Law Offices of Mary Kennedy

Law Offices of Mary Kennedy Simplifying the U.S. Immigration Journey for Families, Professionals, and Employers. Our services can be accessed throughout the world.

Law Offices of Mary Kennedy, LLC is a full-service established immigration law firm based in Schaumburg, IL with offices in Chicago, IL and Hillsboro, OR. Our practice is limited to Immigration and Nationality law with an emphasis on employment, family, and citizenship and naturalization matters. We provide legal immigration services to Businesses, Families and Individuals across the United States

and throughout the World. Whether you are an immigrant seeking a visa or an employer of foreign workers, our services will help you make sense of the process. All the work regarding consultation can be done via in person, phone, Skype, or email at your convenience. We give our assurance that everything is done in a very secure and confidential manner.

09/02/2026

๐ŸšจH-4 EAD New Changes

08/27/2026

FY2026 brings encouraging news for employment-based green card applicants.

The employment-based immigrant visa limit has increased to 186,317, up from the standard 140,000. This increase comes from unused family-sponsored visa numbers becoming available for employment-based immigration.

But there is an important distinction: the additional numbers do not mean that 46,000 extra green cards are automatically available to every EB-1, EB-2, or EB-3 applicant.

Your priority date, employment-based category, and country of chargeability still matter.

The September 2026 Visa Bulletin continues to set specific Final Action Dates, and USCIS has designated the Final Action Dates chart for employment-based adjustment-of-status filings this month.

With FY2026 ending September 30, applicants should review their priority dates and understand whether their category may be eligible for final action.

More numbers are encouraging. Knowing where your case stands is what matters.

Have questions about your employment-based green card timeline or priority date?

DM us to understand what the current numbers may mean for your case.

08/26/2026

Are You Prepared?

๐Ž๐ง๐ž ๐ก๐ฎ๐ง๐๐ซ๐ž๐ ๐š๐ง๐ ๐ฌ๐ข๐ฑ ๐ฒ๐ž๐š๐ซ๐ฌ ๐š๐ ๐จ, ๐š ๐๐จ๐จ๐ซ ๐จ๐ฉ๐ž๐ง๐ž๐.๐˜–๐˜ฏ๐˜ฆ ๐˜ข๐˜ฎ๐˜ฆ๐˜ฏ๐˜ฅ๐˜ฎ๐˜ฆ๐˜ฏ๐˜ต. ๐˜”๐˜ช๐˜ญ๐˜ญ๐˜ช๐˜ฐ๐˜ฏ๐˜ด ๐˜ฐ๐˜ง ๐˜ท๐˜ฐ๐˜ช๐˜ค๐˜ฆ๐˜ด.On August 26, 1920, the 19th Amendment ga...
08/26/2026

๐Ž๐ง๐ž ๐ก๐ฎ๐ง๐๐ซ๐ž๐ ๐š๐ง๐ ๐ฌ๐ข๐ฑ ๐ฒ๐ž๐š๐ซ๐ฌ ๐š๐ ๐จ, ๐š ๐๐จ๐จ๐ซ ๐จ๐ฉ๐ž๐ง๐ž๐.

๐˜–๐˜ฏ๐˜ฆ ๐˜ข๐˜ฎ๐˜ฆ๐˜ฏ๐˜ฅ๐˜ฎ๐˜ฆ๐˜ฏ๐˜ต. ๐˜”๐˜ช๐˜ญ๐˜ญ๐˜ช๐˜ฐ๐˜ฏ๐˜ด ๐˜ฐ๐˜ง ๐˜ท๐˜ฐ๐˜ช๐˜ค๐˜ฆ๐˜ด.

On August 26, 1920, the 19th Amendment gave millions of women the constitutional right to vote in the United States.

For many, it was the first time their voice was recognized in law.

It wasn't just about casting a ballot.

It was about recognizing that a woman's voice matters.

Today, we see those voices leading courtrooms, classrooms, boardrooms, businesses, and communities.

As an immigrant, an attorney, and the founder of a law firm , I often think about the women who came before me. Their courage created opportunities that allowed women like me to pursue a profession I love and use my voice to serve others.

That's the true meaning of equality.

Not that every journey is the same,
but that every woman has the opportunity to begin one.

Happy Women's Equality Day.

What is Form I-485 and why should September 18 be a date you remember? ๐Ÿ‘€If youโ€™re on the path to a Green Card, this date...
08/24/2026

What is Form I-485 and why should September 18 be a date you remember? ๐Ÿ‘€

If youโ€™re on the path to a Green Card, this date could matter to your next step.

Swipe through to understand what I-485 is, who itโ€™s for, and why September 18 deserves your attention.

Want to understand your status?
Connect us at [email protected] or +1 (847) 220-1560

๐Ÿ“Œ Save this post. Share it with someone who may need it.

Immigration rules can change. Always review your individual situation with a qualified immigration professional.

๐Ÿšจ Itโ€™s not just a new form edition, timing matters.USCIS has announced that both Form I-539 and Form I-765 will be revis...
08/21/2026

๐Ÿšจ Itโ€™s not just a new form edition, timing matters.

