Urgent: lost status and asylum
When the clock of unlawful presence is already running
Unlawful presence begins the day after the date on the I-94 — not in the visa. After 180 days, overstaying turns into a three-year entry ban upon entry, and after a year it converts to a ten-year one. Most people find out about this only when too late. We calculate your timeline, tell you the deadline by which there’s still the options, and we walk through what can be done.
Who it suits. For those with an expired I-94 or a cancelled visa. For those who have lost status after being expelled or dismissed. And for those seeking protection and considering asylum. Visa refusals are handled not here, but in the ’Planning a US Trip’ package.
What is included
- We pull your footprint in the system: I-94 and actual days of presence, past refusals under 214(b), accumulated unlawful presence and proximity to 3- and 10-year bans, the fate of the old green card, if there was one
- We check whether your path leads to a visa given the pause on immigration visa issuance Russian citizens from January 21, 2026 — and if not, we build it through a change of status within the US or via a second passport under the current State Department list
- We calculate your accumulated unlawful presence in days and name the date after which the ban becomes a ten-year one
- We identify which reinstatement paths are open: status change, reinstatement, or I-601A forgiveness
- We find a licensed lawyer suited to your case — and this is not a ten-minute conversation
- We prepare the evidence file and support you through to the decision
What the package does not include
Paid separately and directly, with no markup from us.
- Representation before USCIS: only a licensed ttorney licensed in the state or DOJ-accredited representative (8 CFR 292.1) — we prepare matter and we find a suitable professional, who then signs the application
- USCIS fees: I-589 — $100 at filing and $100 annually while the case is pending; work authorisation is separate
- Bail upon detention: set by the court, from $1,500 to $30,000
- Guaranteed outcome: a 214(b) refusal cannot be appealed, and asylum decisions are made by a court
- Promises on timelines: I-601A waivers take 8–18 months to process
On January 21, 2026, the State Department suspended the issuance of immigration visas to citizens of 75 countries, and Russia is on that list. Applications accept applications, schedule and conduct interviews — but do not issue the visa. Non-immigrant visas (B1/B2, F-1, O-1, L-1) are not affected by the pause. That means the path the market keeps selling — ’apply and wait’ consulate» — it now fails to go through to the end, no matter how flawless the matter. Exactly two workarounds exist: a status change within the US if you are already in the country on a valid status, and a second passport from a country not on the list. We check both and tell you which applies to you — before you commit to anything you will pay. No end date has been set for the pause, so we keep your passport we check against the current list as of the date of your enquiry.
The unlawful presence clock starts from the date on form I-94, not from the date o visa expiry. These are different dates, and almost everyone confuses them. More than 180 days and exit — a three-year entry ban. One year or more — ten years. The I-601A waiver exists, but processing takes 8–18 months.
We make no promises regarding asylum and never use the phrase ’turnkey.’ We help you find licensed attorney and we maintain an evidence file — what actually changes the outcome: with a lawyer, roughly half of cases are approved; without one — only one in five.
In the USA, only a licensed attorney may represent a person before USCIS for compensation, licensed in the state, or an accredited representative of the Ministry of Justice. Everything else constitutes unauthorized practice of immigration law, which carries its own separate article. That is why we honestly divide the work: analysis, documents, translations, the evidence folder and the landing are on us; the USCIS application is signed by licensed professional, and you know their name from day one.
Finding a licensed lawyer, gathering evidence of persecution, preparing a country report, translation, interview preparation, and case management through to a work permit.
- An honest figure: in 2024–2025, Russians with a lawyer are approved in around 51% of cases; without a lawyer — around 19%
- Fees are now annual: 100 $ when filing I-589 and 100 $ each year while the case is pending
- Work permit not immediate: file after 150 days from I-589, issued after 180 days, approximately $560
Prices are in US dollars and are all-inclusive — nothing is added on top. USCIS and State Department government fees are paid separately and directly to the authority: we state their amounts and show the receipts. Sales tax in the US is set by the state and city, so we do not quote it as a we don’t hide anything — the price you see is the final price. SVOY initial consultation — 150 $, credited in the cost of support. The short initial call is free.
Other points
Housing rental and purchase, documents, bank accounts and taxes, schooling, driving licence — 30 services in the USA, each has its own price.
Package «Urgent: refusal, overstay, lost status» · USA
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The same package in another country
There is only one moment in life, but the documents, deadlines and costs are unique to each case: the rules are set by the country.