现在美国经济不景气，据说通过工作办绿卡的被拒的不少。这么说吧，等你递交I-485表的时候已经是绿卡办理的最后阶段了，就是这个阶段有些人还要等1年以上呢。F1之后一般都是先用为期一年的OPT工作，就目前来说很多公司不愿意提供sponsorship，所以申请H1本身就不是很容易。如果你有幸找到公司愿意提供H1，要是加急办理（额外加$1000手续费），快的从几天到几个月的都有。从H1到最后办理绿卡可能还需要2-3年时间，这还要公司愿意配合才行。有的公司可能只愿意提供工作签证而不愿意帮助办理绿卡，所以你在选择公司的时候最好事先搞清楚。

除了通过工作的途径办理绿卡，还有其他不需要雇主自己申请的，比如杰出人才和国家利益豁免等。这些以前很快，现在办的人多了，据说也慢下来了而且被拒的比例也高了。这两种方式顾名思义都是要在申请人能够证明自己在所在领域很有成就或者对美国的国家利益有贡献等等（而且要求起码要有硕士学位），比如你发表的文章很多，申请过个人专利等等。

申请了绿卡就不能再保持学生签证了。如果是问学生签证能否申请绿卡，答案是可以。不过和你在美国待多长时间没有关系。如果不通过雇主自己申请绿卡，那么就要像我上面写的，通过国家利益豁免或者杰出人才。另外的途径就是通过婚姻/亲属移民。

一般学生的途经都是F1(学生)-->H1b(工作)-->绿卡申请.

亲属移民和劳工移民的485排期不一样.一般劳工移民是送到几个service center的,而亲属移民则由local INS office排期决定.总之,从485到绿卡等上几年也不稀奇.

另外关于回国,递交485的同时可以申请劳工卡(EAD卡)也可以申请回美证(advanced parole),使用advanced parole可以回美,但回美的时候也可能被拒绝入境,所以没有绝对的.有的地区可能在递交485后很快就发EAD,也有的地方可能会先发放advanced parole.

据说如果怀疑你在美国逗留期间身份曾经黑过，那么有可能重新入境的时候被拒。这只是听说而已，不清楚几率。
485是专门给在美国境内调整身份的人使用的，所以一旦申请人离开美国（哪怕只是去加拿大），那么该人的申请就等于自动放弃，所以递交485后如果因为特别原因一定要离开美国，那么一定要在申请到advanced parole之后，否则就不可能继续用485等绿卡了。如果你的老公是绿卡申请的主申请人，那么可能取消的可能只是你自己的绿卡机会；如果你是主申请人就不清楚了。advanced parole本来只是给人用来应急的，不过如果是在想回国就试试吧，否则熬过1年可能就等到绿卡了。

注：一旦递交了485表，申请人的身份就是AOS(Adjustment of Status),如果申请前是学生身份，那么485递交后该学生身份就实效了。在485批准前，申请者属于AOS，如果申请被拒绝，那么也不可能恢复之前的非移民签证身份了。持H1工作签证有些例外，因为H1虽然是非移民签证但是准许有移民倾向，而学生签证是不允许的。

Travel While Adjustment of Status is Pending

During the Adjustment of Status process, applicants are considered to have abandoned an application if they leave the U.S.; however, two important exceptions apply.

An application for adjustment is not considered abandoned if the applicant receives advance permission to travel outside of the U.S., otherwise known as "Advance Parole." Advance Parole may be granted for any bona fide personal or business reason, although often the purpose for the trip must be documented and ????ted along with the request. Please note that an Advance Parole does not guarantee that the alien would be allowed to re-enter the United States. Therefore, advice of Counsel should always be sought before the alien leaves the U.S.

The second important exception to potential abandonment applies to a valid H or L category status applicants who may travel outside the U.S. during Adjustment proceedings without seeking Advance Parole, provided:

1) the applicant intends to resume employment with the same employer for whom the original H or L visa was originally issued;
2) the applicant is in possession of a valid H or L visa and;
3) the applicant is in possession of the original I-797 receipt which acts as evidence of the filing of an Adjustment of Status application.

