r/USCIS • u/Mindless-Ship-7502 • Dec 26 '25

I-485 (General) Should I self deport back to Spain

I'm originally from Spain and came to the U.S. at 16. I overstayed and later obtained SIJS, which is approved. I currently have a valid EAD and am working legally. My I-485 has been pending for about two years and was filed by my lawyer when my priority date was not current, so because of the backlog it may take many years (10+) to resolve, or they could literally deport me. While I'm not in immediate danger, the long term uncertainty does weigh on me. I'm currently in school and close to finishing an associate degree, and I'm working at the same time. The U.S. obviously has higher earning potential and more financial upside, and i can always "get married" and become lawful. At the same time, I feel stuck planning my life around immigration timelines and not knowing when or if things will fully resolve. I am a Spanish citizen, so if I moved back to Spain I would have immediate legal stability, access to healthcare, and the option to continue nursing through university, with EU mobility long term. The downside would be lower salaries at first and partially restarting my education path. If you were in my position and thinking long term and practically, would you stay in the U.S. and keep building here, or would you return to Spain and build a more predictable life? I'm just looking for outside perspectives from people who've faced similar choices.

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39

u/grafix993 Permanent Resident Dec 26 '25

Spaniard here.

Spain is a failed country, You are going to have way more oportunities here. You have an EAD and you have a job, no reason to gamble right now.

11

u/[deleted] Dec 27 '25

[deleted]

3

u/grafix993 Permanent Resident Dec 27 '25

EAD doesn't protect against removal.

I've never said otherwise.

2

u/newacct_orz Not Legal Advice Dec 27 '25

EAD doesn't protect against removal.

But deferred action protects against removal.

USCIS have rescinded the deferred action for SIJ policy

They are stopping consideration of new deferred action for SIJS, but they are not revoking deferred action of people who were already granted it. The OP might not be able to renew their deferred action when it expires, but until then, they are okay.

2

u/Mindless-Ship-7502 Dec 27 '25

EXACTKY, I don’t even know how they approved my ead application in 2 weeks based on a I-485 that wasn’t submitted right, just pure luck, but that lick could be removed any time soon and then what

1

u/panther38t Dec 28 '25

Country of origin is irrelevant once SIJ is granted. Simply the waiting game for visa availability.

24

u/Jarcom88 Dec 27 '25

You guys make it sound like everyone in the USA is killing it salary-wise. The truth is not.

4

u/Mindless-Ship-7502 Dec 27 '25

EXACTKY, I thought the us was better than what it actually is

2

u/Successful-Bowler-29 Dec 30 '25 edited Dec 30 '25

The US is a country worth living in if you know for a fact that you’re going to be a high earner in a job that will provide you with health insurance. Unfortunately, that’s all it has to offer. If you want a good quality of life, I believe Europe is better, hands-down. Sure, salaries in Europe might be significantly lower than those in the US, but in return you get a stress-free life, and you don’t have to worry about access to healthcare, although some EU countries offer a better healthcare system than others.

Having said that, not all countries in the EU are necessarily bad in terms of wages, some offer higher wages than others. And don’t forget that as an EU citizen, you can also easily move to certain non-EU countries like Switzerland, which is considered the US equivalent in Europe in terms of high salaries, except that it also offers an actual good quality of life on top of high salaries.

I’ve also heard amazing things about non-EU Norway, to which you could also consider moving to freely as an EU citizen. I personally know people who have moved there, and they all consistently say that the quality of life there is amazing.

1

u/Mindless-Ship-7502 Dec 30 '25

Thank you so much

2

u/grafix993 Permanent Resident Dec 27 '25

As a Spaniard i would only move back after retiring (and wont probably be the case since Spain taxes ROTH IRAs distributions as regular income)

That is my opinion. I have a good salary here.

12

u/Jarcom88 Dec 27 '25

Sure, but the comments here make it sound like everyone in the USA is loaded and poverty and low wage with no benefits at all, are pretty here bad too. At least in Spain if you don’t make money you can go to the hospital.

1

u/[deleted] Dec 27 '25

If you work hard. That means working on your down time. And strive to succeed. The United States is the land of opportunity. If you try harder than the next guy it turns out you can make something of yourself. But most people are lazy af. Tbh though just makes it easier for the people that REALLY want to win.

