What you can do now if you have no clear path to papers

This page is general information, not legal advice. Every case is different. Only an immigration attorney or a DOJ accredited representative can tell you what applies to you.

Is there really nothing I can do?

There is a lot you can do. You may not be able to apply for something today. But you can get ready, protect your family, and avoid mistakes that close doors later.

We know it is hard to hear "you don't qualify" again and again. Hold on. Your life keeps changing. You may marry. A child may turn 21. You may become the victim of a crime and help police. The law may change. When that happens, the people who are ready can act first.

Have I had a real screening?

A real screening is a private talk with an immigration attorney or a DOJ accredited representative who asks about your whole life, not just one question. Many people were told "no" by a friend, a notario or a quick phone call. That is not a screening.

Ask the screener about each of these:

• Crime victim visas. A U visa for some victims of crimes who help police. A T visa for survivors of trafficking.
• VAWA. Protection for some people abused by a U.S. citizen or permanent resident spouse or parent, or by a U.S. citizen son or daughter who is 21 or older (USCIS).
• SIJS. For some young people under 21 who were abused, abandoned or neglected by a parent.
• Family petitions. A U.S. citizen spouse, a U.S. citizen son or daughter who is at least 21, or a permanent resident spouse or parent.
• Section 245(i). If a family or work petition was filed for you, or for your parent or spouse, on or before April 30, 2001, you may be able to get a green card here even if you entered without papers. A $1,000 penalty applies.
• Registry. For people here since before January 1, 1972.
• Defenses in immigration court, such as cancellation of removal. These are only for people already in court. Never try to get into court on your own to use one.
• Asylum and other protection if you fear harm in your home country.

To get the most from a screening, bring the papers in the next section. For more, see Ways undocumented people may get a green card, and myths to avoid and What to bring to your first meeting with an immigration lawyer.

Get screened again every year or two, and any time your life changes.

What records should I gather?

A screener can only see what you show them. Start a folder.

• Your immigration history. Any papers from the border, an airport, ICE, the immigration court or USCIS. Old visas, I-94 records, notices, and anything you signed.
• Your USCIS file. You can ask USCIS for your own records through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). Since January 22, 2026, USCIS takes these requests online at first.uscis.gov, after you create an account. Ask for specific papers if you can. Each person needs their own request. Ask your screener first whether to file one. See How to get a copy of your immigration file.
• Any criminal record. Even old or small cases. Get the court papers for each one. See How to get a copy of your criminal record in California.
• Family papers. Birth and marriage certificates, divorce papers, your children's birth certificates.
• Proof you live here. Leases, bills, pay stubs, school and medical records, tax returns, church letters. Dates matter. See Papers that show how long you have lived in the United States.

Keep originals safe at home. Bring copies. Never use or make a false paper. It can close doors forever.

How do I keep my record clean?

A criminal record is one of the biggest things that can block a future option. Some convictions can make a person ineligible for almost everything.

• Drive only with a license. In California, people who cannot prove legal presence can get a driver's license. Some other states offer one too. See Driver's license without papers.
• Never drive after drinking or using drugs.
• If you are arrested or charged, tell your criminal defense lawyer you are not a citizen before you take any plea. See Before you take a plea deal.
• If you have an old California conviction, ask about clearing it. See Does clearing my record help my immigration case?

Should I file taxes?

Many people file with an ITIN. Tax returns can show years of work and life here, and some tax credits are open to ITIN filers. There are real questions right now about how tax information is shared. Read Is it safe to file taxes with an ITIN right now? and ask a tax or legal clinic about your situation.

What else does the law ask of me now?

• Selective Service. Men ages 18 through 25 must register, and this includes undocumented men. Register within 30 days of turning 18, or within 30 days of arriving if you came between 18 and 25. USCIS can ask about it later, for example on the citizenship application.
• The 2025 registration rule. The federal government now says some people without papers must register. The form, G-325R, is filed online and has no fee. Talk to an attorney before you do it. See Do I have to register with the government under the 2025 rule?

Should I leave the country and come back the right way?

