US for a year. CBP officers have the right to deny re-admission to you for not having a re-entry permit. In short, you should carefully plan a long absence from the US soil to maintain your LPR status.

Immigration attorneys advise Green Card holders to cooperate with the CBP officers if their electronic devices, luggage, and/or social media accounts are examined. The US Customs officer may not need a warrant to check your devices and luggage for prohibited items, documents, or anti-US sentiments that could impact your re-entry to the country after a period of stay abroad. Everything from your belongings to travel history and social media communications is under the CBP scanner these days.

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“I worked at top companies on an H-1B visa. Soon, I realized that I could not spend my whole life on an H-1B visa. There are just too many restrictions, limited career growth, and too much risk of being thrown out at any time,” CEO Aditya Sharma shared in a recent LinkedIn post. He chose not to end up waiting endlessly for legal permanent residence and not to join more than one million Indians, including H1B visa holders, stuck in the Green Card backlog. He chose not to let the ‘H1B visa country cap’ for India affect his future in the US, particularly during the Trump administration 2.0.

Among the ways to obtain a Green Card in the US, EB1A became a safe bet for Aditya Sharma, the founder and CEO of HiCounselor in San Francisco. In his LinkedIn post that broke out the news of his Green Card approval on 27 JAN 2025, he further shared the timeline, June 2024 – January 2025, that he created and followed from preparation to application to approval for an EB1A Green Card.

• Jun 2024: Started working to meet the EB1A eligibility criteria.
• Aug 2024: Met 5 out of 8 criteria.
• Oct 2024: Got LOR from high-profile individuals, 3 research papers published, and got media coverage.
• Nov 2024: Met 8 out of 8 criteria. Started the application prep.
• Jan 2025: 912 pages of application. It was truly a crazy activity to review and finalize this big application.
• Jan 12, 2025: Application sent to USCIS in premium processing.
• Jan 16, 2025: Application received by USCIS.
• Jan 27, 2025: Approved!

It seems that he was fortunate enough to secure a Green Card in only 8 months. In fact, his journey to obtaining lawful permanent residence that helps actualize the American Dream began years ago when he realized, “HIB is a horrible visa to spend your life in the US.” Like hundreds of thousands of Indian students in USA, Aditya got his first job at Deloitte on an H1B visa after having earned a master’s degree from Duke University, North Carolina, in 2015.

Success stories of the Silicon Valley startups fired his zeal to become an entrepreneur. But soon he found that H1B visa holders cannot do a full-time business in USA. It did not hold him back from exploring possible ways of launching a startup business on H1B visa. He started attending entrepreneurship meetups in the Bay Area. At one such event, he learned about the O1 visa and that “it allows immigrants to start a company in the US.”

What is O1 visa? Who qualifies for O1 visa in USA?

The O1 visa is one of the US employment visas for non-immigrant foreign nationals. Highly qualified individuals of extraordinary ability in sciences, business, education, arts and sports can apply for the O1 visa. Indians who are national or international achievers in the aforementioned fields may qualify for the O1 visa. Unlike H1B visa, the O1 visa has a broad application window. You can apply for it at any time of the year. Statistically, 80-95% is the approval rate for O1 visa applicants including potential entrepreneurs and startup founders.

Is it difficult to get an O1 visa? HiCounselor CEO Aditya Sharma recalls, “When I looked at the criteria, I was shocked and dejected. They seemed so demanding that I didn’t think I could meet them. Slowly, I started working on them, and after a year, I applied for the O1 Visa. And guess what, I was approved within five days of my application.” In this visa category, the applicant is required to submit a significant amount of evidence that undergoes rigorous scrutiny by USCIS, ascertaining his/her extraordinary ability or achievement.

With the O1 visa approval, he resigned from his job at Deloitte and launched HiCounselor in 2020. However, he did not stop there. After a year into business, he started educating himself on the EB-1 visa eligibility criteria and application procedure. “I wish I had done this hard work sooner,” he shared on LinkedIn as it took him 4 years to understand and fulfil the EB-1A visa requirements. EB-1 is an employment-based, first preference visa in the immigrant category.