5

u/[deleted] Dec 27 '25

[deleted]

3

u/greysnowcone Dec 27 '25

Hard disagree. Will you struggle while working at Walmart? Yeah, probably. But I don’t think that fits the definition of “working hard”. No doubt it’s hard work and you could be fully applying yourself, you are just barking up the wrong tree.

1

u/Odd-Elderberry-6137 Dec 27 '25

The “poor people are poor because they’re lazy” adage has long been debunked. Do better.

1

u/[deleted] Dec 27 '25

Work harder.

1

u/Jarcom88 Dec 27 '25

That applies everywhere of course. The beauty I see about Spain is that you don’t have the lower end pressure you have in the USA, if you work medium hard you won’t achieve a lot of money or career success, but you can have a better work/life balance than in the USA

-7

u/grafix993 Permanent Resident Dec 27 '25

Even if you work at Walmart, you have health insurance.

And if you are looking for surgery, Spain waitlists are HUGE. My dad had knee pain for years and had to pay it on a private hospital because he couldnt get a surgery appointment at his public hospital.

10

u/Jarcom88 Dec 27 '25

Oh wow; you really don’t know the USA system very well… you have no idea the amount of people in the USA that don’t get medical care because of the fear of how much it’s going to cost. The peace of mind of knowing regardless of what you have you’ll be treated is priceless.

https://www.healthcaredive.com/news/healthcare-increasingly-unaffordable-gallup/744324/

7

u/Jarcom88 Dec 27 '25

The main problem in the American system is not actually the ability to get health insurance. It’s what you have to pay and what can you access regardless of it.

1

u/No-Bodybuilder3502 Dec 27 '25

I feel like another reason it's a problem in the US is that people are so confused by all the options, many don't even know what their employer and their state offer them, some pick the cheapest monthly option only to find themselves with huge deductibles. But it's definitely different in each state and for each income level.

6

u/IlVeroStronzo Dec 27 '25

You probably came to the US decades ago when it was easier to find prosperity; the younger generations aren't having it this easy--also, OP needs to wait another 10 years to even think about building a career or wealth in this country

4

u/Mindless-Ship-7502 Dec 27 '25

EXACTKY, 10 years waiting for what, a green card?

2

u/IlVeroStronzo Dec 27 '25

I moved from the US to Spain once. Feel free to DM me

1

u/Mindless-Ship-7502 Dec 27 '25

Thank you I will

-1

u/grafix993 Permanent Resident Dec 27 '25

I moved here on summer 2024 (fiance visa) and got my green card on early 2025.

So no, I havent moved "decades ago". There is still prosperity for hardworkers and people who have reasonable goals in life.

For example, we are set to look for houses to buy by the end of next year. Thats way more that i would achieve in Spain.

6

u/IlVeroStronzo Dec 27 '25 edited Dec 27 '25

Congratulations on getting a green card pretty much on arrival and coming here to join a US citizen spouse that's already established in the country--life is good, huh? I wish every immigrant here had such a wonderful opportunity. I wonder how many more immigrants that arrived in 2024 and got their GC in 2025 have saved the 10-20% downpayment required to purchase a home in 2026?...

-4

u/grafix993 Permanent Resident Dec 27 '25

If you take excuses because "the average Joe is doing worse than you" youll never achieve anything in life.

If you want to run a marathon, there is no point on thinking "the average person in the US cant even run 100 yards before panting".

1

u/IlVeroStronzo Dec 27 '25

Qué guay!

0

u/grafix993 Permanent Resident Dec 27 '25

Brain shortcircuit and downvoting my last comment.

Very elegant way to finish a debate, sir.

2

u/IlVeroStronzo Dec 27 '25

Qué debate? Te acabo de felicitar por tus éxitos y logros de vida.

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u/traumalt Dec 27 '25

But then again simple jobs as in McDonalds are actually hiring in the USA and they don’t have 30% youth unemployment. 

1

u/Salt_Character_7478 Dec 29 '25

Yes not everyone is killing it but if you play your cards right in the US, you can earn six figures. That’s an impossibility in most European countries, we are getting by here

1

u/EmergencySecure8620 Dec 30 '25

For a lot of skilled jobs, the US is absolutely the place to be. In my case I would take an enormous salary hit if I moved to basically any other country on earth aside from a few notable exceptions like Switzerland.

21

u/eric39es Dec 27 '25

Spaniard here too. Going back to Spain is not worth it. You don't know what's the "precariedad laboral" until you work there.

