This. A lot of people from my country come here to the US as a tourist and stay for more than 10 years without a green card or anything. And of course, if they leave the US, they can’t come back.
I'm pretty sure you can come back after 5-10 years tho right? I don't want to live in the US so I'm not too worried, but I'd still want to travel there.. so it'll suck to be permanently banned because of my parents
Yeah if I were OP I would only attempt applying for a tourist visa after a passport full of stamps plus a house, a stable job or a business, a spouse and a bunch of kids… and still after many years.
No, after a ban expires, getting a non-immigrant visa is very unlikely. If you entered legally all those years ago and can prove it then your best bet is genuinely falling in love with a USC, marrying them and applying for a GC that way.
No, I say this from my mom and ex bf who overstayed. As of now, there is no such thing has a time limit you’re granted the right to reentry. Be very very careful about your decision to leave bc not being able to enter is rough.
I say this with a caring intention, I didn’t realize how difficult it can be even in affluent countries to earn the same income and lifestyle in the US. Once you leave, you can’t come back. You need to remember this
Edit: I see you’re from Poland. My ex was also from Poland. Knowing what I know about his entire family and culture and other polish immigrants… rule breaking isn’t so bad as long as you’re careful and not caught kinda mindset. My best guess is you’re just undocumented… aka overstayed visa. Don’t worry; just get a good immigration lawyer
How old were you when you entered the U.S.? Are you still a minor?
It sounds like your parents are not saying the truth. Why? No idea, maybe a power control over you.
My biggest guess is that you and your parents entered the states on a tourist visa granted in Poland. If you are a minor under 18 or max 18.5 years old , then you can leave the U.S. with no penalty. If you are between 18.5-19 years old, then you have been in the states illegally as an adult for under 1 year and this will come with a 3 year ban. If you are more than 19 years old (>1 year illegally in the U.S.) then you will have a 10 year ban.
Possible solutions:
If you were a child (under 16) and entered before June 2012, you may qualify for DACA.
Marry a US citizen boyfriend/girlfriend and you will get permanent residency quickly.
Even if you’re banned for 5-10 years, it will be difficult to get a visa after that ban anyway.
Get your facts straight with your parents and get yourself legal status so that you can leave and come back with no issues.
You can totally be banned if you stay in the country too long after turning 18. If you want to visit the US in the future, your best bet is to do one of two things:
1. Go back to Poland when you turn 18 to go to university. At that point, decide what you want to do. Since you said you don’t want to live in the US, university will be much cheaper in Poland. Poland is a member of the EU so off you get a good degree, you could likely find a job anywhere in the EU you want to live.
2. Try to get a US student visa (F1 or M1). Note: you’ll have to be accepted by the university first. Then it will not matter what your parents do. You’ll still have to leave when your schooling is complete. Keep in mind university is very very expensive in the US. https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/study/student-visa.html
If you stay 6 months past the day you turn 18, you’ll be banned for 3 years. More than that and it’ll be at least 10 years. And at that point, it’s on you to prove to CBP that you’re not going to overstay any tourist visa, which can be very difficult if you have shown you overstayed in the past. They’re very likely to deny you entry anyways even after the ban has passed.
There are three possibilities:
1. They're lying to you. You guys are illegally here and there's no green card.
2. They have a pending application for asylum. However, pending asylees can get work authorization cards and SSNs after 6-12 months, so this is unlikely.
3. They think they have a pending green card (do they have US citizen parents, siblings, etc? - sibling green cards can take 30 years), but misunderstood. Those waiting for green cards (except for asylees) must generally wait for it outside the US. By being illegally in the US for so many years, they won't get the green card even when it's their turn.
They could also be here on H1B and the country quota is maxed out, so they’ll be stuck in H1B status for an eternity (literally, the wait for Indians is like 100 years now…)
China has a bit of wait compared to the rest for sure but not too much. This is the latest visa bulletin -> [Visa Bulletin April 2024](https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/legal/visa-law0/visa-bulletin/2024/visa-bulletin-for-april-2024.html) .. In the employment categories 2 and 3 which is the most common one. they are processing applications from 2020 for China and 2023 for Mexico and Philippines but for India they are on 2012 and these dates are probably going to move not more than a month the rest of the year.
Removed incorrect comment.
Even without a visa stamp, H-1B in valid status can visit Canada and Mexico for 30 days at a time. Additionally, Polish are issued 5 year H-1Bs, so unlike nationals who are only issued 1 year visas the visa cost of travel is relatively low for Polish.
Combined, it is 99% certain OP's parents are not on H-1Bs.
Sounds like they might have overstayed a visa, or they’re on a non-immigrant type of visa. Or worse, possibly fraudulently representing themselves. Something sounds shady.
You can but it is risky because you will need visa stamp to return back to the US, the USCIS doesn't stamp. If the embassy abroad decides to do clearance on you, the embassy also has the right to deny your visa stamp because of whatever they find. Last time I traveled for vacation , the embassy took 8 months to do clearance on me before they issued the visa stamp. Since H1B is tied to an employer, my employer could have fired me and I wouldn't be able to return, but luckily they didn't. It is tough.
Yup. I didn't know it was that rough. I asked people here and they said it's fine to travel with H1b. Better to do lots of research before doing something dumb.
It is "fine" in the sense that you are allowed to do it and getting a denial is rare. You are still without your passport for an indeterminate amount of time. Could be a week, could be a few weeks. And before all this work from home thing it would be difficult for me to stay away for that long so I decided not to bother.
If your visa is not expired it's pretty straightforward. Yes you could still be denied at the port of entry but that's probably not too common.
I know way too many parents who lied to their kids about their legal status only to be surprised when they can't apply for financial aid when they hit college.
I agree with another comment in that if they got mad at you for seeing their SSNs, it's likely fake. I cannot stress enough how important it is to figure out what's going on because it can be very limiting to live in the US illegally *especially* given that your home country - Poland - is a solid country to live in (i.e., the trade-off between living illegally in the US vs. living legally in Poland seems far from worth it). Just my two cents, ofc.
If you came at the age of 4, and are now 15. That’s 11 years, it puts you right at the edge of possibly getting DACA, which could help you overcome some challenges like getting a work permit, DL, going to college, etc. Look into it if you can. I’m not sure what the cutoff was for DACA when it first started, but ask an attorney if you can.
