Adjustment of Status Lawyer in Austin, Texas
If you are already inside the United States, an adjustment of status lawyer in Austin can take the I-485, the work permit and the interview off your hands. Whether the route is open to you depends on how you entered and what has happened since. Pablo Nossa handles the case himself.
Becoming a Resident Without Leaving the Country
Adjustment of status is the route that lets somebody already inside the United States apply for a green card here, rather than going back to a consulate abroad to do it. It is a mechanism, not a category: the underlying reason you qualify might be a marriage, a job, a parent, or an investment, and adjustment is the way that reason gets turned into a card.
That distinction matters more than it sounds. Two people with the same family relationship can end up on completely different paths, because one entered on a visa and the other did not. The route decides where the interview happens, how long the wait is, and whether leaving the country during the process would end it.
If you are applying through marriage to a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, the detail you need is on our marriage green card page. This page covers the mechanism itself, which applies the same way whatever the category underneath it.
- You stay in the United States while the case is decided
- The interview is at a USCIS field office, not a consulate abroad
- Work and travel permission can be requested at the same time
- Leaving the country without the right document can abandon the application
Adjusting Here, or Interviewing Abroad
Most people do not get to choose freely. Where you are, how you entered and what your category allows will usually decide it for you. This is what actually differs.
| Adjustment of status | Consular processing | |
|---|---|---|
| Where you are | Inside the United States for the whole case | You attend the interview at a consulate abroad |
| Who can use it | Requires a lawful entry in most cases, with narrow exceptions | Available whether or not you ever entered the United States |
| Working meanwhile | You can request a work permit while it is pending | No U.S. work permission until the visa is issued |
| Travelling meanwhile | Only with advance parole, and it carries risk | You are already outside; travel is not the same problem |
| If it goes wrong | You remain in the United States while it is sorted | You may be abroad and unable to return |
| Who decides | USCIS | The Department of State, at a consulate |
Anyone who tells you which route is better before hearing how you entered the country is guessing. The answer is in your immigration history, not in a general rule.
Adjustment of Status at a Glance
The form, where you file it, and the two permits that travel with it.
The application to register permanent residence or adjust status.
Your interview is in the United States, near where you live.
Requested alongside, so you can work while the case is pending.
Advance parole. Leaving without it can end the application.
Some categories are waived. Do not assume yours is.
An RFE is common and is not a refusal.
How the Process Runs
Order matters. Filing something out of sequence is one of the more common reasons a case stalls.
The Petition
Somebody has to establish why you qualify: a relative, an employer, or in some categories yourself. Depending on the category, this can be filed at the same time as the I-485 or has to be approved first.
UsThe I-485
The adjustment application itself, with the medical examination, the supporting evidence and the filing fee. This is where most cases are won or lost, because the file is what the officer reads.
UsWork and Travel
The I-765 and I-131, filed alongside where they apply, so you are not stuck waiting without permission to work.
Us, if it appliesBiometrics
A short appointment for fingerprints and a photograph. USCIS sends the notice.
YouA Request for Evidence, Sometimes
USCIS asks for something more. It has a deadline and it is not a refusal. We answer it.
UsThe Interview
At your USCIS field office. The officer has read the file and asks about it. We prepare you for it beforehand.
Both, prepared by usThe Decision
Approval, and the card follows in the post. Some categories are approved without an interview.
USCISWhat People Say After the Case Closes
My wife and I truly recommend Mr. Nossa, Excellent lawyer he was always true to his word. My process was about 5 months (adjustment of status with me entering with visa) No issues.
Efrain A.My spouse and I had an immigration case that was complicated due to his visa situation. We spoke with two other attorneys who both said there was no way for us to adjust immigration status to US permanent resident without leaving the country and re-entering. Then we went to Mr. Nossa… he knew all the correct case law to allow us to adjust easily from within the US. Everything went very smoothly and we got the green card in the mail a few weeks ago. The whole staff was very friendly and professional. I’d recommend Nossa Law to anyone!
Tyler M.Highly recommend Pablo for all immigration matters. As an attorney, he is extremely knowledgeable about all of the immigration processes and timelines and can work with you to make sure your application is complete and filed correctly, which is fundamental in making sure your application is reviewed and accepted. We worked with Pablo for my wife to change her status and get a Green Card once already in the US and Pablo was able to get it done much faster that we ever would have estimated to be possible. Anybody taking the time to read these reviews I’m sure has done their research and assumes that all of the immigration documents were created to be filled out by regular people, but the problem with this is that there are so many forms that have to be filled out and submitted in a certain order that if it isn’t done correctly you can set your application processing back by several months. I am certain that working with a knowledgeable lawyer like Pablo is definitely worth the investment as you can rest assured that things are getting done correctly and expediently. The other huge benefit is being able to ask Pablo questions 24/7 by email, text message or phone call and he gets back to you within minutes. Highly recommend Pablo, we are going to be using him on all immigration issues moving forward.
