XaploreImmigration guides: green cards, visas, USCIS and citizenship
Most of the paperwork in an immigrant family's life runs through a handful of systems: the monthly Visa Bulletin, USCIS receipt numbers and processing times, the N-400 and its civics test, and the visas and documents that let relatives visit or children travel to China. These guides explain each one in plain language, from reading Final Action Dates against your priority date to counting days abroad for continuous residence, sponsoring parents with an I-130 and I-864, or taking a passport photo that won't be rejected. A few cover the first months of life in the US too: the DMV written test in Chinese, a newborn's SSN and passport, and finding a Mandarin-speaking doctor or lawyer. Every guide links its official sources and pairs with a free tool below that does the checking for you. They are general information, not legal advice: for your own case, confirm with USCIS, the State Department or an immigration attorney.
Free tools for this topic
Visa Bulletin TrackerThis month's EB and family dates, whether your priority date is current, history and a rough forecast.
USCIS Case TrackerDecode your receipt number, compare your case age with official processing times and log status changes.
Family Green Card PlannerSponsor parents, a spouse or children: your category, the live Visa Bulletin wait, I-130 → NVC → interview steps with current fees, and an I-864 income check.
N-400 Citizenship TimelineLog your trips abroad and find your earliest N-400 filing date, with continuous-residence and physical-presence checks.
Civics Test PracticeThe official 2025 (128) and 2008 (100) USCIS civics questions with Chinese translations, audio, a mock interview and spaced review.
Passport Photo CheckerPick one of 23 passport and visa documents and see every rule your photo fails and how to fix it, then download a compliant file or print.
Start here: the most useful first
Visa Bulletin Explained: Final Action Dates vs Dates for Filing
How to read the monthly Visa Bulletin: priority date, Final Action Dates vs Dates for Filing, what C and U mean, China and India columns, and retrogression.
DMV Written Test in Chinese: Which States Offer It and How to Pass
Can you take the DMV written test in Chinese? Answers for 10 states: Chinese test options, question counts, passing scores, Chinese handbooks and tips to pass.
Passport Photo Requirements: US Passport, China Visa and DS-160
US passport, DS-160 visa, China visa and Chinese passport photo specs side by side: size, head height, background, glasses, and why photos get rejected.
USCIS Receipt Number Explained: Prefixes and Processing Times
What the 3 letters in a USCIS receipt number mean (IOE, EAC, WAC, LIN, SRC, MSC, NBC, YSC), what case statuses mean, and how to read official processing times.
2025 Civics Test: What Changed, the 128 Questions and Scoring
The 2025 naturalization civics test explained: who takes it, 128 questions, 12 of 20 to pass vs 6 of 10 on the 2008 test, 65/20 rules, English test and retests.
N-400 Continuous Residence vs Physical Presence: How Trips Count
How N-400 continuous residence and physical presence work: 5- and 3-year rules, 90-day early filing, 6-month and 1-year trips, and how USCIS counts days abroad.
Sponsoring Parents for a Green Card: I-130, NVC, I-864 Steps
How a US citizen sponsors parents (IR-5) or a spouse and children for a green card: I-130, NVC fees and DS-260, the Guangzhou interview, I-485, and 2026 I-864 income rules.
B-2 Visa for Parents from China: Letter, Interview, EVUS, Stay
Bringing parents from China on a B-2 visa: DS-160, the $185 fee, interview, invitation letter, EVUS, how long they can stay, extensions, insurance, customs.
China Visa for US Citizens 2026: Fees, Documents, 240-Hour Transit
How US citizens get a China visa in 2026: the online form, documents, the $140 fee, where to apply, 240-hour visa-free transit, and rules for ex-PRC citizens.
Newborn Checklist for Immigrant Parents in the US: SSN, Passport, 旅行证
What to do after your baby is born in the US, in order: birth certificate, SSN at the hospital, US passport (DS-11), insurance within 30 or 60 days, and 旅行证 or China visa.
How to Find Mandarin-Speaking Doctors and Lawyers in the US
Find a Chinese-speaking doctor or lawyer: insurance language filters, free medical interpreters, bar referral services, license checks and notario scams.
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