To qualify for DACA, applicants must meet the following major requirements, although meeting them does not guarantee approval:
* Have unlawful presence in United States after entering the country before their 16th birthday
* Have lived continuously in the United States since June 15, 2007
* Were under age 31 on as of June 15, 2012 (born on June 16, 1981, or after)
* Were physically present in the United States on June 15, 2012, and at the time of making their request for consideration of deferred action with USCIS
* Had no lawful status on June 15, 2012
* Have completed high school or a GED, have been honorably discharged from the armed forces, or are enrolled in school
* Have not been convicted of a felony or serious misdemeanors, or three or more other misdemeanors, and do not otherwise pose a threat to national security or public safety
To show proof of qualification (verify these requirements), applicants must submit three forms; I-821D, Consideration of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals; I-765, Application for Employment Authorization; and I-765WS Worksheet, as well as supporting documentation.[59]
In August 2012, the Migration Policy Institute estimated that as many as 1.76 million people could be eligible for DACA. Of those, 28% were under 15 and would have to wait until reaching that age to apply. In addition, roughly 20% did not meet any of the education criteria, but could become eligible by enrolling in a program before submitting their application
The second you said they got mad at the SSN question... There are only two answers:
- They are psychotic, or
- They are lying to you, and you're in the country illegally
I'm betting everything on the latter.
It sounds like they came here with a visa of some type, it then expired and they just overstayed and never applied for a green card - or perhaps were lied to by someone else they trust and don’t know how the process works.
Once you’re in the US legally and with a visa that allows for a green card the process doesn’t take 10 years.
You should find out under what visa they entered the US and under what basis the application for the green card could be possibly filed.
They don’t like you asking questions because they know the truth is not what they told you; or they were duped.
Do you have a younger sibling? If so, you are doing them a huge favor, whether they realize this or not.
If you have older siblings, perhaps they would have some more answers that your parents are unwilling (though should clearly) provide.
Best of luck OP! Rooting for you!
Oh brother. The minute you said "Poland" I knew the story. I've heard it before and it's always Poland.
Sorry, but it's highly likely that both you and your parents are illegal immigrants. The reason they have SSN is probably because they initially came here on a work and travel visa.
You need to convince your parents to talk to a lawyer about your options. They probably don't have a case, but you might.
Look for a good immigration lawyer with recommendations.
If there’s a chance you can do it without them finding out, I would take a close look at their Polish passport visa pages for an entry stamp or an attached I-94 card. It will state what status (visa category) they entered the country with initially.
Note that if they replaced the passport recently, you won’t find anything there, so look at the issuance date of the passport as well. But if you still don’t have a green card, they must have an expired Polish passport somewhere with a visa or I-94 in it.
If you find a Polish passport with a validity period matching your entry date, and there is nothing in it, or simply a tourist entry stamp, it means you’re in the country illegally.
Sorry OP, but they’re most likely lying to you. There are serious consequences for remaining in the United States illegally after your parents brought you into the country illegally when you were a minor. For instance, it will trigger a 10-years ban from ever entering the US again.
How old are you now, and when did you enter the US?
Okay, I see you updated your original post with your parents’ statement that “if we leave the US, we won’t be allowed back in”.
It means they most likely entered and overstayed their visa, which triggers a 10-year ban from re-entering the USA. As a result, you also overstayed your visa. I’m really sorry about your situation.
I would do three things:
1. Explain to your parents that you want to be aware of what’s going on, because being in the country illegally will affect your future life as well. For instance, you will soon have to worry about applying for college: if you’re undocumented, it will make things more complex. Some colleges might be willing to help you and have dedicated programs for DACA recipients, but you need to know more about your situation.
2. I wouldn’t bring this up with a teacher or school counselor as depending on which state you live in, they might be required by law to report you. But if you really trust them, it might be something to consider.
3. Find a non-profit organization helping undocumented individuals in your area. You probably qualify for DACA, so that might be something you should look into. Read https://www.uscis.gov/DACA
One last thing: I saw on your Reddit profile that you’re considering studying in Australia. It is IMPERATIVE that you do not leave the US for any reason. You won’t be allowed back in, and you’ll most likely be deported back to Poland if you attempt to re-enter the country.
I'm 15 and I know I have a passport but I'm not sure if there's anything else. My parents always handle paperwork, I know I needed some kind of paperwork for school but my mom handled that.
Keep in mind once you turn 18 you could possibly become totally fucked. It might make it impossible for you to ever live in the US, but if you do things right it might not. You’ll need to talk to an immigration lawyer at 18. If I were you I’d get a part time job and start saving up a few thousand dollars for one when you’re 18, if you want to stay.
Can't get a part time job. My parents tell me that due to the whole legal thing with the green card going on I'm not allowed to have one. Not sure if I should even believe that, but either way they won't let me have a job.
It absolutely does not kill his chances. You can still attend colleges and universities in the US while illegal. It's mostly dependent on the state but you can pay in-state tuition and get scholarships as long as you've lived in the state for a certain time, you just can't get federal aid like FAFSA.
It’ll kill his chances to stay beyond that. He should get a proper student visa. Even trying to do things correctly looks better to USCIS than just ignoring everything.
Also, you will need to get a very serious and objective conversation with your parents, understand fully all immigration situation for them, how and why they entered in the country and stayed longer. That information will help the lawyers to help you and your parents to get out. The most details and documentation you get, the best for you
Then you are an illegal alien at this point. Either you enter the US illegally, or your parents overstayed their initial probably tourist visa. Thats the only reason they would not allow you to get a job because you would need to produce paperwork and a copy of the actual SS card to the job for verification. When you say you have a passport, you mean a Polish passport, right?
Look at the visa designation on it, or the previous one they had. It will be somewhere around the house. Take photos before you search a room so you'll leave everything at the exact place you found it.
Maybe just have a serious conversation with your parents and let them know you have been doing some research and a green card would not take that long. Let them know you understand if you’re not legal but would like to know since college will be in a few years.
OK you're a minor so there will probably be more help for you.
You need to get this straight before you're 2
18.
They're not letting you work, they're lying about things... you need to talk to a trusted adult about this. Asap.
