What is the 30-60 days rule in immigration?

In United States immigration practice, the historical 30/60-day rule (closely related to the modern 90-day rule enforced by consular officers and USCIS) is an evidentiary standard used to evaluate whether a foreign national committed visa fraud or misrepresentation when entering the country. Under this guideline, if a temporary visitor engaged in conduct inconsistent with their non-immigrant status—such as abruptly marrying a U.S. citizen, applying for a green card adjustment of status, or enrolling in school—within 30 to 60 days of entering the United States, immigration authorities viewed the action as strong suspicious evidence that the visitor misrepresented their original intentions at the border. While the standard has evolved into a broader 90-day window, entering on a tourist visa and quickly filing for status changes remains a heavily scrutinized process.