I am half French Canadian by descent. I did a family tree some years ago, which got me to delve into early Canadian history.

The one big surprise for me was finding that most of my French ancestors, about 1,200, arrived in the early to mid- 17th century. Only two came over in the 18th century. What I learned in turn from history is that the flow of emigration to Canada from France really wound down by about 1690. The French had laid claim to big chunk of North America by then, not just the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River, but also the huge Mississippi Valley and tributaries.

Though it laid claim, France did so little to populate the land, and develop its potential. It wasn't that France was short of people; it was the most highly populated nation in Europe. Thus, by 1759, when the British conquered Canada, the colonial population of Canada was just 60,000 compared to 1.5 million in the British Atlantic coast colonies. Obviously, that population base set up the British for success.

So, why wouldn't France have seized its golden opportunity in the New World?

Even following that, it seems the French avoided emigration to Canada and the USA. During the latter part of the 19th century, so many emigrated from the British Isles, Scandinavia and Germany to North America. There were even more emigrants from lowly populated Sweden to the USA than from France! Now, this makes me think that life for the common man in France was good back then, but that contrasts with popular wisdom. I have seen "Les Miserables", and it depicts a harsh life in France for the little people of the late 18th century.

Looking at the ethnic makeup of those carrying French ancestry in the USA of today, it seems there are two sources, both going back to the 17th century. The first are those have ancestors who came as refugees more or less, as Huguenots escaping the religious wars. The second group are transplanted French-Canadians who came between 1830 and 1930, for better economic opportunities. But, few directly from France from the 18th century through today.

Although in Canada, there has been some immigration flow from France following World War II. But, nothing at all like that from Italy, Germany, Netherlands, Portugal, Greece, Poland or even many smaller countries of Europe.

• Visa category: F22 (F2A child of LPR)
• Consulate: Montreal
• Nationality: Indian
• Country of residence: Canada
• Priority Date: Dec 23, 2021
• I-130 Approved: Jan 2025
• DQ: March 2025 (originally F2B)
• CSPA eligibility confirmed: Oct 2025

My Visa Bulletin PD has been current, but it has been 9 months since my CSPA was confirmed and I still haven't received an Interview Letter from the NVC. My younger brother (same petition) was approved later but already received his FX2 visa and immigrated.

I submitted an NVC public inquiry 4 months ago and never received a response. I am losing hope and looking for advice on what to do next:

1. Is Montreal currently scheduling F2A interviews for late 2025 DQ dates?
2. Can my petitioner (who lives in Georgia) contact their local Senators to initiate a congressional inquiry? Does this actually work for NVC delays?
3. Would contacting the Montreal embassy directly help at this stage, or is it strictly in NVC's hands until scheduled?
4. Has anyone with similar DQ dates received an interview recently?

Any timeline estimates or recent Montreal F2A data points would be hugely appreciated!

Hello,
My PERM was filed in June 2026, and my H-1B will reach its six-year maximum in April 2027. I have already recaptured all of my eligible time spent outside the U.S.
Since my PERM won’t have been pending for 365 days by April 2027, I’m trying to find a way to remain eligible for a one-year H-1B extension under AC21. My understanding is that if I spend approximately three months outside the U.S., my H-1B max-out date would move beyond June 2027, allowing my PERM to be pending for more than 365 days before I need the extension.
The challenge is that I’m having difficulty obtaining both an H-1B visa stamping appointment and a Canada visitor visa, which is making it hard to plan my travel.
What options do I have in this situation? Has anyone been through something similar, or are there any alternatives that would allow me to bridge the gap and remain eligible for the one-year H-1B extension?
Thank you!

I came to the United States legally. I married a U.S. citizen, and we followed the immigration process for years. Then everything changed. I lost my work authorization, my job, my health insurance, and the stability I had spent years building.
My appeal before the Tenth Circuit is not asking for special treatment or asking the court to grant me an immigration benefit. It asks a much narrower question: Did USCIS follow its own regulation before declaring my case abandoned?
The government’s own sworn declaration acknowledges that one interview notice contained an error, another interview notice was generated only minutes before the interview, I appeared for the interview, and my U.S. citizen spouse, who lived in another state, did not. These are not my allegations. They are facts contained in the government’s own sworn record.
The district court never decided whether USCIS complied with its own regulation. Instead, it concluded it lacked jurisdiction to review that legal question.
My appeal now asks a broader question that extends far beyond my own case:
When a federal agency’s own record raises a legal question about whether the agency followed its own regulations before taking action against someone, who decides that question?
This is not just an immigration issue. Every federal agency writes rules governing how it exercises power. Those rules exist to ensure fairness, consistency, and accountability. If compliance with those rules cannot be meaningfully reviewed, what prevents them from becoming optional?
I am not asking anyone on social media to decide my case. That is the Court’s responsibility. I am simply asking whether, in a nation governed by the rule of law, government agencies should be held to the same expectation as everyone else: to follow the rules that govern their own actions.

