Navigating the U.S. immigration system is difficult enough — but what many people don’t realize is that even legal immigrants can face deportation for mistakes they never knew were serious.
From minor paperwork oversights to everyday misunderstandings of immigration rules, these pitfalls can put lawful status at risk without warning.
In this guide, we break down the 7 most common mistakes that get even legal immigrants deported — and number 4 surprised even us. Understanding these risks is essential to protecting your future in the United States.
Mistake #1 Crimes of Moral Turpitude
Certain offenses—known as crimes involving moral turpitude—carry especially harsh consequences, including deportation, even for green card holders.
These crimes typically involve conduct considered dishonest, deceptive, or morally unacceptable, such as fraud, theft, domestic violence, or certain assault-related offenses.
What complicates things further is that even a single conviction could trigger removal proceedings for permanent residents and nonimmigrant visa holders.
Are you applying for an immigrant visa and want to know when your priority date will become current? Then you won’t want to miss our analysis of the December 2025 Visa Bulletin.
In this video, attorney Jacob Sapochnick explains what you can expect to see in terms of the movement of the family-sponsored and employment-based visa categories in the month of December.
USCIS Adjustment of Status
For adjustment of status filings to permanent residence in the month of December, USCIS will be using the Dates for Filing Chart for the employment-based and family-sponsored categories.
Highlights of the December 2025 Visa Bulletin
At a Glance
What can we expect to see in the month of December?
Employment-Based Categories
Final Action Advancements
EB-1 Aliens of extraordinary ability, Outstanding Professors and Researchers, and Certain Multinational Managers or Executives
India will advance by one month to March 15, 2022
China will advance by one month to January 22, 2023
All other countries remain current
EB-2 Members of the Professions and Aliens of Exceptional Ability
India will advance by six weeks to May 15, 2013
China will advance by two months to June 1, 2021
All other countries will advance by 2 months to February 1, 2024
EB-3 Professionals and Skilled Workers
India will advance by one month to September 22, 2013
China will advance by one month to April 1, 2021
All other countries will advance by two weeks to April 15, 2023
Are you applying for an immigrant visa and want to know when your priority date will become current? Then you won’t want to miss our analysis of the November 2025 Visa Bulletin.
In this video, attorney Jacob Sapochnick explains what you can expect to see in terms of the movement of the family-sponsored and employment-based visa categories in the month of November.
USCIS Adjustment of Status
For adjustment of status filings to permanent residence in the month of November, USCIS will be using the Dates for Filing Chart for the employment-based and family-sponsored categories.
Highlights of the November 2025 Visa Bulletin
At a Glance
What can we expect to see in the month of November?
Employment-Based Categories
There are no changes to the Dates for Filing and Final Action charts for the employment-based categories when compared to the October Visa Bulletin.
Family-Sponsored Categories
Final Action Advancements
F2B Worldwide, China, and India will advance by 9 days to December 1, 2016
In this video, attorney Jacob Sapochnick explains why immigrant visa numbers are no longer available for certain visa categories for the rest of fiscal year 2025, as the annual limit on visa issuances has already been reached, well before the fiscal year’s end on September 30.
This news affects workers awaiting green card approval, employers navigating sponsorship timelines, and helps green card applicants manage their expectations.
In this blog post, we’ll break down what this means, why it happened, and what those affected can expect moving forward as the immigration system resets on October 1st for the next fiscal year.
What is visa number management in immigration?
First, let’s discuss visa number management in immigration.
This refers to the process by which the U.S. government tracks and allocates the limited number of immigrant visa numbers available each fiscal year. These numbers are divided across various categories, including family-based and employment-based immigration, and are subject to annual limits on visa issuance set by Congress.
Why are there annual limits on visas?
Proper visa number management ensures that the limited supply of visas is distributed fairly and efficiently among the various visa categories and countries each year. It also helps the government plan and monitor immigration flows, while giving applicants and employers a clearer picture of potential wait times and availability.
Who manages visa issuance?
The U.S. Department of State, in coordination with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), is responsible for issuing annual visa numbers. Each month, the State Department publishes the Visa Bulletin, which outlines visa number availability and priority date cutoffs, helping applicants determine when they may proceed with their green card applications.
Since the demand for visas significantly exceeds the annual supply, the State Department imposes “cutoff dates” where individuals must wait in line for a visa. Typically, the majority of visa categories reach their limits by the summer months. When this occurs, no additional visas can be issued until the start of the new fiscal year on October 1st.
Are you applying for an immigrant visa and want to know when your priority date will become current? Then you won’t want to miss our analysis of the August 2025 Visa Bulletin.
In this video, attorney Jacob Sapochnick explains what you can expect to see in terms of the movement of the family-sponsored and employment-based visa categories in the month of August.
