Q- I have a question regarding applying for a green card for my parents. I am a US citizen and they are currently in the U.S. with valid B-2 visas. Their visa stamps have a note, "No intent to change or extend status." Does this note mean that they cannot apply for a green card? If they can, how soon can I file the documents after they enter the US?
A- I-94 cards are not notated that way unless the consular officer has a doubt about whether your parents really had nonimmigrant intent. (For further discussion of nonimmigrant, see our article entitled "Issues of Intent.") Your filing of an I-130 petition on their behalf immediately after their admission in B-2 status would raise the question of whether they misrepresented their intentions at the visa interview.
Generally USCIS follows a 30-60-90 day rule wherein, if an immigrant petition is filed within 30 days of admission, they assume they committed fraud at the visa interview. Within 60 days they could go either way in their determination and will look to other factors to tip the balance either for or against the applicants. After 90 days, they assume your parents' intent simply changed after they entered the U.S. The intent issue could come up at future nonimmigrant or immigrant visa interviews, or if they naturalize at some point in the future.
In your case, given that the consular officer seems to have questioned your parents' motives, it would be best if no action were taken to start the process until 4 months after entry as B-2 visitors.