@Ana A , Have you ever applied for immigration benefit? If no, what did the notice say. On the issue of an immigration lawyer, please do not take it lightly. Try your best and hire one rather representing yourself because getting married to USC and yet to file for AOS for over a year, is also a problem. BTW. which state do you live in.?

@Ana A Do not ever go to immigration court by your self • if 10k will make you stay just pay it . you are in a big mess……. how did they know where u live when u never file for any benefits someone must have reported u .i guess u from Nigeria

if you try to defend yourself you gonna get deported cause it's not an easy process, if you don't have the money to pay the lawyer right now and you married already applied for I-130 petition already what you can do is going by yourself and tell tell judge you can't talk right now cause you don't a lawyer or your lawyer can't make it but you want to ask to reschedule the appointment. the judge will reschedule the appointment and you probably gonna have enough time to get a lawyer or your I-130 would be approved to make it easy for you. if I-130 approved before the next appointment so you don't have go to court anymore you just have ask the judge to cancel the removal against you.

good luck representing yourself you never know you might be god's favorite please keep us updated

@Ana A ufff I was in your same situation but I came here with a tourist visa I put an extension for the time, i overstayed then they sent me a NTA I highly recommend to get a good lawyer I know it’s expensive but they gonna take care of you, do you have an I-130 approved?

@Kat ;) did they deny your extension the put in removal proceedings?

@Gaurav Kaul yes and it’s been a long road since that

@Kat ;) how long after the denial they sent you a NTA. Reason I’m asking because I also applied change of status in 2020 it denied twice got married in 2023 and have a green card in 2024.

they denied one year later then they sent me NTA but because pandemic they close everything and when they open they reschedule the appointment for the court like 3 times and finally I have to attend but I was already married with a US citizen but they administrative close the case until uscis approved my I-130 my lawyer didn’t summit before go to court the petition maybe they closed administrative the case but I’ll still here waiting

@Gaurav Kaul but if you have already you GC you don’t have to me worried or they are sending letters for NTA?

@Kat ;) I was just curious. I heard USCIS do not approve I485 if you are in Removal. but I couldn’t see anyone with the similar situation like mine.

@Gaurav Kaul yes that’s true I have to wait till the judge gets me dismiss and uscis approve my I-130 to apply for AOS

Hello Ana, did you go to your court hearing? did you find a lawyer or defend yourself? can you please share your experience?! thank you