A Y.For anyone that feels like they don’t have their stuff together or stressing out about it–this is the man to go to–my friend and his wife were in AOS process–not knowing all this time they should be collecting evidence for this, it felt overwhelming and scary–luckily they had a little evidence and some pictures from get togethers and we just gathered what we could—after over a year of stressing out the process is now complete and his Green Card is coming in a few weeks. So if you feel overwhelmed and need help putting your package together–quit searching–this is the lawyer for you. Thank you Mr. Nossa for making the process smoother!
Alisha D.He did an excellent job helping my wife get her adjustment of status and lawful permanent residency!
John F.In November of 2016, my husband and I started the journey to adjust my status to Permanent Resident. Working with Pablo and his staff definitely made for smooth sailing. My husband and I were able to celebrate our third wedding anniversary last night without having to wonder if there’d be a border between us the next one and it honestly felt like the whole world was suddenly brighter for us. I would definitely recommend working with them as they have been amazing every step of the way.
Brenda N.We used Pablo and his team to adjust my husbands status. Pablo made the whole process so simple from the first day! He responds quickly and makes you feel at ease. He’s with you every step of the way. My husband and I can’t thank Pablo enough for everything he did! We will highly recommend him to anyone needing an immigration attorney!
Melissa W.Anything I say will fall short when it comes to reviewing our experience with Mr. Pablo Nossa and his office. Let me just begin by saying that we highly recommend him. He helped my husband Trinidad w his adjustment of status. He was very professional And personable from the very first consultation. He was always a text or phone call away if we had any questions or concerns. Very thorough, made us feel at ease and had great bedside manners. He gave us fair pricing (definitely not greedy And trying to get rich of you). You will not regret hiring him for any immigration issues you have. Thank you Pablo for everything. Mr. & Mrs. Rivera
Melissa D.Very happy with Nossa Law’s help! Here was our situation. My wife was immigrating to the US, and obviously it was extremely important for our case to go through with as little issues as possible. He is extremely responsible and flexible with his schedule! He met with us on a Sunday one day, and also at 7pm during the week since my work schedule didn’t lend itself well to meet at another time. He replied to all our or questions, and even after having to move to another city during our case processing, he was even able to meet with us via Skype. Definitely went beyond the extra mile with us, so very happy to recommend. Needless to say that our case was successful, and my wife has her Permanent Resident status now. We ‘shopped around’ and met with 2 immigration lawyers prior to meeting with Pablo Nossa. Other lawyers either first had us meet with a paralegal rather than talk to a lawyer, or when we had a follow-up question it was extremely difficult to actually get a response from the lawyer itself (I can let you know separately who these lawyers were if needed). Pablo’s advice was right on, so he proved to be fully knowledgeable. We had a ton of questions for him, and he was very patient and exact with his answers. Very professional. Two thumbs up. Better than advertised. Let me know if you need any other information and I’ll be glad to help. We found Pablo using Google, so we’ll only be happy to provide more details on our experience.
Juan G.Pablo does excellent work, all my experience with him was SUPER positive! He agreed to meet me and to answer my questions even before I hired him, and not just for 5 min, but really took time to explain everything. Actually I even met him more than once before I signed anything. I could always call him, and every time, I only got polite, honest and EXACT answers to my questions. Im quite lucky that I found him, because I ve shopped around and I know that other companies want you to pay 200 hundred even before you open your mouth with a question. When I needed, he even agreed to meet me on his day off, which I really needed, because all my work days were so busy. My case was the greencard, he guided me through the process, telling me every next step, and everything was always happening just like he was saying, and in time that he would predict. My recommendation to everyone – just meet Pablo once, and you will instantly understand that he is the lawyer you can trust. To my surprise in addition to everything, the price was absolutely reasonable, I previously got quotes from different places, so I know what im talking about. All in all my process took from the beginning of November to the end of January, so it just took 3 months for my greencard to get approved! All I can say is Thank You
Serge R.I never write reviews but these guys deserve my time, because they gave us so much of theirs – so helpful!!! Anyway, my friend’s green card had been expired for a year and he was too scared to even look into fixing the problem. I wanted to help him so while searching, I came across Nossa law, and reached out to Pablo to see if he could do anything. He began by first explaining the full extent of the situation in a way we could understand, then went through the step by step process of what we were in for. By the end of our first meeting we were fully knowledgeable. My friend went from scared to educated and empowered, ready to move forward to fix his immigration issues. Pablo kept in contact with us regularly so we were actually able to understand what was going on throughout the process. Thank you Pablo and the sweet people at Nossa law for working to make the renewal process so seamless. Pablo even went so far as to help my friend’s mom come visit from Mumbai. He genuinely cared to help us, and he is clearly experienced and good at what he does. Dealing with immigration stuff sucks plus it’s so confusing, these guys really know how to make it less of a burden. Highly recommmend!!!!!!