USCIS Adjustment of Status
For employment-based preference categories, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has confirmed it will continue to use the Final Action Dates chart to determine filing eligibility for adjustment of status to permanent residence in the month of August.
For family-sponsored preference categories, USCIS will also continue to use the Dates for Filing chart to determine filing eligibility for adjustment of status to permanent residence in the month of August.
Are you applying for an immigrant visa and want to know when your priority date will become current? Then you won’t want to miss our analysis of the June 2025 Visa Bulletin.
In this video, attorney Jacob Sapochnick explains what you can expect to see in terms of the movement of the family-sponsored and employment-based visa categories in the month of June.
USCIS Adjustment of Status
For employment-based preference categories, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has confirmed it will continue to use the Final Action Dates chart to determine filing eligibility for adjustment of status to permanent residence in the month of June.
For family-sponsored preference categories, USCIS will also continue to use the Dates for Filing chart to determine filing eligibility for adjustment of status to permanent residence in the month of June.
Are you applying for an immigrant visa and want to know when your priority date will become current? Then you won’t want to miss our analysis of the May 2025 Visa Bulletin.
In this video, attorney Jacob Sapochnick explains what you can expect to see in terms of the movement of the family-sponsored and employment-based visa categories in the month of May.
USCIS Adjustment of Status
For employment-based preference categories, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has confirmed it will continue to use the Final Action Dates chart to determine filing eligibility for adjustment of status to permanent residence in the month of May.
For family-sponsored preference categories, USCIS will also continue to use the Dates for Filing chart to determine filing eligibility for adjustment of status to permanent residence in the month of May.
Are you applying for an immigrant visa and want to know when your priority date will become current? Then you won’t want to miss our analysis of the April 2025 Visa Bulletin.
In this video, attorney Jacob Sapochnick explains what you can expect to see in terms of the movement of the family-sponsored and employment-based visa categories in the month of April.
USCIS Adjustment of Status
For employment-based preference categories, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has confirmed it will continue to use the Final Action Dates chart to determine filing eligibility for adjustment of status to permanent residence in the month of April.
For family-sponsored preference categories, USCIS will also continue to use the Dates for Filing chart to determine filing eligibility for adjustment of status to permanent residence in the month of April.
Are you applying for permanent residency based on marriage to a U.S. Citizen or lawful permanent resident in 2025?
If so, you won’t want to miss this important video addressing the challenges that couples may soon be facing during their immigration process under the Trump administration.
To learn what you need to look out for and how to minimize difficulties in the process, please continue watching this video.
Overview
Trump’s return to the White House has changed the immigration landscape in several important ways that will impact the green card process for couples applying both inside the United States with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), and those applying for spousal visas at U.S. Consulates and Embassies abroad.
In this video, we address these changes and how you can prepare for these challenges in the years ahead.
Reduction of Consular Staff Will Lead to More Immigrant Visa Appointment Backlogs in 2025
For those applying for spousal visas through Consular processing, one of the most impactful changes is a recent executive order signed by Trump directing the State Department to reduce visa staff and local employees at U.S. Embassies and Consulates overseas.
Along with these changes, the President has asked the State Department to revise or replace the Foreign Affairs Manual (FAM), and all handbooks, procedures, and guidance used by Consular officers when issuing U.S. visas. This means that visa applications may be scrutinized more heavily moving forward, and interpretations of the law may be viewed more narrowly.
In a practical sense, this reduction in Consular staff means that spouses will experience longer wait times to receive immigrant visa interview appointments, because posts around the world will have more limited resources to respond to the large caseloads.
Moving forward spouses should expect their cases to remain warehoused at the National Visa Center (NVC) for extended periods until an interview appointment becomes available.
In this video attorney Jacob Sapochnick discusses a new executive order signed by President Trump called “One Voice for America’s Foreign Relations,” instructing U.S. Consulates and Embassies worldwide to start laying off visa officers and local employees.
How will this impact those currently going through the non-immigrant or immigrant visa process?
What about employees inside and outside of the U.S. who need to visit a U.S. Consulate or Embassy for visa stamping?
Learn everything you need to know about this executive order in this video.
Overview
“One Voice for America’s Foreign Relations,” is a new executive order signed by the President that calls for major reforms of the Foreign Service, including U.S. Embassies and Consulates.
Specifically, the executive order calls for changes to recruiting, performance, evaluation, and retention standards, and the programs of the Foreign Service Institute, “to ensure a workforce that is committed to faithful implementation of the President’s foreign policy.”
In implementing the reforms, the order directs the Secretary of State to revise or replace the Foreign Affairs Manual (FAM) used by Consular officers when deciding whether to issue U.S. visas, and directs subordinate agencies to remove, amend, or replace any handbooks, procedures, or guidance used for issuing visas.
The impact of this executive order will be the reduction of visa staff and local employees working at U.S. Embassies and Consulates responsible for issuing visas.
Immigration Lawyer Blog
