Get ready to take the next step on your immigration journey.

A Master Calendar Hearing is a short, preliminary hearing before the immigration judge. During this hearing, the judge will take pleadings, confirm the Respondent's information, and set filing deadlines. An Individual Hearing is the full final hearing, where you will present the evidence, give testimony, and call witnesses, and the judge will decide the case. 

If you have a pending case with USCIS, you may need advance parole or another travel document before traveling outside the United States. Traveling without proper authorization can result in USCIS treating your application as abandoned. If you are in removal proceedings, leaving the country without first consulting an immigration attorney can have serious consequences, including self-deportation. 

If your green card case is based on marriage and you divorce before USCIS approves the case, your application may be denied because the marriage is no longer valid for immigration purposes. However, in some situations, you may still have options, depending on the facts of your case. The effects of a divorce depend on the stage of your case and the type of petition filed. It is important to speak with an immigration attorney as soon as possible if your marital situation changes during the green card process.

If you are a US citizen and over 21 years old, you can petition for your parent to obtain a green card. Green card holders cannot petition for parents, but can petition for spouses and unmarried children. 

The first step is to try to locate your loved one through ICE’s Online Detainee Locator System. If you can find out where they are being held, contact the detention facility to ask about calls, visits, and mailing instructions. Next, it is important to gather any immigration paperwork, court notices, and identification documents that may be relevant to the case. It is also important to speak with an immigration attorney as soon as possible to discuss possible next steps.