Not before you talk to a lawyer. Leaving can trigger long bars to returning:

• If you were here without permission more than 180 days but less than one year and then leave, you can be barred from returning for 3 years.
• If you were here without permission one year or more and then leave, the bar is 10 years.
• Time before you turned 18 does not count.

Some people can get these bars forgiven, but only in certain cases. See The 3 and 10 year bars and Checklist before leaving the United States.

How do I spot a scam?

People who have no clear path are the main target of immigration scams. Watch for these signs:

• "There is a new law. Pay me now to get in line." If a new program ever opens, it will be on uscis.gov. No one can file for a program that does not exist.
• "I have special connections." USCIS says anyone who promises faster results for a fee is a warning sign. Only USCIS decides whether to speed up a case.
• A notario or consultant giving legal advice. USCIS says a notario público cannot give immigration legal services. Only an attorney or an accredited representative at a DOJ recognized organization can.
• Payment by Western Union, MoneyGram, PayPal, Venmo or gift cards. USCIS does not take these. It never asks you to pay a person by phone or email.
• Pressure to sign a blank form or one with false information. Never do it. Ask for copies of everything.
• Selling blank forms. USCIS forms are free.

Report fraud to the Federal Trade Commission. See Warning signs of an immigration scam and, if it already happened, What to do if a notario cheated you.

How do I protect my family while I wait?

Waiting is not doing nothing. These steps protect the people you love today:

• Make a family plan. Choose a caregiver for your children. In California, the free Caregiver's Authorization Affidavit lets a caregiver enroll a child in school without going to court. See Make a family preparedness plan.
• Get your children's papers. U.S. passports for children born here, and your home country's nationality papers for them if you want. See Getting home country nationality for your U.S. born child.
• Make a money plan. Who can reach your accounts and pay rent if you can't? See Make a family money plan.
• Know your rights. Carry a red card. See Red cards and If immigration agents come.
• Save for fees. Many applications cost hundreds of dollars or more, plus legal fees. A small savings fund means you can act fast.

How do I stay ready?

• Get screened again every year or two, or after any big life change: a marriage, a new baby, a child turning 21, an arrest, or being the victim of a crime.
• Add new proof to your folder every few months.
• Get news from trusted places: uscis.gov, your legal clinic, and DNLH. Not from rumors or social media posts.
• Take care of your heart. Living with no clear path wears people down. See Mental health care without fear.

Questions people ask

My U.S. citizen child is 16. Can they help me? Not yet. A U.S. citizen son or daughter must be at least 21 to petition for a parent. Even then, how you entered matters. Ask a lawyer. See Can my U.S. citizen son or daughter sponsor me?

A relative filed a petition for my family years ago. Does that still matter? It might matter a lot. If it was filed on or before April 30, 2001, you may be covered by 245(i). Find any papers about it and show them at your screening.

Will getting screened put me at risk? A private consultation with an attorney or accredited representative is not an application to the government. Ask the screener about confidentiality at the start.

Should I pay someone to put me on a list for a future program? No. We know of no official list like that. A real program will be announced on uscis.gov, and its forms will be free to download.

Who can help?

These are free or low cost public offices and nonprofits. Contact them to confirm hours, languages and openings. Being listed here is not a referral or a promise of service.

• Anywhere in the U.S.: the DOJ list of pro bono legal service providers or ImmigrationLawHelp.org

For San Mateo and Santa Clara county residents:

• Community Legal Services in East Palo Alto (CLSEPA): (650) 326-6440, 1861 Bay Road, East Palo Alto. Walk ins Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• Immigration Institute of the Bay Area, Redwood City: (650) 587-1558 for consultations by appointment. First consultation free.
• Catholic Charities (San Mateo County): (650) 295-2160.
• Asian Law Alliance (Santa Clara County): (408) 287-9710.
• San Mateo County legal help list: Find legal assistance.

Anywhere in California:

• California Department of Social Services: the state's map of free immigration legal services, or call (916) 651-8017.

More choices are on Free legal help in the Bay Area and How to find a trusted lawyer.

Is there a checklist I can print?

Yes. Keep it in the front of your folder.

You are not standing still. Every step you take today is a step toward the day a door opens. We are holding hope with you.