Who is eligible for EB-1A immigrant visa?

Individuals with extraordinary abilities and outstanding achievements can be eligible for the EB-1A visa. Having some national or international acclaim, you don’t need a US-based employment offer or labor certification to apply for an EB-1A visa. Among the paths to lawful permanent residency in America, this immigrant visa gives quicker access to a Green Card. But it is a highly competitive visa entailing a complicated application process and requiring strong evidence of your achievements or recognition in arts, sciences, education, business, or athletics.

Aditya Sharma’s EB1-A application was 912-page long, and he described it as an “incredibly daunting task”. This is one of the roadblocks for most immigrants, even those in high-paying roles, not to apply for a Green Card in the EB-1 category, according to him. He hosts sessions on O1 and EB1 visas aiming to help qualified H1B visa holders navigate the otherwise tough application procedure. In his LinkedIn post, he claimed to have helped 75 people get EB-1 and O-1 visas.

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The post How I Secured My Green Card Faster through EB-1A Visa, HiCounselor CEO Aditya Sharma Shares His Story first appeared on Indian Eagle Blog | US-India Travel News | Diaspora Stories.

The post How I Secured My Green Card Faster through EB-1A Visa, HiCounselor CEO Aditya Sharma Shares His Story appeared first on Indian Eagle Blog | US-India Travel News | Diaspora Stories.

The United States has recently grown vocal of the Heartland Visa, a new pathway to lawful permanent residency for skilled immigrants from different walks of life. Endorsed by the US Conference of City Mayors, the Heartland Visa is in addition to the existing popular Green Card options. This expedited path to obtaining a US Green Card has emerged from the need of offering a bait to attract skilled immigrants to cities with economic decline.

The US has a glorious history of immigrants having been a key driver for the socio-economic growth and innovation in coastal cities and metropolitan areas. Often referred to as a nation of immigrants, America is home to 47 million foreign-born immigrants (as of 2022) which account for not more than 14% of the total US population. Notably, India being the second largest source of skilled immigrants to the US. More than half of the total immigrant populace is mostly settled in four US states: California, Texas, Florida, and New York, according Pew Research Center.

Statistically, only 5% of highly skilled immigrants are sparsely scattered in heartland region of the United States. To be precise, the heartland regions are apparently deprived of the contributions that various skilled immigrant groups have made to a few metros in the northeast, south and west coast through relentless research, innovation, investment, and entrepreneurship. It is the immigrants who have developed 55% of America’s billion-dollar startup landscape spanning from medicine to ecommerce to technology.

In a bid to revitalize the economy of heartland regions, the US Conference of Mayors brought a bipartisan immigration proposal endorsing the Heartland Visa for skilled immigrant professionals and innovators. The Heartland Visa would act as a spur for them to rejuvenate Cleveland, Memphis, Kansas, Louisville and other economically backward cities in the heartland region with job creation, investment, innovation and technology. In lieu of that, they would have fairer chances for lawful permanent residency. Precisely, their petitions would be least likely to end up in the Green Card backlog.

Key features of Heartland Visa Program in the US

The US counties or cities with sluggish growth and low median incomes, can participate in the program. Highly skilled immigrants with a heartland visa will be required to live in the counties or cities participating in the program, but they can choose to work elsewhere. They would be allowed to select an area to live in. The petitions of high earners among the applicants will be given priority for the Heartland Visa program, as per reports.

Heartland Visas are allocated on a quarterly basis for an initial period of 3 years, which can be renewed for another 3 years. This newly endorsed Green Card program will be expanded to an allocation of minimum 100,000 visas per year in the future, depending on the number of heartland areas participating in the program.

John Lettieri, CEO and President of the Economic Innovation Group (EIG) applauded the US city mayors’ endorsement of the Heartland Visa Program and labeled it as a forward-thinking approach towards tapping into global talent for the urban areas grappling with economic stagnation and population decline.” The program seeks equitable distribution of skilled immigrant population for a balanced growth across the country.

