USCIS PM-602-0199 (issued May 21, 2026) officially makes adjustment of status discretionary relief, not a right. DHS is ending Duration of Status for F-1. Check your Risk Score →
Immigration rules keep changing. Proving extraordinary circumstances is now the standard for staying in the US. We help you build that case.
Criterion-level · Evidence-mapped · Case law grounded · Built by F-1 alumni
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Three rules. Now official.
F-1 Careers was built specifically for this environment.
AoS is now discretionary
USCIS PM-602-0199 (May 21, 2026) officially classifies adjustment of status as extraordinary discretionary relief, not an entitlement.
Extraordinary circumstances required
Adjudicators now conduct a totality-of-circumstances analysis. An approved NIW I-140 is the clearest evidence you can present.
Duration of Status ending
DHS has submitted a final rule replacing open-ended D/S with a 4-year hard cap for F-1 students. Grace period cut to 30 days. Expected September 2026.
Consular processing blocked for 75+ countries
Nationals of 75+ countries face travel bans and immigrant visa processing pauses, making AoS inside the US their only viable path.
Your immigration journey
Most international professionals end up on the employer path by default — not by choice. Here's the difference.
The employer route
Their timeline.
Their decisions.
H-1B Lottery
1-in-3 odds. Repeat every year until you win.
PERM Labor Certification
Your employer files. You wait 2–3 years. You have no control.
EB-2 / EB-3 Priority Date
Join a backlog that stretches decades for some nationalities.
Green card.
Eventually. On their timeline. If they stay committed to you.
Your career, your income, your entire US future — contingent on one employer staying committed.
The self-petition route
Your timeline.
Your control.
Build your evidence
Publications, citations, press, judging, awards — criteria you already meet.
File your I-140
EB-1A or EB-2 NIW. You file. No employer signature required.
Adjust status
Stay in the US while your case is adjudicated. No consular processing.
Green card.
On your timeline. Without asking anyone for permission.
F-1 Careers was built for this path
We assess your profile against every EB-1A and NIW criterion — and show you exactly where you stand, criterion by criterion.
See my pathwayF-1 → OPT → STEM OPT is the shared starting point. What happens next is the decision that defines the next decade.
Our story
From years of first-hand experience navigating the same system you're in right now, for ourselves and others, as the landscape evolved.
We built F-1 Careers because generations of international students had already figured this out. That knowledge deserved a home, and we're committed to democratizing it so that you can plan ahead.
The tool we wish we had. Trained on the case law that actually decides your petition.
Case Law Trained
Matter of Kazarian
EB-1A two-part adjudication standard. All 10 criteria framework.
Matter of Dhanasar
NIW three-prong test. National interest framework.
Matter of Chawathe
Preponderance of evidence. Burden of proof standard.
Not generic AI. Trained on the exact standards USCIS adjudicators use to evaluate your petition.
Every tool built for the evolving landscape.
Get your diagnostic and strategy reports now.
Complete EB-1A and NIW analysis with personalized Dhanasar framework, evidence map, and 12-month roadmap. Free preview before you pay.
Upload your USCIS Request for Evidence. Get a risk-ranked, issue-by-issue response strategy.
Score your immigration exposure 0–100. Know exactly where you stand and what to do.
Free →
See the real cost of consular processing vs. fighting to stay. Most people are shocked.
Free →
File with 20 professionals in your field. One attorney, shared framework. $2,400 per person.
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Pro membership
Every month, personalized moves built specifically for your criteria gaps, your field, and your timeline. A 90-day campaign that updates as you grow.
Your Green Card Score tracks every report. Watch it move as you execute.
Less than one hour of attorney time.
Get Pro →Example career moves
Submit review for NeurIPS 2025 Programme Committee
EB-1A §iv, Judging the Work of Others
One formal review invitation documents a new criterion entirely. OpenReview.net is actively recruiting reviewers now.
▲ +10-14 pts on EB-1A score
Get quoted in MIT Technology Review on your research
EB-1A §iii, Press and Media Coverage
Your university press office can pitch this today. One credible media mention covers §iii with minimal time investment.
▲ +8-12 pts on EB-1A score
Who this is for
If you hold or have held an F-1, OPT, H-1B, or similar visa and are working toward permanent residence, this is built for you.
F-1 OPT / STEM OPT
Running out of time. Need a clear next step before your work authorization expires.
H-1B holders
PM-602-0199 puts your AoS path at risk. You need an approved I-140 with extraordinary circumstances evidence, fast.
EB-1A / NIW filers
Unsure if your evidence is strong enough or which pathway gives you the best shot.
RFE recipients
Just received a Request for Evidence and need a response strategy fast.
Researchers and PhDs
Have publications and citations but don't know how USCIS actually values them.
Self-petitioners
Filing without employer sponsorship and need to understand what extraordinary really means.
Rate your evidence against each USCIS criterion. Takes about 15 minutes. Your profile data pre-fills where possible.
See your top visa pathway, overall profile strength, and a teaser of the full analysis before paying anything.
Pay once for your full criterion breakdown, evidence map, gap analysis, and 12-month roadmap. Download as PDF.
For HR teams & General Counsel
We audit your workforce, identify who's at risk, and build NIW petition frameworks for every eligible employee.
Free preview. No commitment. Just clarity on exactly where you stand.
Get started free →