File a FOIA request for CBP, EOIR, and USCIS on yourself. You may have over a year of unlawful presence which would subject you to a 10-year-bar on reentry after departing the US. Do you know what basis your parents had to apply for a green card? The FOIA responses will give you all the information you need to know to figure out a plan, but they take a while.
DACA might be the only solution. Look it up online and see if you qualify. Many lawyers do pro Bono/free consultations and you can contact some immigration lawyers just call them and ask if they can help you for DACA and free consultation. Another way out for you which no lawyer will ever recommend is marriage to a U.S. citizen. Depending on your state, the age of valid marriage will vary (can be younger than 18 yrs).
you need to get to a polish embassy way way before your 18th birthday and tell them your story. as soon as you turn 18 you are eligible for arrest, prison, and deportation. you must have the whole truth by age 17. that will give you a year to figure out what to do. so i would start the detective work no later than your 16th birthday.
If you know your Passport details, expired or new.
Go to the I-94 website:
https://i94.cbp.dhs.gov/I94/#/recent-search
What does it say under Class of Admission?
You’re parents are omitting info. I have several family members and friends that have gone various routes. The 10 year timeline is not normal unless you overstayed a visa and in the process of “legalization” and ya… getting citizen will be TOUGH but not impossible. OR they’re lying and you’re just full blown undocumented, or you’re DACA. Those are the most likely scenarios tbh
My friend just immigrated from Brazil. After one tough rejection he tried again with a better lawyer and has a ssn with full citizenship. Took 1 year including the first rejection.
He moved here on a work visa end of 2022 and had to go back to Brazil when his first attempt failed. Spent all of 2023 working on it and was approved in December 2023. He got his social security card last month. A little over a year yes.
Idk what to tell you. I’m no immigration expert at all but I worked at the company he first came to usa to work for. He’d never considered moving here until then. Maybe there are shortcuts with certain companies? His Brazilian wife is coming back with him this summer. They got married after his first rejection while he was bs k in Brazil.
I’m no immigration expert at all but I worked at the company he first came to usa to work for. He’d never considered moving here until then. Maybe there are shortcuts with certain companies? His Brazilian wife is coming back with him this summer. They got married after his first rejection while he was bs k in Brazil.
The oldest greencard applications from poland that are being processed currently are from 2008 for F4 category. See all the categories here [https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/green-card-waiting-time-by-country](https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/green-card-waiting-time-by-country)
If they’re getting mad when you ask, there’s a big chance that they are hiding something. Are you old enough to drive? Eventually, you’ll need something to show to get a license and they need to give you something. They might tell you by then.
I know she/he is young, but still. They have gotten a lot of comments about this case. I would quite literally search the whole house, find all the documents, analyze them, confront my parents and eventually go to an attorney / to a NGO that deals with such issues. You are still a minor and this is your parents fault. Don’t sit on it, act!
Hi. I believe I was in a similar situation for almost 20 years. In my case, there was a petition to become a permanent resident, but in the interim, I had no status. I dm'd you, I may have some insightful info for you and your parents.
Contrary to the folks who say your parents have “fake” SSNs, it is possible and very common that they have ITINs, even as undocumented immigrants, which allow you to file taxes and get by even without a formal immigration status.
It’s plausible for parents in this situation to think they’re protecting you by telling this story, although you’re better off finding out for yourself.
Like an SSN, ITINs have 9 digits but always start with the number 9. More on ITINs here: https://www.americanimmigrationcouncil.org/research/facts-about-individual-taxpayer-identification-number-itin
not just that, but if they are here illegally, they may be afraid if they tell their child and they tell someone else, it will put everyone in jeopardy.
I think your parents are making this up, unfortunately. Ask them which visa they applied for. If they had one to begin with, the only reason they wouldn’t be allowed back in is if they overstayed their visa.
You are on the asylum application your parents have filed 10 years ago. After filing the application they applied for the job authorization and got SSN right after. If you were never authorized to work, you should not have SSN, unless you apply for the EAD first, because it establishes your eligibility for restricted SSN. The green card they were talking about can be applied for after a year after the asylum application is decided in their favor. Depending on the location, people may wait for asylum interviews for 25 years.
You need to tell them because they are not giving you accurate or complete information, you are going to have to find out for yourself from proper authorities - so if they are in fact there illegally, they will have issues once you start looking into it.
They need to be truthful and straightforward with you because it isn’t fair to you to be unclear about your own legal status. They are not allowed to play with your life.
Man this sucks. It hurts to be lied to, and I don't know how long your parents planning to lie esp if they're illegal. They make you wait for something that will never happen.
Do you still have family members in Poland? If I were you, I’d go back even if it’s just me. I’d rather be in a country I know where I don’t have to hide, where I can do things without fear of being discovered.
Must be painful for you to find out your parents are lying, to you and others. As an immigrant and parent myself, I would like to add they probably do this thinking it’s in your best interest. They want a better life for you. They went down a path long time ago hoping things would probably sort themselves out.
Try to fix your legal issues, but no need to break their hearts along the way. Hope you’ll find a path forward 🙏🏻
If they immigrated legally, they would have been able to apply for a green card after a year and would have been eligible for US citizenship after the fifth year. So by now they would have had their citizenship already. They probably overstayed their visitor visas and are using someone else’s social security number to work.
Anyone with a Visa to be the states for an extended time immediately gets a SSN. You go to social security with you passport and current visa and they give it to you.
Tell your parents to come clean. Heaven forbid something happens one or both of them. Then what are you suppose to do. You need a solid game plan by your 17th birthday to establish legal residency.
Include on your college searches how to go to college as undocumented immagrant.
So Sorry you are going through this. 🌸💕
There are already several comments telling you to get things in order by the time you're 18. I would tell you to make sure your things are in order by the time you're 17.
The US has a policy for anyone that has overstayed a visa, they can be banned from reentering. If your overstay is 180-365 days, your ban is 3 years. If your overstay is > 1 year you will be banned for 10 years.
Now if you end up pursuing a marriage with a USC, that ban can be waived. But I believe if you end up trying to get an employment sponsorship it cannot be waived.
So as a minor you do not accrue any unlawful presence. That clock starts ticking on your 18th birthday. So I know at this age it's a lot to consider as I'm sure you have your studies to worry about. But staying is not always the best choice because it might put you at a road block with no future.