The post Heartland Visa: A Newly Proposed Quick Pathway to Green Card for Skilled Immigrants in USA first appeared on Indian Eagle Blog | US-India Travel News | Diaspora Stories.

The post Heartland Visa: A Newly Proposed Quick Pathway to Green Card for Skilled Immigrants in USA appeared first on Indian Eagle Blog | US-India Travel News | Diaspora Stories.

The post What are Popular Ways for Indians to Get Green Cards in USA: Green Card Eligibility Categories for Indians first appeared on Indian Eagle Blog | US-India Travel News | Diaspora Stories.

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It will cost US visa seekers dearly to fulfil their American Dreams in the near future, as USCIS’ proposed visa fee hikes are likely to be effective in early 2024 for H1B, L, O, and EB5 categories. The visa fee hike proposal will also impact applicants seeking employment authorization, US citizenship, and green card status adjustment. Only the USCIS fees for premium processing of visas in all categories will remain unaffected; however, the premium processing timeline will increase from 15 calendar days to 15 business days as proposed by USCIS.

EB5 – the Golden Visa that ensures the fastest route to earning a Green Card – will cost foreign investors and entrepreneurs 204 times more than its current fees. Once USCIS’ visa fee hike proposal is approved, an EB5 visa will cost $11,160 instead of $3,675. This will surely be another setback to EB5 visa seekers, since the investment cap has been raised from $500,000 to a minimum $800,000.

The proposed H1B visa fee hike is, undoubtedly, not a fair surprise to H1B visa sponsors. The US employers hiring high-skilled foreign workers will have to shell out $780, a 70% hike on $460 per application. Moreover, the H1B pre-registration fee is to get a steep hike by 2050% – from a meagre $10 to a whopping $215. The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) agency reasons that they sought a significant hike in the H1B pre-registration fee based on a review of the increasing cost of managing the H1B registration system.

In its US visa fee hike proposal, USCIS sought a 201% increase from $460 to $1385 for an L1 visa, a non-immigrant visa for intra-company transfer. The O1 visa fee is likely to go up by 129%. O1, a visa for non-immigrant individuals with extraordinary ability or achievements, is one of the few options that highly-accomplished STEM professionals on H1B can switch to during the 60-day grace period following a layoff. They may find this option a deterrent in the event of the O1 visa fee increase.

Justifying the H1B, EB5, L1 and other visa fee hikes, USCIS said that the revision of the current visa fee schedule is a pressing need of the hour to meet the agency’s operating overheads, especially in view of the pandemic-hit revenue. The agency’s revenue plummeted by 40% during the pandemic – which resulted in freezing the hiring process and reducing the workforce, thereby affecting the capacity to clear backlogs. USCIS’ annual revenue is expected to rise from $3.28 billion to $5.2 billion if the latest revision of the visa fees is approved. The estimated revenue increase will help USCIS prevent the mounting of visa backlogs, upgrade the technological infrastructure, and augment the legal immigration system.

USCIS also proposed eliminating separate biometric services fee. At the same time, USCIS assured that the visa hike proposal would not impact the existing fee waiver eligibility norms for low-income groups. The agency also sought to introduce fee exemptions for visa applicants in the ‘humanitarian programs’ category.

The US visa hike proposal includes plans to introduce a new ‘Asylum Program Fee’ which will be levied on the employers filing Form I-129 (a petition for non-immigrant workers) and Form I-140 (a petition for employment-based LPR) for their foreign employees. The Asylum Program Fee, $600, will help the agency afford the expenses of administering the asylum programs.

The post All You Need to Know about USCIS’ Visa Fee Hike Proposal for H1B, L1, EB5 and Other Visa Categories first appeared on Indian Eagle Blog | US-India Travel News | Diaspora Stories.

The post All You Need to Know about USCIS’ Visa Fee Hike Proposal for H1B, L1, EB5 and Other Visa Categories appeared first on Indian Eagle Blog | US-India Travel News | Diaspora Stories.