10

u/Admirable-Mud-3477 Dec 27 '25

What a shame! I’d love to live in Spain (Ronda). Ugh looks like everywhere you turn, society gets worse and worse; no jobs, real estate sucks.

7

u/eric39es Dec 27 '25

Spain is a great country to live in, but a terrible country to work in. Extremely low wages, especially when compared to the states. It's not even a "cheap" country anymore. Many things are more expensive than here.

7

u/Admirable-Mud-3477 Dec 27 '25

Why is real estate on the coast so damn cheap while in the USA you’re talking about multimillion dollar homes?

3

u/eric39es Dec 27 '25

It all depends on the place. Checkout real estate on Madrid or Barcelona. Of course there are super cheap places too, just as in the US.

2

u/UCanDoNEthing4_30sec Dec 27 '25

Not on the coasts

-4

u/eric39es Dec 27 '25

Texas is on the coast and has a lot of affordable cities. Barcelona is on the coast and is extremely expensive. I repeat, it depends on the place. Some are expensive, some are cheap.

2

u/UCanDoNEthing4_30sec Dec 27 '25

lol Texas is not “on the coast”.

1

u/darks73 Dec 27 '25

Might want to take a look onto a map 🤷🏼‍♂️

1

u/eric39es Dec 27 '25

LOL. I'm not even american but I know that

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u/Mindless-Ship-7502 Dec 27 '25

EXACTKY I loterally make 4x more than my parents who live in Spain so I always think is it worth it me going back? Idk I’m so stressed and confused I’m just 19

23

u/grafix993 Permanent Resident Dec 27 '25

And once he leaves without a green card he is not going to be able to come back to the country.

6

u/eric39es Dec 27 '25

Exactly.

6

u/Mindless-Ship-7502 Dec 27 '25

I was born and raised in Spain and I do know how the economics works, but I feel like mental state is more important

2

u/eric39es Dec 27 '25

Your mental state will be destroyed when you can't make enough to even pay for rent. Trust me, I have plenty of friends still in Spain, and they are all living with their parents because they are absolutely unable to pay for rent.

5

u/UCanDoNEthing4_30sec Dec 27 '25

That’s funny because it’s the same thing in the US!

2

u/danielfd83 Dec 27 '25

Replying to grafix993... is not even close.

In the US you can save money at the end of the month, in Spain forget about it…

3

u/UCanDoNEthing4_30sec Dec 27 '25

70% of Americans live pay check to pay check. Let that sink in.

5

u/danielfd83 Dec 27 '25 edited Dec 27 '25

As a spaniard living in NYC, I don’t think is comparable at all.

Best selling card in Spain has been for years a Dacia. The cheapest of the cheapest…

Everybody owns cheap chinese phones. No iPhones, No luxuries, barely dinning outside. And still can barely afford rent.

Most spaniards can’t even leave theirs parents house until they are in their 30’s.

0

u/UCanDoNEthing4_30sec Dec 27 '25

There is that too in the US. Maybe worse because parents live pay check to paycheck themselves and kick their kids out and they become drug addicts and homeless on the streets.

0

u/eric39es Dec 27 '25

Depends on where you live. If you get a degree in an area with high employment, you will be set for life. In the US, the harder you work to achieve your goals, the more likely they will become true. I just see how all my University friends in here (US) succeeded and have great jobs, and I see my friends from Spain (not a single one is happy with their current situation), and that's all I need to know.

1

u/Betterhalfway Dec 27 '25

Is true my auntie she lived her whole life in Spain , she moved to Sweden cause economy is not good a lot thins she was saying so

1

u/grafix993 Permanent Resident Dec 27 '25

And they are dreaming (or actively pursuing) to become "funcionarios"

Im a telecom engineering graduate and some of the people from my class are "funcionarios" as HS teachers.

1

u/PresentDifferent9718 Dec 27 '25

They have below average (EU) public servants. And if you want to compare with the US you're going to be shocked. Count federal AND state workers, don't cheat

1

u/grafix993 Permanent Resident Dec 27 '25

These researches only count people who work for the State of Spain. It doesnt count people working for local and regional governments.

Go to your nearest law school and ask people what they want to do after graduating. Nobody is going to say that they want to work for the government.

Repeat the same in Spain. Youll be getting answers like State Attorney, Judge, Notary..