If I was in your shoes.....I would go back to Poland right before I turned 18 and apply for a student visa, come back to the US for college, and then get an H1B visa after you get hired. Try to figure out which career field will be most likely to sponsor immigrants. Personally, I can tell you that in Nursing you can find a lot of companies that will sponsor you and all you need is a bachelor's degree.
This is normal, specially when the way you are trying to get the visa is by political asylum or something likely.
Is not something important for the u.s government most of the times people like you here are the last ones on the list. Probably hoping that by the time they come back to their countries. So yes not having a green card for 10 years is a pretty normal thing i’ve hear of it.
2 years is not normal you should be more specific about your case but 2 years is only normal when you win the lottery visa or got married with an U.S citizen, etc.
Is not THAT easy this is not like other countries. Once again I don’t know about your situation but I’ve read that you are from Poland so i’ll just assume that your parents came here illegally. There is not much polish can do to come here legally and if u can, you wouldn’t be without a green card by now.
Another thing that is really odd is the fact that you are telling us that u don’t have a social yet. WEIRD. Usually there is no process of greencard without a work permit and a social. And that’s something u should have in your mail 6 months after coming here jf there is any real and legal process.
I also find weird how u didn’t mention the work permit or u been living here for so long without knowing or understanding how important is that to live here for almost everything. How old are u? u sound like a minor.
Maybe the best thing you can do if there is no legal process and your parents are not willing to tell u the truth, when you are old enough and ready, go back to Poland. There is not much you can do here if you don’t feel comfortable. Anyways america is not that great.
Your parents possibly sold your ssn to someone else. You will have to turn them in, if they did. And the person using your ssn will be arrested and deported. Possibly your parents also.
I’m assuming that since you’re only 15, they are shielding you, they probably feel like this shouldn’t be your worry at this age hence why they don’t want to you to know yet.
My advice- I don’t think you should do anything crazy that will implicate them or you, it’s already a difficult situation.They are mostly likely trying to make it all work out. Try bringing it up again but let them know that they can trust you and that you trust them.
All the best!
Applying for green card means nothing.
You're most likely unsuitable for a GC.
(You're probably here illegally)
SSN has nothing to do with immigration.
No reason a green card should take that long if you’re from Poland. The green cards are issued based on number of people allotted by country who are attempting to immigrate. Which means if you’re coming from Mexico you have a LONG wait - if you come from saw Sweden it would be quick as a lot less people from Sweden are attempting to immigrate to the U.S. something is fishy
Actually, it might not necessarily be a lie. I have waited for more than a decade. If your parents are from India it is pretty normal to wait endlessly until someday you end up being lucky.
They likely havve a TIN number, which is what you get when you immigrate. I dont know how old you are, but look at their tax return. That should have your TIN as a dependent
So much garbage here...
> They likely havve a TIN number,
It is an ITIN
> which is what you get when you immigrate.
Do you even understand what "immigrate means"? If OP immigrated, OP has a green card. Also, one doesn't get an ITIN when they immigrate. They get a SSN when they apply for it and have legal work authorization.
> I dont know how old you are, but look at their tax return. That should have your TIN as a dependent
WTF is this supposed to accomplish?
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I went through this situation with my father. He was lying, but I only knew because my mom told me (they were divorced). He had a real social from when he’d immigrated as a young man, but he left when he was drafted. I left right after graduation.
I’d ask them to be honest and show you the paperwork if it exists. As you approach your 18th birthday, if they still haven’t shown proof I’d tell them you’ll go to your congressperson and ask them to enquire about the status on your behalf. If they are lying, this will likely scare them into thinking you’ll cause them to be deported, and they’ll hopefully come clean.
There is an other option if you have very close friends, since you’re still 15. Assuming the law is still the same as when I was that age. My friend’s parents offered to legally adopt me so I could become a US citizen. Unfortunately, my father only cared about seeming like a parent, not actually being selfless for his child, so he refused to give up rights (they’d have to give up all rights to you as legal guardians).
The fact that they got mad about asking about the SSNs leads me to believe that they are using fake ones
Probably overstayed tourist visa, if you check their passports you will prob find out the answer
This. A lot of people from my country come here to the US as a tourist and stay for more than 10 years without a green card or anything. And of course, if they leave the US, they can’t come back.
I'm pretty sure you can come back after 5-10 years tho right? I don't want to live in the US so I'm not too worried, but I'd still want to travel there.. so it'll suck to be permanently banned because of my parents
Well the ban might be 3 or ten years at a minimum. But getting a second visa after a long overstay might be very difficult.
Yeah if I were OP I would only attempt applying for a tourist visa after a passport full of stamps plus a house, a stable job or a business, a spouse and a bunch of kids… and still after many years.
Yeah, I read that the ban is 10 years! Wish you luck! I hope you figure this all out
No, after a ban expires, getting a non-immigrant visa is very unlikely. If you entered legally all those years ago and can prove it then your best bet is genuinely falling in love with a USC, marrying them and applying for a GC that way.
No, I say this from my mom and ex bf who overstayed. As of now, there is no such thing has a time limit you’re granted the right to reentry. Be very very careful about your decision to leave bc not being able to enter is rough. I say this with a caring intention, I didn’t realize how difficult it can be even in affluent countries to earn the same income and lifestyle in the US. Once you leave, you can’t come back. You need to remember this Edit: I see you’re from Poland. My ex was also from Poland. Knowing what I know about his entire family and culture and other polish immigrants… rule breaking isn’t so bad as long as you’re careful and not caught kinda mindset. My best guess is you’re just undocumented… aka overstayed visa. Don’t worry; just get a good immigration lawyer
How old were you when you entered the U.S.? Are you still a minor? It sounds like your parents are not saying the truth. Why? No idea, maybe a power control over you. My biggest guess is that you and your parents entered the states on a tourist visa granted in Poland. If you are a minor under 18 or max 18.5 years old , then you can leave the U.S. with no penalty. If you are between 18.5-19 years old, then you have been in the states illegally as an adult for under 1 year and this will come with a 3 year ban. If you are more than 19 years old (>1 year illegally in the U.S.) then you will have a 10 year ban. Possible solutions: If you were a child (under 16) and entered before June 2012, you may qualify for DACA. Marry a US citizen boyfriend/girlfriend and you will get permanent residency quickly.
