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24 Mar 2026

I have a pending I-485 application for adjustment of status and decided not to renew my H1B and to switch to my EAD. Am I still in an immigration status?

Answer A pending I-485 application alone does not grant an immigration status but instead places the applicant in a period of authorized stay, which means the applicant can be present in the United States without accruing unlawful presence. (25.Mar.2026)Sheela Murthy and other senior attorneys provide guidance...

22:51 / Employment Based / Family Based / FAQs / For Families / For Individuals / Immigrant Family / Nonimmigrant Family / Resident / Worker
24 Mar 2026

I am now eligible to file for adjustment of status based on the dates-for-filing chart (Chart B) and my spouse and children will be applying with me. Will filing based on Chart B lock in my child’s age under the Child Status Protection Act (CSPA)?

Answer As of 08.Aug.2025, the USCIS rescinded the policy that allows a child’s age calculation under the CSPA to be based on Chart B. Since then, only the final-action chart (Chart A) is used to calculate a child’s age under the CSPA. (25.Mar.2026)Sheela Murthy and other...

22:47 / Family Based / FAQs / For Families / For Individuals / Immigrant Family / Resident
18 Mar 2026

I am from a country subject to the travel ban / visa pause, and my U.S. citizen spouse would like to sponsor me for a green card. Is there an exception to the travel ban for immediate relatives of U.S. citizens?

Answer The initial travel ban established by Presidential Proclamation 10949 for certain high-risk countries included a categorical exception for immediate family members of U.S. citizens. However, the subsequently issued Presidential Proclamation 10998 that halted visa processing for an expanded list of countries removed that categorical exception...

06:11 / FAQs / For Families / For Individuals / Homeland Security / Immigrant Family / Worker
24 Feb 2026

My EB2 I-140 is approved. Is it okay if my brother also sponsors me for a green card?

Answer Yes, filing a family-based green card case typically would not impact an existing employment-based case. (24.Feb.2026)Sheela Murthy and other senior attorneys provide guidance that clarifies the law. For information on our FREE online services, click here. Access more FAQs here.  Copyright © 2026, MURTHY LAW FIRM....

16:04 / Employment Based / Family Based / FAQs / For Families / For Individuals / Resident
11 Feb 2026

I am a green card holder and wish to file for naturalization. However, I took a trip of more than six months to India within the last 5 years. Will this be an issue? 

Answer While an absence of between 6-12 months is not necessarily a breach in residency for naturalization purposes, USCIS is increasingly scrutinizing absences of this length.  (11.Feb.2026)Sheela Murthy and other senior attorneys provide guidance that clarifies the law. For information on our FREE online services, click...

06:14 / Employment Based / Family Based / FAQs / For Individuals / Resident / Travel
21 Jan 2026

I had a religious marriage in India but did not register it. Instead, my spouse and I plan to register our marriage in the U.S. once we arrive. Is this permitted?

Answer Religious marriages in India are often considered legally valid under U.S. law. Therefore, you should register the marriage in India. Failure to do so may leave you without key evidence of the marriage for future immigration benefits. (21.Jan.2026)Sheela Murthy and other senior attorneys provide guidance...

13:55 / Family Based / FAQs / For Families / For Individuals / Immigrant Family / Resident / Travel
14 Jan 2026

I need to get an English translation of a document that I am submitting to the USCIS. Do I need to pay for an official translation for this to be usable with the USCIS?

Answer Per regulation, “Any document containing foreign language submitted to USCIS shall be accompanied by a full English language translation which the translator has certified as complete and accurate, and by the translator’s certification that he or she is competent to translate from the foreign language...

07:17 / Employment Based / Family Based / FAQs / For Employers / For Families / Immigrant Family / Resident
19 Nov 2025

I am in H1B status and recently got married to a U.S. citizen. We filed an I-130 and I-485 based on the marriage, and both cases are still pending. I may be laid off soon. If that happens, do I have to leave the U.S.?

Answer Normally, a person may remain in the U.S. based on a pending I-485 application. If the H1B worker is laid off, it likely will be necessary to stop working until the EAD is issued (or an H1B change of employer petition is filed). (19.Nov.2025)Sheela Murthy...

12:42 / Family Based / FAQs / For Families / For Individuals / Immigrant Family / Resident / Worker
29 Oct 2025

I am in the U.S. on L-1 status, but my family is still abroad. If I obtain my green card, can my family come to the U.S. afterwards on L-2 status and apply for their green cards?

Answer Once the primary L-1 visa holder becomes a permanent resident, they are no longer in L-1 status, and their family members are no longer eligible for L-2 status. The family would need to enter the U.S. prior to the principal L-1 visa holder becoming a...

05:29 / Family Based / FAQs / For Families / Immigrant Family / Nonimmigrant Family / Resident / Travel / Worker