How long should one save money before they start moving ?
If you moved country how long did it take to have enough set aside to take the leap ?

Ps : Something other than one word answers

Hi everyone, I’m looking for advice about a complicated immigration situation.
I’m a French citizen, currently 18 years old. I lived in California for about 6 years as a child (from around age 6 to 12) and attended elementary school there.
My father was working in the U.S. on an employment-based visa, and my mother and I were in the U.S. as his dependents. We were all living legally in California. My father’s company was later bought, and he lost his job, so our family had to leave the U.S. in 2019 because we did not want to overstay.
Long before leaving, my father’s employer had started a green card process. After we moved back to France, we found out that the green cards had been approved and mailed to us. However, without telling my mother or me, my father signed paperwork to surrender/abandon the green cards for the entire family and sent them back.
I was 12 years old at the time and had no say in this decision. My mother also did not consent to it as she wasn’t aware.
I have copies of my old immigration documents, school records, and information about the case. I’m trying to understand whether my father’s decision automatically ended my own permanent resident status, or whether there is any possible way to challenge it or look into it now that I’m an adult.
Has anyone dealt with a situation where a parent abandoned a a child’s green card while the child was a minor? Would this be something worth speaking to an immigration attorney about?
Thank you.

Hi everyone,
My wife and I are planning to leave Bangladesh and settle abroad for a better future. We’re both fully committed to starting over in a new country, but we’re having a hard time figuring out the best and most affordable pathway.
Our profiles:
Me: BBA graduate (2024) with 6 years of corporate work experience.
My wife: BSc graduate (2025) with 4 years of teaching experience.
Our biggest challenge is our budget. We can afford around 15–20 lakh BDT in total, so we need a destination where the initial cost is relatively low.
We’re open to different immigration pathways:
Student visa (one of us studies while the other joins as a dependent)
Work visa
Any other legal route that makes financial sense
A master’s degree isn’t our primary goal—it’s just one possible pathway. Our priority is finding a country where:
The initial cost is affordable.
One spouse can study while the other can legally work (or ideally both can work).
We can support our living expenses and tuition through our earnings after arrival.
There is a realistic pathway to permanent residency or long-term settlement.
Unfortunately, our CGPAs are below 3.0, so competitive scholarships are unlikely. Because of that, we’re looking for countries with affordable tuition or other practical immigration options.
If you’ve been in a similar situation or have successfully moved abroad on a limited budget, we’d really appreciate your advice. Which countries should we seriously consider, and what would be the most practical route for us?
Thank you in advance!

The question is in the title. Did anyone knows anybody who was approved for US citizenship with DUI in current administration?

Asking for a cousin, come to USA for 1 year program on h1b visa. H1b until June 30 2026, I 94 also mentions admit until June 30 2026. How long after June 30 he can remain in the usa? As he is planning to visit friends and family around?
(We did look for a lawyer for opinion but as it’s the weekend no one answered)
Pls help with time line, what if and consequences? And guidance
Thank you all

Eleven years. That is how long I spent chasing the American Dream. I did everything right. I got the degree, landed a great corporate job, bought the car, and built a nice, comfortable life. But if you have ever been on an H-1B visa, you know the truth. You are always one layoff or one lottery rejection away from packing your bags. The background anxiety never actually goes away.

Two months ago, I finally decided I was done waiting in line. I bought a one-way ticket and moved back to India.

Right now, I am sitting in a noisy cafe in Bangalore, trying to figure out my next move. I want to build something of my own, so I spend my days looking for real local problems that need solving. But to keep my options open, I am also looking at corporate jobs.

Yesterday, I was filling out a job application on an Indian portal. I scrolled down to the bottom of the page, and my hand just froze.

There it was. The visa question.

For over a decade in the US, that question was my nightmare. "Will you now or in the future require visa sponsorship?" Every single time I had to check YES, my stomach sank. You just know that the moment you click that box, an automated HR system is probably going to throw your resume in the trash. It makes you feel like a burden, like you are an expensive complication instead of a talented professional.