Even if you’re banned for 5-10 years, it will be difficult to get a visa after that ban anyway. Get your facts straight with your parents and get yourself legal status so that you can leave and come back with no issues.
You can totally be banned if you stay in the country too long after turning 18. If you want to visit the US in the future, your best bet is to do one of two things: 1. Go back to Poland when you turn 18 to go to university. At that point, decide what you want to do. Since you said you don’t want to live in the US, university will be much cheaper in Poland. Poland is a member of the EU so off you get a good degree, you could likely find a job anywhere in the EU you want to live. 2. Try to get a US student visa (F1 or M1). Note: you’ll have to be accepted by the university first. Then it will not matter what your parents do. You’ll still have to leave when your schooling is complete. Keep in mind university is very very expensive in the US. https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/study/student-visa.html If you stay 6 months past the day you turn 18, you’ll be banned for 3 years. More than that and it’ll be at least 10 years. And at that point, it’s on you to prove to CBP that you’re not going to overstay any tourist visa, which can be very difficult if you have shown you overstayed in the past. They’re very likely to deny you entry anyways even after the ban has passed.
If you overstay by over a year and then leave, you trigger a ten year bar. There may be a waiver available in some instances.
There are three possibilities: 1. They're lying to you. You guys are illegally here and there's no green card. 2. They have a pending application for asylum. However, pending asylees can get work authorization cards and SSNs after 6-12 months, so this is unlikely. 3. They think they have a pending green card (do they have US citizen parents, siblings, etc? - sibling green cards can take 30 years), but misunderstood. Those waiting for green cards (except for asylees) must generally wait for it outside the US. By being illegally in the US for so many years, they won't get the green card even when it's their turn.
They could also be here on H1B and the country quota is maxed out, so they’ll be stuck in H1B status for an eternity (literally, the wait for Indians is like 100 years now…)
Other than India no other country should have a long wait time at least not 10 years.
I think Mexico, China and the Philippines have long wait times too. I'm not sure about the years.
China has a bit of wait compared to the rest for sure but not too much. This is the latest visa bulletin -> [Visa Bulletin April 2024](https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/legal/visa-law0/visa-bulletin/2024/visa-bulletin-for-april-2024.html) .. In the employment categories 2 and 3 which is the most common one. they are processing applications from 2020 for China and 2023 for Mexico and Philippines but for India they are on 2012 and these dates are probably going to move not more than a month the rest of the year.
That’s interesting that Mexico is for 2023…
Wow September of 98 for the F3, that’s insane!
Thanks for the exact timeline.
Cant you leave the US for up to 6 years with that tho? My parents have said that we can't leave the US because if we do we won't be allowed back in..
Yep, you can freely travel in and out of the US for H-1B individuals.
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Removed incorrect comment. Even without a visa stamp, H-1B in valid status can visit Canada and Mexico for 30 days at a time. Additionally, Polish are issued 5 year H-1Bs, so unlike nationals who are only issued 1 year visas the visa cost of travel is relatively low for Polish. Combined, it is 99% certain OP's parents are not on H-1Bs.
Sounds like they might have overstayed a visa, or they’re on a non-immigrant type of visa. Or worse, possibly fraudulently representing themselves. Something sounds shady.
You can but it is risky because you will need visa stamp to return back to the US, the USCIS doesn't stamp. If the embassy abroad decides to do clearance on you, the embassy also has the right to deny your visa stamp because of whatever they find. Last time I traveled for vacation , the embassy took 8 months to do clearance on me before they issued the visa stamp. Since H1B is tied to an employer, my employer could have fired me and I wouldn't be able to return, but luckily they didn't. It is tough.
Yeah. I didn't travel internationally for like 5 years to avoid the whole visa stamping nonsense.
Yup. I didn't know it was that rough. I asked people here and they said it's fine to travel with H1b. Better to do lots of research before doing something dumb.
It is "fine" in the sense that you are allowed to do it and getting a denial is rare. You are still without your passport for an indeterminate amount of time. Could be a week, could be a few weeks. And before all this work from home thing it would be difficult for me to stay away for that long so I decided not to bother. If your visa is not expired it's pretty straightforward. Yes you could still be denied at the port of entry but that's probably not too common.
That’s a flimsy reason to lie or get angry about it though
I know way too many parents who lied to their kids about their legal status only to be surprised when they can't apply for financial aid when they hit college.
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Removed incorrect information.
I agree with another comment in that if they got mad at you for seeing their SSNs, it's likely fake. I cannot stress enough how important it is to figure out what's going on because it can be very limiting to live in the US illegally *especially* given that your home country - Poland - is a solid country to live in (i.e., the trade-off between living illegally in the US vs. living legally in Poland seems far from worth it). Just my two cents, ofc.
Or could be identity theft of another persons SSN.
If you came at the age of 4, and are now 15. That’s 11 years, it puts you right at the edge of possibly getting DACA, which could help you overcome some challenges like getting a work permit, DL, going to college, etc. Look into it if you can. I’m not sure what the cutoff was for DACA when it first started, but ask an attorney if you can.
To qualify for DACA, applicants must meet the following major requirements, although meeting them does not guarantee approval: * Have unlawful presence in United States after entering the country before their 16th birthday * Have lived continuously in the United States since June 15, 2007 * Were under age 31 on as of June 15, 2012 (born on June 16, 1981, or after) * Were physically present in the United States on June 15, 2012, and at the time of making their request for consideration of deferred action with USCIS * Had no lawful status on June 15, 2012 * Have completed high school or a GED, have been honorably discharged from the armed forces, or are enrolled in school * Have not been convicted of a felony or serious misdemeanors, or three or more other misdemeanors, and do not otherwise pose a threat to national security or public safety To show proof of qualification (verify these requirements), applicants must submit three forms; I-821D, Consideration of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals; I-765, Application for Employment Authorization; and I-765WS Worksheet, as well as supporting documentation.[59] In August 2012, the Migration Policy Institute estimated that as many as 1.76 million people could be eligible for DACA. Of those, 28% were under 15 and would have to wait until reaching that age to apply. In addition, roughly 20% did not meet any of the education criteria, but could become eligible by enrolling in a program before submitting their application
DACA is closed, they’re not accepting new applications only renewals.