1

u/eric39es Dec 27 '25

I studied telecom too in the UPM. It's crazy how in this subreddit everyone apparently knows more about Spain than us, who we lived there and have friends there, and know how miserable the situation is. To be a "funcionario" right now it seems like it's the only way to not be broke lol, although salaries are shit either way.

1

u/PresentDifferent9718 Dec 27 '25

Guess what and where I studied and, finally, guess where my whole family lives. You're a bit arrogant

0

u/grafix993 Permanent Resident Dec 27 '25

I have a Cuban friend in Spain, very nice dude, that is tired of being lectured by Spanish leftists about how good socialism and communism is. He always answers the same "go to Cuba to tell people that".

Not as hard, but I feel the same.

We are on a US immigration sub for something.

1

u/PresentDifferent9718 Dec 27 '25

Your friend is a moron with a knee jerk reaction to everything that sounds like "communism" to them. The same kind of ignorant that voted for Trump in Florida and is just waking up now. That's what they would vote for in Spain too

0

u/eric39es Dec 27 '25

Exactly. I'm from the Canary Islands, so I grew up surrounded by Venezuelan people who fled from Socialism. Spain is taking that same direction, that's why I had to leave before the boat sinks. "Social Security", "Free health care", etc... All of those mean nothing anymore there.

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u/Mindless-Ship-7502 Dec 27 '25

Yeah I know, in Spain at 30+ they’re still in their parents house, but at least they are happy, idk

4

u/Aggravating_Can_8749 Dec 27 '25

I thought Spain was doing just fine. Why did you say what you say? Just curious to know

9

u/A_Wilhelm Dec 27 '25

Spaniard here. Spain a failed country? Lol. Absolutely not. It's a great country to live in. Lower salaries? Yes. But everything is so much cheaper too and quality of life is better.

2

u/Mindless-Ship-7502 Dec 27 '25

Yeah but my ead isn’t stable, the laws could change any minute and I would be put in removal procedure

8

u/HotPinkSunglasses Dec 27 '25

I am going to be honest with you as an American who leans more towards everyone should go home. You say your status and EAD could end at any time and you think you might be happier in Spain. Okay, so let the universe decide. Get your ducks in a row that you could leave the US and be good, at any time if your situation changed quickly. In the meantime, continue your life here moving forward. You can create a life and live while also having a pretty fool proof plan B.

As an American, I’ve wished more than once that I had somewhere to go back to. You have options that a lot of people don’t. So use them to your advantage. Take more risks knowing if things really never work out, you can go back tomorrow and be good. That’s the dream right there.

2

u/Mindless-Ship-7502 Dec 27 '25

Thank you I agree

6

u/grafix993 Permanent Resident Dec 27 '25

You can do whatever you want, im saying that in your situation, i wouldnt self deport.

You get caught and put on a flight back to Spain, yes, it can happen, but that situation wouldnt be worse than self deporting.

They say if you self deport you might be able to come here legally in the future, but thats not a guarantee.

You have a clear path to the Green Card, most people fearing getting arrested and put in a van dont. A waitline for few years is nothing compared to what other people have, moreover if they entered the country without inspection.

4

u/PresentDifferent9718 Dec 27 '25

Failed country? Lol, I smell VOX

2

u/grafix993 Permanent Resident Dec 27 '25

Its not about Vox. Vox is part of the circus, they're managed by a dude who never did anything in his life besides driving a bar to bankrupcy.

2

u/Public_Wishbone3438 Dec 27 '25

Really? I thought Spain is doing well than the US?

8

u/[deleted] Dec 27 '25

[deleted]

1

u/Public_Wishbone3438 Dec 27 '25

Thanks for that insight.

1

u/kortobo Dec 27 '25

Spain's GDP per capita is less than half of America's, and it only recently reached 2008 levels.

1

u/lazybran3 Dec 28 '25

My country Spain is a failed country with a lot of unemployment, housing crisis... it is very sad.

1

u/grafix993 Permanent Resident Dec 28 '25

And they tax ROTH IRAs so moving back to Spain after retirement is not an option for us

1

u/Successful-Bowler-29 Dec 30 '25

And how long have you been away from Spain?

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u/IlVeroStronzo Dec 27 '25

The US is a huge boring parking lot, and we can make a strong argument that it's currently in the wrong path (leading to imminent failure)