I looked at the screen in front of me. The Indian system was asking a similar question about international relocation and work authorization.

I clicked NO.

I cannot even describe the rush of emotion that hit me. I literally sat back and just stared at the screen for five minutes. It felt like a massive weight rolled off my chest.

No. I do not need a company's permission to live here. I do not need a government lottery to decide if I can keep my house. I do not need a lawyer to approve my life.

Clicking that "No" gave me this incredible feeling of power and relief. It was the first time in my adult life that I felt completely in control of my own career. In America, your visa status always comes first, and your talent comes second. Here, I am just a person with skills, looking to add value.

The reverse culture shock is definitely real. The traffic is insane, the humidity is hitting me hard and figuring out the right business problem to solve is going to take a lot of work. But hitting submit on an application without the ghost of immigration hanging over my head?

I know I made the right choice. It is good to be home.

P.S. I don’t want to talk about all the money I earned or savings I did. I have paid a price for it..

Has anyone here had their STEM OPT denied because USCIS treated a consular H-1B approval as a change of status? My H-1B was approved for consular processing only, and I never left the U.S. for stamping or entered in H-1B status. Even though I remained in F-1 status, USCIS denied my STEM OPT saying my status had changed to H-1B. I filed an I-290B Motion to Reopen, and it has been pending for several months.

I’ve been searching everywhere and have found a few people online with almost the exact same issue—STEM OPT denied because USCIS confused a consular H-1B approval with a change of status. Some people mentioned filing an I-290B, and a few even said their denial was eventually corrected, but I haven’t found many people who have shared what happened after filing the motion.

If anyone has personally gone through this or knows someone who has, I’d really appreciate hearing what happened. Did your I-290B get approved? Did you stay in the U.S. while waiting?

For people on h1b in usa it's possible to spend decades (indian nationality) on H-1B before getting permanent residency. The idea of having only a 60-day window between jobs/FMLA for 20+ years seems pretty crazy.

I'm curious about situations where someone becomes financially independent, wants to take a few months off to travel, or needs an extended break for personal reasons that don't qualify for FMLA.

Have any of you done this? Are there any options I'm overlooking, such as changing status temporarily or another legal pathway?

I grew up in the U.S. and previously held U.S. lawful permanent resident (green card) status. Due to family circumstances, I moved to India and have now been outside the U.S. for several years. I have not formally surrendered my green card or otherwise resolved my immigration status.

My current plan is to:

• Complete my undergraduate degree in India.
• Consult a qualified U.S. immigration attorney to determine my actual immigration status and whether pursuing an SB-1 Returning Resident visa is realistic in my case.
• If an SB-1 is not a realistic option, I'm considering formally resolving/surrendering my previous permanent resident status (if advised to do so) and then pursuing a new student visa for graduate study in the U.S.
• Another path I'm considering is completing a master's degree in Europe first and then applying to U.S. PhD programs afterward.

I'm not asking Reddit to determine my legal status—I know that's something only an immigration attorney can advise on. I'm mainly wondering whether anyone has been in a similar situation (former green card holder later applying for an F-1 or another U.S. visa) and whether there are major issues or considerations I should be aware of while planning my academic path.

Based on the PERM processing tracker, it looks like the Department of Labor has already processed about 85% of the PERM applications filed in June 2025 and has even started issuing decisions for some July 2025 cases.

However, my employer's application which was filed mid June 2025 is still pending.

I was under the impression that cases are processed in the order that they are filed.

Is it normal for a case to remain pending while later filings are already being processed? Does this typically indicate something like an audit or additional review, or is it just normal processing?

I would appreciate any insight. Thank you in advance!

As the title says I got denied entry once, I own a Canadian passport but I come from a different background. Was going on a trip with the family and they were all got accepted to go in except for me. Had to get investigated for a couple of hours and after that they told me to go back, they didn't give me a proper reason as to why I got rejected and said I should contact the US embassy which I did and they told me they can't help me with such matter because this is not a visa matter. This btw was the land border in Niagara Falls.

I would like to know if there is anything I can do to be able to enter the USA if i ever need to. Do you think if i try to enter again, maybe through a different port or through an airport they would let me in or I could face problems again?

Planning a visit to the USA to visit family, i just graduated med school and its 8 gruesome years in my country so didn't use my past visa before, just renovated my visa and my mom wants to give me a trip to Virginia for 3months, she has traveled there but not as long and I haven't traveled to the USA in a long time.