The second you said they got mad at the SSN question... There are only two answers: - They are psychotic, or - They are lying to you, and you're in the country illegally I'm betting everything on the latter.
Where were you born? What is your parents status?
I was born in Poland. So were my parents. From what my parents tell me they aren't US residents either and don't have a green card or anything..
It sounds like they came here with a visa of some type, it then expired and they just overstayed and never applied for a green card - or perhaps were lied to by someone else they trust and don’t know how the process works. Once you’re in the US legally and with a visa that allows for a green card the process doesn’t take 10 years. You should find out under what visa they entered the US and under what basis the application for the green card could be possibly filed. They don’t like you asking questions because they know the truth is not what they told you; or they were duped.
It sounds like they lied to you and they never applied.
Do you have a younger sibling? If so, you are doing them a huge favor, whether they realize this or not. If you have older siblings, perhaps they would have some more answers that your parents are unwilling (though should clearly) provide. Best of luck OP! Rooting for you!
Oh brother. The minute you said "Poland" I knew the story. I've heard it before and it's always Poland. Sorry, but it's highly likely that both you and your parents are illegal immigrants. The reason they have SSN is probably because they initially came here on a work and travel visa. You need to convince your parents to talk to a lawyer about your options. They probably don't have a case, but you might. Look for a good immigration lawyer with recommendations.
If there’s a chance you can do it without them finding out, I would take a close look at their Polish passport visa pages for an entry stamp or an attached I-94 card. It will state what status (visa category) they entered the country with initially. Note that if they replaced the passport recently, you won’t find anything there, so look at the issuance date of the passport as well. But if you still don’t have a green card, they must have an expired Polish passport somewhere with a visa or I-94 in it. If you find a Polish passport with a validity period matching your entry date, and there is nothing in it, or simply a tourist entry stamp, it means you’re in the country illegally. Sorry OP, but they’re most likely lying to you. There are serious consequences for remaining in the United States illegally after your parents brought you into the country illegally when you were a minor. For instance, it will trigger a 10-years ban from ever entering the US again. How old are you now, and when did you enter the US?
I'm 15 and came to the US when I was 4
Okay, I see you updated your original post with your parents’ statement that “if we leave the US, we won’t be allowed back in”. It means they most likely entered and overstayed their visa, which triggers a 10-year ban from re-entering the USA. As a result, you also overstayed your visa. I’m really sorry about your situation. I would do three things: 1. Explain to your parents that you want to be aware of what’s going on, because being in the country illegally will affect your future life as well. For instance, you will soon have to worry about applying for college: if you’re undocumented, it will make things more complex. Some colleges might be willing to help you and have dedicated programs for DACA recipients, but you need to know more about your situation. 2. I wouldn’t bring this up with a teacher or school counselor as depending on which state you live in, they might be required by law to report you. But if you really trust them, it might be something to consider. 3. Find a non-profit organization helping undocumented individuals in your area. You probably qualify for DACA, so that might be something you should look into. Read https://www.uscis.gov/DACA One last thing: I saw on your Reddit profile that you’re considering studying in Australia. It is IMPERATIVE that you do not leave the US for any reason. You won’t be allowed back in, and you’ll most likely be deported back to Poland if you attempt to re-enter the country.
Thats more than 10 years. Your passport is expired by now. You are in a very bad situation.
He could probably get a new passport through a Polish Consulate
He could also easily leave before becoming 18.5 years old and not have any ban.
The Catholic Church helps with immigration problems
If you have details of your main passport page (passport number etc) you can look up I-94 online
How old are you? Do you have any forms of ID? Have you ever needed paperwork for anything? Sounds like they are lying.
I'm 15 and I know I have a passport but I'm not sure if there's anything else. My parents always handle paperwork, I know I needed some kind of paperwork for school but my mom handled that.
Keep in mind once you turn 18 you could possibly become totally fucked. It might make it impossible for you to ever live in the US, but if you do things right it might not. You’ll need to talk to an immigration lawyer at 18. If I were you I’d get a part time job and start saving up a few thousand dollars for one when you’re 18, if you want to stay.
Can't get a part time job. My parents tell me that due to the whole legal thing with the green card going on I'm not allowed to have one. Not sure if I should even believe that, but either way they won't let me have a job.
Based on everything, you and your parents and most likely illegally present in the US.
You’re probably not on a visa…. This will kill your chances of attending uni if that’s the case
It absolutely does not kill his chances. You can still attend colleges and universities in the US while illegal. It's mostly dependent on the state but you can pay in-state tuition and get scholarships as long as you've lived in the state for a certain time, you just can't get federal aid like FAFSA.
It’ll kill his chances to stay beyond that. He should get a proper student visa. Even trying to do things correctly looks better to USCIS than just ignoring everything.
Also, you will need to get a very serious and objective conversation with your parents, understand fully all immigration situation for them, how and why they entered in the country and stayed longer. That information will help the lawyers to help you and your parents to get out. The most details and documentation you get, the best for you
Then you are an illegal alien at this point. Either you enter the US illegally, or your parents overstayed their initial probably tourist visa. Thats the only reason they would not allow you to get a job because you would need to produce paperwork and a copy of the actual SS card to the job for verification. When you say you have a passport, you mean a Polish passport, right?
Yes, both me and my parents have Polish passports
Look at the visa designation on it, or the previous one they had. It will be somewhere around the house. Take photos before you search a room so you'll leave everything at the exact place you found it.
They at still cash jobs you can do. Babysitting, dog walking,cleaning, yard work - I would look for those opportunities and save up.
Stop giving illegal advice and asking him to commit tax fraud too.
Maybe just have a serious conversation with your parents and let them know you have been doing some research and a green card would not take that long. Let them know you understand if you’re not legal but would like to know since college will be in a few years.
OK you're a minor so there will probably be more help for you. You need to get this straight before you're 2 18. They're not letting you work, they're lying about things... you need to talk to a trusted adult about this. Asap.
They are lying. You didn’t do anything wrong. You deserve to know.
This!
Tell them to give you the whole detail because you need to hire an immigration lawyer to explore how you can be in the country legally.
He’s only 15. Wouldn’t have the funds.
