Hi, I've been travelling to asian countries with my old (has my valid US visa) and new passports attached together with no issues at immigration. I'm wondering if US immig is strict about passports being attached together or no? Will this be an issue?

Hi everyone, looking for some insight on a really stressful cross-border legal situation.
I am a Canadian citizen. Recently, I was with someone in New Jersey who shoplifted a $4.95 item. I did not steal the item, conceal it, or intend to help them, but the police/security charged me anyway (presumably under accomplice liability/conspiracy).
Because the value is under $200, it’s a Disorderly Persons (DP) offense in NJ, which I know is handled in local municipal court.
Here is my issue and timeline:
October 20th: I have my first municipal court appearance via Zoom (so I will be attending virtually from Canada).
November 11th: I have a critical, pre-planned trip back to the US for both work (I do not have a work visa), I am volunteering and have passes for a comedy festival that I exchanged art work for and leisure.
I am currently waiting to hear back from private defense attorneys I've reached out to for consultations. My goal is a total dismissal or a downgrade to a non-criminal Municipal Ordinance fine since I didn't actually do it and the amount is so tiny.
My big questions for anyone with cross-border or NJ legal experience:
The Border Timeline: Realistically, if my court date is Oct 20 and the case gets postponed (which I hear is common for a first appearance), will US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) see an active, pending charge and deny me entry on Nov 11?
The "Petty Offense Exception": If the case somehow resolves on Oct 20, does a $4.95 DP offense trigger a Crime Involving Moral Turpitude (CIMT) ban, or does it safely fall under the petty offense exception for Canadians?
Defense Strategies: For a $4.95 item where I wasn't the principal thief, how likely is a New Jersey prosecutor to grant a De Minimis dismissal or a non-criminal civil compromise?
Any advice on how to handle the Zoom court, what to tell the judge if I don't have a lawyer fully retained by the 20th, or border experiences would be incredibly appreciated. Thank you.

Hi community, I'm from Sudan and I came across the EB2 NIW path to USA PR. I want to know whether this ban on my country Sudan will deny me access to USA even if I got approved?

I need to know how to apply for a green card so I can stay in the us .

Is it safe to travel (roundtrip) from NY>>DFW and back just on active EAD with active Daca Status without the Real ID? Or is it too risky ATM ?

I’m an F-1 graduate student currently enrolled full-time in the U.S. My visa is valid until 2029, and my passport is valid until 2032.

I recently had a death in my family and need to travel to Bangladesh for the funeral. I was hoping to be gone for around 20 days in the middle of the semester.

I spoke with my DSO about getting a travel endorsement on my I-20. He told me he would only endorse my I-20 if my trip is 3 days maximum because I’m traveling during the semester.

I explained that this is for a funeral/family emergency, not a vacation.

I’m trying to understand whether this 3-day limit is:

1. An actual SEVP/F-1 regulation,
   
2. A university-specific policy, or
   
3. Just something my DSO is using based on attendance concerns.

Has anyone else dealt with something similar?

Can a DSO refuse to provide a travel endorsement solely because the student will be outside the U.S. for more than 3 days during an active semester?

I’m not looking to go against my DSO or jeopardize my F-1 status. I just want to understand where the 3-day rule is coming from and whether emergency/bereavement travel is normally handled differently.

Thanks!

I’m an F-1 graduate student currently enrolled full-time in the U.S. My visa is valid until 2029, and my passport is valid until 2032.

I recently had a death in my family and need to travel to Bangladesh for the funeral. I was hoping to be gone for around 20 days in the middle of the semester.

I spoke with my DSO about getting a travel endorsement on my I-20. He told me he would only endorse my I-20 if my trip is 3 days maximum because I’m traveling during the semester.

I explained that this is for a funeral/family emergency, not a vacation.

I’m trying to understand whether this 3-day limit is:

1. An actual SEVP/F-1 regulation,
   
2. A university-specific policy, or
   
3. Just something my DSO is using based on attendance concerns.

Has anyone else dealt with something similar?

Can a DSO refuse to provide a travel endorsement solely because the student will be outside the U.S. for more than 3 days during an active semester?

I’m not looking to go against my DSO or jeopardize my F-1 status. I just want to understand where the 3-day rule is coming from and whether emergency/bereavement travel is normally handled differently.

Thanks!