Editorial Policy

GreenCardTracker is an independent editorial publication. Here is how we work.

Sourcing

Every factual claim on this site links to a primary government source — USCIS, U.S. Department of State, federal regulations, AAO decisions, or DOJ EOIR guidance. We avoid citing other commentary sites as authority. When we cite an attorney or news outlet, we link to their original work and identify them as a secondary source.

Source hierarchy

1. USCIS, U.S. Department of State, Federal Register, Code of Federal Regulations, and official government pages
2. USCIS Policy Manual and official form instructions
3. AAO decisions and agency announcements where relevant
4. Secondary sources only for background, never as the only support for a factual immigration claim

AI-assisted drafting

We may use software and AI tools to help organize drafts, extract public-source data, compare pages, or check formatting. Factual claims, dates, fees, categories, and legal-process descriptions should be verified against primary government sources before publication. We do not publish unedited AI output.

Updates and corrections

Every page on this site shows when it was last updated. Major changes — new USCIS guidance, court rulings, fee schedule updates — trigger a review of all related content within 48 hours. If we publish a factual error, we correct it as soon as we're aware and note the correction at the bottom of the page.

When we find an error, we update the affected page and, when the correction is material, note the change on the page or in the relevant update log. Immigration rules and agency practices change often, so readers should always verify time-sensitive information with the official source linked on the page.

Data methodology

Our tool pages explain where their data comes from and what GreenCardTracker calculates or simplifies. Read the full data sources and methodology page.

Independence from advertisers

We accept display advertising, affiliate referrals, and lead-generation arrangements with immigration attorneys. None of these relationships influence editorial content. Advertisers cannot review our coverage before publication, dictate topics, or change our recommendations. Affiliate links are clearly marked.

What we are not qualified to do

Our editors are journalists and researchers, not licensed immigration attorneys. We do not give case-specific legal advice, predict the outcome of any individual case, or fill out forms for readers. When a question demands legal advice, we say so and recommend speaking with an attorney.

Contact

Spotted an error or have a story tip? Email [email protected].