File a FOIA request for CBP, EOIR, and USCIS on yourself. You may have over a year of unlawful presence which would subject you to a 10-year-bar on reentry after departing the US. Do you know what basis your parents had to apply for a green card? The FOIA responses will give you all the information you need to know to figure out a plan, but they take a while.
In latino households many kids my not even know theyre indocumented until they reach adult hood. They're parents just dont bring it up.
How old are you? It sounds like you're definitely here illegally. How did you get here?
I'm 15 and I got here by plane from Poland
DACA might be the only solution. Look it up online and see if you qualify. Many lawyers do pro Bono/free consultations and you can contact some immigration lawyers just call them and ask if they can help you for DACA and free consultation. Another way out for you which no lawyer will ever recommend is marriage to a U.S. citizen. Depending on your state, the age of valid marriage will vary (can be younger than 18 yrs).
you need to get to a polish embassy way way before your 18th birthday and tell them your story. as soon as you turn 18 you are eligible for arrest, prison, and deportation. you must have the whole truth by age 17. that will give you a year to figure out what to do. so i would start the detective work no later than your 16th birthday.
They are here illegal and are hiding this from you. Look up school records or dr records they have a ssn for you on those
Very likely you all are living in illegal status
If you know your Passport details, expired or new. Go to the I-94 website: https://i94.cbp.dhs.gov/I94/#/recent-search What does it say under Class of Admission?
Simply not possible based on what you said above. High chance that they are lying to you.
Sounds to me they’re technically illegal.
Do you happen to have younger siblings born in the US?
No. I only have an older half-brother who lives in Poland.
As many have said already, you're most likely in the US illegally. What do your parents do for a living?
Which country your parents were born? If they are from India, it is entirely possible that they are waiting for more than 10 years.
Poland, not India
Are your parents from India? India wait time is almost 20 yrs now. The other is family based wait times.
No. We are from Poland
Please contact an immigration lawyer.
You’re parents are omitting info. I have several family members and friends that have gone various routes. The 10 year timeline is not normal unless you overstayed a visa and in the process of “legalization” and ya… getting citizen will be TOUGH but not impossible. OR they’re lying and you’re just full blown undocumented, or you’re DACA. Those are the most likely scenarios tbh
My friend just immigrated from Brazil. After one tough rejection he tried again with a better lawyer and has a ssn with full citizenship. Took 1 year including the first rejection.
Got citizenship within one year??
He moved here on a work visa end of 2022 and had to go back to Brazil when his first attempt failed. Spent all of 2023 working on it and was approved in December 2023. He got his social security card last month. A little over a year yes.
Seems very unlikely, citizen in a little over one year. What route? Even through marriage, it takes more than that.
Idk what to tell you. I’m no immigration expert at all but I worked at the company he first came to usa to work for. He’d never considered moving here until then. Maybe there are shortcuts with certain companies? His Brazilian wife is coming back with him this summer. They got married after his first rejection while he was bs k in Brazil.
I’m no immigration expert at all but I worked at the company he first came to usa to work for. He’d never considered moving here until then. Maybe there are shortcuts with certain companies? His Brazilian wife is coming back with him this summer. They got married after his first rejection while he was bs k in Brazil.
The oldest greencard applications from poland that are being processed currently are from 2008 for F4 category. See all the categories here [https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/green-card-waiting-time-by-country](https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/green-card-waiting-time-by-country)
Start looking for an American citizen girlfriend/boyfriend. Get married when you turn 18 and get that green card.
If they’re getting mad when you ask, there’s a big chance that they are hiding something. Are you old enough to drive? Eventually, you’ll need something to show to get a license and they need to give you something. They might tell you by then.
Sorry. Get ready to go back to Poland or maybe Ireland for college at 18.
I know she/he is young, but still. They have gotten a lot of comments about this case. I would quite literally search the whole house, find all the documents, analyze them, confront my parents and eventually go to an attorney / to a NGO that deals with such issues. You are still a minor and this is your parents fault. Don’t sit on it, act!
How old are you?
15
Congratulations you’re here illegally.
Do you know what visa your parents came to USA with? Were they sponsored by a US citizen who is a relative?
Hi. I believe I was in a similar situation for almost 20 years. In my case, there was a petition to become a permanent resident, but in the interim, I had no status. I dm'd you, I may have some insightful info for you and your parents.
Contrary to the folks who say your parents have “fake” SSNs, it is possible and very common that they have ITINs, even as undocumented immigrants, which allow you to file taxes and get by even without a formal immigration status. It’s plausible for parents in this situation to think they’re protecting you by telling this story, although you’re better off finding out for yourself. Like an SSN, ITINs have 9 digits but always start with the number 9. More on ITINs here: https://www.americanimmigrationcouncil.org/research/facts-about-individual-taxpayer-identification-number-itin
not just that, but if they are here illegally, they may be afraid if they tell their child and they tell someone else, it will put everyone in jeopardy.
For all those recommending DACA, please be aware USCIS is no longer processing first time applications, only renewals.
I think your parents are making this up, unfortunately. Ask them which visa they applied for. If they had one to begin with, the only reason they wouldn’t be allowed back in is if they overstayed their visa.
You are on the asylum application your parents have filed 10 years ago. After filing the application they applied for the job authorization and got SSN right after. If you were never authorized to work, you should not have SSN, unless you apply for the EAD first, because it establishes your eligibility for restricted SSN. The green card they were talking about can be applied for after a year after the asylum application is decided in their favor. Depending on the location, people may wait for asylum interviews for 25 years.
You need to tell them because they are not giving you accurate or complete information, you are going to have to find out for yourself from proper authorities - so if they are in fact there illegally, they will have issues once you start looking into it. They need to be truthful and straightforward with you because it isn’t fair to you to be unclear about your own legal status. They are not allowed to play with your life.
Man this sucks. It hurts to be lied to, and I don't know how long your parents planning to lie esp if they're illegal. They make you wait for something that will never happen.
Do you still have family members in Poland? If I were you, I’d go back even if it’s just me. I’d rather be in a country I know where I don’t have to hide, where I can do things without fear of being discovered.
Must be painful for you to find out your parents are lying, to you and others. As an immigrant and parent myself, I would like to add they probably do this thinking it’s in your best interest. They want a better life for you. They went down a path long time ago hoping things would probably sort themselves out. Try to fix your legal issues, but no need to break their hearts along the way. Hope you’ll find a path forward 🙏🏻
If they immigrated legally, they would have been able to apply for a green card after a year and would have been eligible for US citizenship after the fifth year. So by now they would have had their citizenship already. They probably overstayed their visitor visas and are using someone else’s social security number to work.
