J, an older mother whose visitor status was about to expire, wanted to stay in the United States long term to care for her child. After our assessment, we recommended changing to F-1 status (which has no fixed end date; she can stay as long as she keeps her enrollment).

USCIS required proof that she had not abandoned her residence in her home country, even though close relatives of hers were U.S. citizens. It also questioned the lawful source of her funds, since her accounts showed transfers in from multiple parties.

We built the case for her ties to her home country around her work and family responsibilities, steering clear of the sensitive point of her close relatives' citizenship. We submitted layered evidence of assets across multiple accounts in China and the U.S. to resolve the questions about funds, and used expedited handling to first secure her original B-2 status as a safety net.

Approved outright after a precise RFE response, 35 days in total (filed 04/23/2026 · approved 05/28/2026).