Dependents and spouses in lawful H or L status may also travel with the principal applicant as well, provided their dependent status remains valid per its terms.

Although the use of Advanced Parole by the holder of an H or L visa can prevent the abandonment of Adjustment proceedings, it may cause the cancellation of the H or L status of the holder.

值得注意的是：“an Advance Parole does not guarantee that the alien would be allowed to re-enter the United States.“，所以即便有advanced parole不表明持有者肯定可以入境。

再有就是通过工作（H1）申请绿卡的，如果使用了advanced parole回美国，那么申请人原来的H1签证就作废了，所以一般律师都建议在递交485后仍然保持H1身份，也就是不用以调整身份为由而申请的EAD工作，也不使用advanced parole,这样万一你的绿卡申请被拒绝，还可以继续合法的H1工作签证。

使用advanced parole的危险性：

While advanced parole is a convenience for those who qualify, it is not always a harmless process. There are some dangers inherent to those applicants who get advanced parole. If the applicant was unlawfully in the United States for 180 days or more before filing the adjustment of status application, the applicant will be subject to the three (3) year bar upon returning to the U.S. If the applicant was unlawfully in the United States for 1 year before filing the adjustment of status application, the applicant will be subject to the ten (10) year bar upon his or her return. This means that the applicant will not be allowed to enter the United States for a period of either three or ten years (depending on the length of unlawful presence) if he or she leaves the U.S. before the adjustment of status application is approved. This is true even if the applicant obtained advance parole before leaving the U.S. There is another danger for an applicant who obtains advanced parole.

advanced parole FAQ

1. What is Advance Parole?
Advance Parole is a document for certain aliens, who do not have a valid immigrant visa or non-immigrant visa, to re-enter the United States after traveling abroad. Such aliens must be approved for Advance Parole before leaving the United States. If they have not obtained Advance Parole prior to traveling abroad, they will not be permitted to re-enter the United States upon their return.

2. Who needs an Advance Parole?
Aliens in the United States who have:
i)an application for adjustment of status pending;
ii)been admitted as a refugee or have been granted asylum;
iii)been granted benefits under the Family Unity Program;
vi)an urgent personal or bona fide reason to travel temporarily abroad.

3. What are the purposes of Advance Parole?
There are two purposes for advance parole:
i) It enables an alien to come back to the U.S. after traveling abroad without the necessity of obtaining a visa to the U.S.
ii) It preserves whatever the application pending at the INS. The alien is paroled outside of the U.S. and their application, such as the application for adjustment of status continues to be effective.

4. How does one obtain Advance Parole?
To apply for Advance Parole, please ???? PDF Document - INS Form I-131 (4 pages):

5. Does an Advance Parole guarantee the admission into the United States?
No, Advance Parole, like a visa to the U.S., does not guarantee admission into the United States. Aliens who have obtained Advance Parole are still subject to the INS inspection process at the port of entry.

6. Can travel abroad have severe consequences for aliens if they have not obtained Advance Parole?
Yes, due to changes to U.S. immigration law, travel outside of the United States may have severe consequences for certain aliens who are in the process of adjusting their status or changing their nonimmigrant status. Such aliens may be found inadmissible to the United States upon return and/or their applications for adjustment or change of status may be denied.

7. How long does it take to get an Advance Parole?
It usually takes about two months for the INS to process an Advance Parole.

8. What is the valid duration of an Advance Parole?
One year. An alien may make multiple entries into the U.S. by using an Advanced Parole.

9. What is the difference between an Advanced Parole and a Re-entry Permit?
An Advanced Parole is issued to an alien who does not have permanent resident status. A Re-entry Permit is issued to a permanent resident of the U.S. On the appearance, an Advanced Parole is a piece of paper with the alien's photo whereas a Re-entry Permit looks like a passport. An Advanced Parole functions like a visa to the U.S. while a Re-entry Permit functions sometimes like a passport. In another word, an alien with an Advanced Parole still needs a foreign passport to enter into the U.S. while a permanent resident with a Re-entry Permit does not need a foreign passport to enter into the U.S.