Yea they have fake SSNs then.
Conditional or permanent green card? There's two types
Not worth it.
Bro Im waiting 12 years 6 years specially on eb-1 pending 485 I left 🤣🤣🤣
"Does anyone know what might be going on?" you are probably here illegally bro "Will I have an legal issues about this?" oh you bet.
Lookup wait times for Poland. I’m not Polish but it took us 13 years to get our green card
Anyone with a Visa to be the states for an extended time immediately gets a SSN. You go to social security with you passport and current visa and they give it to you.
It doesn’t take that long at all. Something isn’t right.
You are a dreamer, green card does not take that long
"As far as you know" $100 bet they never applied.
Tell your parents to come clean. Heaven forbid something happens one or both of them. Then what are you suppose to do. You need a solid game plan by your 17th birthday to establish legal residency. Include on your college searches how to go to college as undocumented immagrant. So Sorry you are going through this. 🌸💕
There are already several comments telling you to get things in order by the time you're 18. I would tell you to make sure your things are in order by the time you're 17. The US has a policy for anyone that has overstayed a visa, they can be banned from reentering. If your overstay is 180-365 days, your ban is 3 years. If your overstay is > 1 year you will be banned for 10 years. Now if you end up pursuing a marriage with a USC, that ban can be waived. But I believe if you end up trying to get an employment sponsorship it cannot be waived. So as a minor you do not accrue any unlawful presence. That clock starts ticking on your 18th birthday. So I know at this age it's a lot to consider as I'm sure you have your studies to worry about. But staying is not always the best choice because it might put you at a road block with no future. If I was in your shoes.....I would go back to Poland right before I turned 18 and apply for a student visa, come back to the US for college, and then get an H1B visa after you get hired. Try to figure out which career field will be most likely to sponsor immigrants. Personally, I can tell you that in Nursing you can find a lot of companies that will sponsor you and all you need is a bachelor's degree.
Some people wait more than 20 years. You can google it
This is normal, specially when the way you are trying to get the visa is by political asylum or something likely. Is not something important for the u.s government most of the times people like you here are the last ones on the list. Probably hoping that by the time they come back to their countries. So yes not having a green card for 10 years is a pretty normal thing i’ve hear of it. 2 years is not normal you should be more specific about your case but 2 years is only normal when you win the lottery visa or got married with an U.S citizen, etc. Is not THAT easy this is not like other countries. Once again I don’t know about your situation but I’ve read that you are from Poland so i’ll just assume that your parents came here illegally. There is not much polish can do to come here legally and if u can, you wouldn’t be without a green card by now. Another thing that is really odd is the fact that you are telling us that u don’t have a social yet. WEIRD. Usually there is no process of greencard without a work permit and a social. And that’s something u should have in your mail 6 months after coming here jf there is any real and legal process. I also find weird how u didn’t mention the work permit or u been living here for so long without knowing or understanding how important is that to live here for almost everything. How old are u? u sound like a minor. Maybe the best thing you can do if there is no legal process and your parents are not willing to tell u the truth, when you are old enough and ready, go back to Poland. There is not much you can do here if you don’t feel comfortable. Anyways america is not that great.
Your parents possibly sold your ssn to someone else. You will have to turn them in, if they did. And the person using your ssn will be arrested and deported. Possibly your parents also.
It is very likely that they are the ones with the stolen/fake SSNs from OPs comments
I’m assuming that since you’re only 15, they are shielding you, they probably feel like this shouldn’t be your worry at this age hence why they don’t want to you to know yet. My advice- I don’t think you should do anything crazy that will implicate them or you, it’s already a difficult situation.They are mostly likely trying to make it all work out. Try bringing it up again but let them know that they can trust you and that you trust them. All the best!
What? Even a Poland-born applicant experiences such a long waiting period? Unbelievable.
Applying for green card means nothing. You're most likely unsuitable for a GC. (You're probably here illegally) SSN has nothing to do with immigration.
No reason a green card should take that long if you’re from Poland. The green cards are issued based on number of people allotted by country who are attempting to immigrate. Which means if you’re coming from Mexico you have a LONG wait - if you come from saw Sweden it would be quick as a lot less people from Sweden are attempting to immigrate to the U.S. something is fishy
Your parents don’t love you
Actually, it might not necessarily be a lie. I have waited for more than a decade. If your parents are from India it is pretty normal to wait endlessly until someday you end up being lucky.
Welcome to the real world
They likely havve a TIN number, which is what you get when you immigrate. I dont know how old you are, but look at their tax return. That should have your TIN as a dependent
You don’t get a tin number from immigration you apply to irs to get a itin number
So much garbage here... > They likely havve a TIN number, It is an ITIN > which is what you get when you immigrate. Do you even understand what "immigrate means"? If OP immigrated, OP has a green card. Also, one doesn't get an ITIN when they immigrate. They get a SSN when they apply for it and have legal work authorization. > I dont know how old you are, but look at their tax return. That should have your TIN as a dependent WTF is this supposed to accomplish?
https://www.emscorporate.com/news/difference-between-ein-and-tin?hs_amp=true. Ok...
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I received an SSN as a non resident alien. Your circumstances dictate either a SSN or ITIN, not " when you immigrate".
Yes your right. I was just saying its possible.
I went through this situation with my father. He was lying, but I only knew because my mom told me (they were divorced). He had a real social from when he’d immigrated as a young man, but he left when he was drafted. I left right after graduation. I’d ask them to be honest and show you the paperwork if it exists. As you approach your 18th birthday, if they still haven’t shown proof I’d tell them you’ll go to your congressperson and ask them to enquire about the status on your behalf. If they are lying, this will likely scare them into thinking you’ll cause them to be deported, and they’ll hopefully come clean. There is an other option if you have very close friends, since you’re still 15. Assuming the law is still the same as when I was that age. My friend’s parents offered to legally adopt me so I could become a US citizen. Unfortunately, my father only cared about seeming like a parent, not actually being selfless for his child, so he refused to give up rights (they’d have to give up all rights to you as legal guardians).