Do I need to maintain status right up until I receive my green card at the final stage?
I’m at the final stage of my employment-based case. Do I still need to maintain my status (visa)? I’d like to know whether, since I’ll receive my green card soon anyway, I even need to keep maintaining status at this point.
My attorney says I don’t need to worry too much about it, but I’m still concerned. Because of my financial situation, I’m skeptical about spending more money — for example on tuition — just to maintain status.
It’s common for people to feel that, since they’ll receive their green card soon anyway, there’s no need to worry much about maintaining status at the final stage, and to feel skeptical about spending extra money on maintaining status due to financial concerns. However, if your I-485 is ultimately denied at the very last step, and your existing status has already lapsed (visa or status expired), you could be required to leave the country immediately. We recommend maintaining your status.