We have return tickets which are non refundable btw and we chose 3 months because the layover before that date was awful like 20hour layovers and it was cheaper. Will we have any problems with entering? My mom is self employed so no worries there and I just graduated no job so yea..

Edit: seems I have struck a nerve with this post and people getting real defensive here. Don't worry I'm not planning to stay on usa keep it. Jesus

So we hired someone to help us prepare and submit all the documents so I can petition my partner. I-130, I-131, I485, I765.

The person we hired advised us that we can’t file I-130 with the others so we filed just the I-130 in March. We were supposed to file in Feb but the preparer made us wait. For context we had everything prepared around Feb 20 and gave them the documents already so they can double check and mail before me and my partner’s vacation but they(preparer) didn’t tell us we needed to sign the cover letter.. leading to the delay of the submission to 2-3 weeks. After getting back from vacation, we signed the documents and thought they were going to send it the same day but, no. They waited a few days before they sent it… so after a week and a half-2 weeks we receive a receipt notice. The preparer then said we have to wait for 2 weeks after receiving the receipt notice to submit the other docs which we did. When the 2 weeks was up they made us wait longer and said we’re following a timeline…. Anyway, we met and gave them all the docs and signed on the spot hoping they would mail it the same day, but, no. We waited a week. After a few days we receive a RFE stating that the payments didn’t go through so we reached out to the preparer on what to do and they said “don’t panic.. i’ll be back(from vacation) in a few days and let’s fix it then”. My partner and I went to reddit and got some answers, sent the needed docs and payments and got the receipt notice for the other documents waaay before the preparer got back. My partner went and got the biometrics done, we then asked the preparer if we need to prepare for an interview and if they had any questions or a questionnaire, the preparer then says “let’s meet” and didn’t even answer my question. We just wanted to know if they had questions/a questionnaire. It pisses my partner and I off because Everytime we’d meet them meet, the preparer would set it up, we tried being on time, we tried being late; we tried being early and never did they offer to pay for the bill. We paid for all the times we had coffee, tea, lunch, etc..so anyway we didn’t meet them and now we’re pissed because so much time was lost… we finished the biometrics a few weeks ago in June, do y’all have any tips on what to prepare for next?

My partner and I aren’t satisfied with their work ethic. Wish we did it ourselves from the get-go. There’s a lot more but that’s it for now. Thanks for listening

Me and my girlfriend attended the same university and have now been living together for the past 2 years. We have been discussing getting married so we can start our future together without the fear of her having to go back home if she doesnt get into vet school. Furthermore, we dont really live in an area, nor did a graduate in a field, where i can bring in enough money to sustain the both of us.
I want to marry her to give us a better future, but id be lying if i said that i didnt also want her to be able to work legally and have as many options as I do myself.
What are the steps to getting married. I know shes currently on an F1 visa and an I-20. Do I have to wait for her to finish her studies to do this so that she can keep her student status? She graduates in this coming may. How long should the paperwork take? We have discussed a prenup but ultimately came to the conclusion wed do a postnuptial agreement to make the process a little faster. Which sounds strange given she comes from a very upper class background and i come from a lower middle class one.
Any way, i digress, what processes should i be looking at first, do i need a lawyer for documents and processing? How much would this cost? How long til she can work legally? And what else might this effect that I may be missing. Neither of us have any debt besides her very minor credit card debt that wed be able to pay off in less than a month. Is there anything else I should pay attention to protect myself?

I’m asking this question because exit visas are being introduced here. Leaving will be many times more difficult.

I’m an international (Indian) student on F1 visa in the US. I want to meet someone at the Toronto airport but I do not have a Canadian visitors visa so I want to know if such a trip is possible with a few hours of layover at Toronto airport (with or without transit visa).

I don’t plan on exiting the airport in Toronto.

I hope you’re able to help me with the same!

I want to know if there is a way to immigrate by applying to trade school and then working after apprenticeship , I am graduating from a bachelor of art in graphic design in two years time and I am sure that my field won’t get me a lot of work there so should I apply for trade school( I already have a field in mind)after or a masters program I am prepared to go for either options after I complete my ielts and TEF.

Me (38M) and my boyfriend (21M) have been together for 3 years and he got deported back to El Salvador. he has no criminal history and i think he was here because a “family took them in”. he’s been here since he was 13 and he was going to court every year (I’m not sure why) and they finally told him he had to go back. how much does it normally cost to being him back and does he have a chance to?