Angela E.Mr. Nossa and his Team are the best immigration law office, second to none. After interviewing with a few immigration attorneys, we felt right at home when we met with Mr. Nossa. His staff is kind, compassionate and professional. He is very knowledgeable and instills trust from the get go. Our case lasted many years. Six to be exact. It was not an easy one and we hit several roadblocks along the way. Every time things got scary, he would redirect and re-strategize in a very calm and collected way. Another key point here is financials: we tend to think that a lawyer will cost us an arm and a leg, and although that is true for the minority of law offices, Nossa Law is very reasonable with the cost of their professional services. Do not be afraid to meet with them and get a road map as well as pricing. You’ll be happy you did. Lastly, their success rate is very high. Just by reading the 200+ reviews on here you will understand how good they are. I am happy to report out difficult case had a happy ending and everything came out successfully. Thank you Mr. Nossa and Team, you guys are AMAZING!
Alfredo A.Every case is different. Past results and timelines do not guarantee a similar outcome.
Whether you can file inside the United States comes before anything else on this page.
How you last entered is the deciding fact, and it takes one question to establish.
Working and Travelling While You Wait
These are the two things that cause the most trouble during a pending case, and both are avoidable.
The Work Permit (I-765)
- Filed together with the I-485 in most categories
- Lets you work lawfully while the adjustment application is pending
- Comes with a card. Employers ask for it, so keep the original safe
- Renewable if the case takes longer than the permit lasts
Advance Parole (I-131)
- Permission to leave the country and come back with the case still alive
- Leaving without it is treated as abandoning the application in most categories
- Getting it does not guarantee re-entry, and some histories make travel a bad idea whatever the document says
- Ask before you book anything, not after
What We Will Ask You to Gather
None of this is unusual, and having it ready shortens the process considerably.
The Attorney Reads Your File, Not a Paralegal
Adjustment cases turn on details in an immigration history that no form captures. That is what an adjustment of status lawyer is actually for, and it is work for the person who will stand next to you at the interview.
Pablo Nossa has practiced immigration law and nothing else since 2010, from offices in Austin and Houston. He handles the case personally, gives clients his cell number, and follows up himself by phone, text or email, which is what most of the reviews below are actually about.
A consultation with the attorney is where the eligibility question gets answered. If adjustment is not open to you, you will be told so plainly, and told what is.
- Immigration law since 2010, and no other practice area
- The attorney prepares you for the interview himself
- Upfront pricing and flat-fee rates
- AILA member, with a J.D. from the University of Texas at Austin
Pablo Nossa
Principal attorney, and the person who conducts the consultation. J.D., University of Texas at Austin, and a B.A. in Latin American Studies. Practicing immigration law since 2010, from the Austin and Houston offices.
Questions People Ask First
Can I adjust status if I entered without inspection?
How long does adjustment of status take?
Can I work while my I-485 is pending?
Can I travel while my case is pending?
What is Form I-485 and which edition should I use?
Do I have to attend an interview?
What does it cost?
Two Offices, One Attorney
Consultations with the attorney at either office.
Austin
7000 N Mopac Expy, Suite 200, Austin, TX 78731
Monday to Friday, 9 to 5
Houston
2950 North Loop West, Suite 500, Houston, TX 77092
Monday to Friday, 9 to 5
Find Out Whether Adjustment Is Open to You
A straight answer about which route is open to you.
- Bring your passport, your I-94 and any prior immigration paperwork
- You will leave knowing which route applies and what it involves
- Upfront pricing and flat-fee rates
Austin · 7000 N Mopac Expy, Suite 200, Austin, TX 78731
Houston · 2950 North Loop West, Suite 500, Houston, TX 77092
Monday to Friday, 9 to 5 · pablo@nossalaw.com
Contact
(713) 599-1633pablo@nossalaw.com
Austin7000 N Mopac Expy, Suite 200
Austin, TX 78731
Directions
Houston2950 North Loop West, Suite 500
Houston, TX 77092
Directions
Monday to Friday, 9 to 5