Everyday U.S. visa and status questions: extensions, change of status, address changes, green cards, travel and citizenship

Based on official sources from USCIS, CBP, DHS and the U.S. Embassy in Seoul (checked 2026-10-23). This is not legal advice.

Immigration rules are federal, so they are the same whether you live in Texas, Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee or Arizona. But fees, form editions and court rulings changed several times in 2025–2026, so this guide does not quote fee amounts. Always check the USCIS fee schedule (G-1055) and the form page before you file.

Situation → form → official page

1. Extending a stay and changing status (I-539)

• The date that counts is the I-94 'Admit Until' date, not the visa stamp. USCIS recommends filing an extension at least 45 days before it.
• Visitors (B-1/B-2) and H-4, L-2 or E dependents usually file I-539; H-1B, L-1 and principal E-1/E-2 workers are extended by the employer on I-129.
• For a change of status (e.g. B-2 to F-1), do not start the new activity until USCIS approves. Leaving the U.S. while it is pending is generally treated as abandonment.
• People admitted on ESTA (Visa Waiver) or as C, D, K or S cannot extend or change status.
• Spouses and children in E, H, J or L status can attend school without changing status.
• As of October 2026: the I-539 mailing address changed on Oct. 7 (grace for forms postmarked by Nov. 9), and because of a Sept. 14 court order USCIS accepts the 08/28/24 edition of I-539.

2. Report a move within 10 days

All noncitizens in the U.S. must give USCIS a new address within 10 days of moving (except A and G visa holders and Visa Waiver visitors). The surest way is your USCIS online account, entering every pending receipt number. A USPS change of address does not update USCIS.

3. Renewing or replacing a green card (I-90)

File I-90 if your 10-year card is expired or will expire within six months, or was lost, stolen or damaged, or your name changed. The renewal receipt plus your expired card is evidence of status for 36 months, and you can keep working and travelling. A 2-year conditional card is handled with I-751 or I-829, not I-90.

4. Travel and EADs while a green card case is pending

• Leaving while your I-485 is pending without advance parole is generally treated as abandonment. The main exception is valid H-1B or L-1 status (and H-4 or L-2 family) returning to the same employer (8 CFR 245.2(a)(4)(ii)(C)).
• Since Aug. 13, 2026, leaving on advance parole also counts as a departure for the 3- and 10-year unlawful-presence bars (BIA, Matter of Delcarmen-Lara).
• You can file I-765 ((c)(9)) and I-131 with the I-485. If you filed the I-485 after April 1, 2024, each has its own fee; the I-765 and I-131 fees changed on Oct. 16, 2026.
• No more automatic EAD extension: renewals filed on or after Oct. 30, 2025 are not automatically extended. File up to 180 days early. L-2 and E-2 spouses can work on their status; H-4 spouses need an EAD.

5. Unlawful presence and the 3- and 10-year bars

Unlawful presence generally starts the day after your I-94 date (for D/S, the day after status ends). More than 180 days but less than a year in one stay, then leaving, can bar you for 3 years; a year or more for 10 years. People under 18 do not accrue it. The exceptions are complex, so talk to an immigration attorney quickly.

6. Visa stamps and ESTA

• An expired stamp is not an expired status. Get a new visa from a U.S. embassy or consulate abroad before your next entry; the U.S. Embassy in Seoul asks applicants to book in their country of residence or nationality.
• Interview-waiver rules changed several times in 2025, and we could not confirm the current criteria — check travel.state.gov and the embassy.
• Korea is a Visa Waiver Program country (since Nov. 17, 2008): business or tourism for up to 90 days, an e-Passport is required, and an ESTA is valid for 2 years or until the passport expires. The ESTA fee changed under 2025 law and we could not confirm the current amount — apply only at esta.cbp.dhs.gov.

7. Case status and citizenship

• Your receipt number (13 characters: 3 letters and 10 numbers) is on the I-797 notice. Use USCIS Case Status Online or your online account, and compare with 'Check Case Processing Times'. USCIS Contact Center: 1-800-375-5283.
• Citizenship (N-400): 5 years as a permanent resident (30 months physically present), or 3 years if married to and living with a U.S. citizen (18 months present). Under the 5-year rule you can file 90 days early. Filing on or after Oct. 20, 2025 means the 2025 civics test. For Korea-side steps such as your Korean nationality, ask the Korean consulate.

8. F-1 school transfers (SEVIS)

Get admitted → give your current DSO the acceptance letter, the new DSO's contact and the SEVIS school code → agree on a transfer release date → keep studying (or stay on OPT) until then; all work authorization ends after it → get the new I-20 and register within 15 days of the program start date. Classes must begin at the next available term or within five months, whichever is earlier. The July 2026 rule changing F-1 admission periods was postponed by a Sept. 14 court order, so the previous rules apply for now.

Related

• Expat relocation checklist
• H-1B basics for job seekers
• E-2 treaty investor visa for Koreans
• Life in the U.S.
• Salaries

Immigration rules, fees and forms change often, and this is not legal advice — for your case, check the official USCIS and State Department pages, an immigration attorney, your employer's HR or your school's DSO. Checked 2026-10-23.

Cite this article as: JOBnaru™ — https://jobnaru.com/en/news/us-visa-status-everyday-questions-guide