USCIS has announced that both Form I-539 and Form I-765 will be revised effective September 15, 2026.

Here are the details applicants should know:

โ€ข The new editions will carry the date 09/15/26
โ€ข USCIS will reject older editions if they are postmarked on or after September 15.
โ€ข There is no grace period for using the previous editions.
โ€ข USCIS is also warning applicants not to submit the preview versions before September 15.

That means this isnโ€™t a situation where you can simply download the updated form early and file it now.

๐Ÿ“Œ If you have an I-539 or I-765 filing coming up, check the edition date immediately before filing.

Small form details can make a big difference in an immigration filing.

Source: U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services

๐–๐ข๐ญ๐ก ๐š ๐†๐ซ๐š๐ญ๐ž๐Ÿ๐ฎ๐ฅ ๐‡๐ž๐š๐ซ๐ญLooking back at our inauguration in Chennai, Iโ€™m still moved by how beautifully it all came togethe...
08/20/2026

๐–๐ข๐ญ๐ก ๐š ๐†๐ซ๐š๐ญ๐ž๐Ÿ๐ฎ๐ฅ ๐‡๐ž๐š๐ซ๐ญ

Looking back at our inauguration in Chennai, Iโ€™m still moved by how beautifully it all came together. It felt as if every detail had been planned by something greater than us.

It began with a simple conversation with Steve Kennedy just a month before, a quiet dream, spoken without knowing how meaningful it would become.

What touched me most was seeing our clients send their families to the inauguration, not simply as guests at a professional event, but as family attending a family celebration. That gesture reminded me that what weโ€™ve built was never just an attorney-client relationship. It is built on trust, warmth, and belonging. And that is a gift I will always carry with me.

To our Chief Guest, ๐Œ๐ซ. ๐‘๐š๐ฃ๐ฆ๐จ๐ก๐š๐ง ๐€๐ซ๐ฎ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ ๐š๐ฆ, Honourable Minister for School Education, Tamil Development, Information and Publicity, I sent a simple invitation, never imagining it would be met with such grace. Your presence and the genuine conversations we shared made the day deeply special.

To our Guest of Honor, ๐Œ๐ซ. ๐†๐จ๐›๐ข๐ง๐š๐ญ๐ก ๐‚๐ก๐š๐ง๐๐ซ๐š๐ง, thank you for standing beside this journey with such warmth and sincerity. You called it an honor to be present. For me, your presence meant far more than words can express.

To my Appa, ๐Œ๐ซ. ๐†๐ง๐š๐ง๐š๐ฉ๐ซ๐š๐ ๐š๐ฌ๐š๐ฆ, a retired headmaster and founder of EliteTrust, this moment was also a tribute to you. So much of who I am and what I believe was first learned by watching you.

To my brother ๐’๐ž๐›๐š๐ฌ๐ญ๐ข๐š๐ง, thank you for your quiet strength and the values you live every day.

And to my team, none of this would exist without you. Every detail, every late night, every effort you gave to make this dream real belongs to you too.

For a shy girl who grew up in Chennai, unsure of where life would take her, this moment carries a weight I can barely put into words.

All I ever had was a dream, the courage to hold onto it, and the determination to keep showing up.

Today, I wake up with a kind of excitement I still cannot fully explain, feeling as though Iโ€™m living inside a miracle I helped build.

08/19/2026

๐Ÿšจ New USCIS Guidance: Important Green Card Update

On August 18, 2026, USCIS issued new guidance on how it will determine public-charge inadmissibility for certain Green Card applicants. The guidance takes effect September 18, 2026. (USCIS)

So, what does this mean for I-485 applicants?

๐Ÿ“Œ A More Detailed Public Charge Review

For applicants subject to the public-charge ground of inadmissibility, USCIS officers will consider the applicantโ€™s overall circumstances โ€” including these five key factors:

โ€ข Age
โ€ข Health
โ€ข Family status
โ€ข Assets, resources & financial status
โ€ข Education & skills

These factors are considered together as part of the totality-of-the-circumstances assessment. USCIS may also consider relevant circumstances such as employment history when evaluating education and skills. (USCIS)

๐Ÿ“„ Form I-485 Changes

USCIS has also announced a revised Form I-485 edition for September 18, 2026. Applicants filing around this date should make sure they are using the correct form edition and following the applicable filing requirements.

What should Green Card applicants do?

If you are planning to file Form I-485, donโ€™t wait until the last minute.

Review the updated requirements and understand how the public-charge rules apply to your specific immigration category and circumstances.

โš ๏ธ Important: Not every Green Card applicant is subject to the public-charge ground of inadmissibility. Certain categories are exempt.

This new guidance does not mean that every I-485 applicant will be affected in the same way. The assessment is based on the individual circumstances of applicants who are subject to the public-charge ground.

Follow Law Offices of Mary Kennedy, LLC for clear, timely U.S. immigration updates.

Address

1750 E Golf Road, Suite 1138
Schaumburg, IL
60173

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

Telephone

+18472201560

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