News and Articles

The U.S. Department of State has temporarily paused immigrant visa appointments at U.S. embassies and consulates worldwide while consular officers undergo new training concerning the assessment of whether immigrant visa applicants are likely to become a “public charge.” The State Department has not announced how long the pause will remain in effect or when normal appointment scheduling will resume. The pause applies to immigrant visa (i.e., green card) processing, including employment-based and family-based immigrant visa applicants seeking permanent residence through

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has issued a proposed rule that would impose a new $103,265 fee on every cap-subject H-1B petition, including petitions filed under the U.S. advanced degree exemption. The fee would be in addition to all other applicable H-1B filing fees and would be payable by the employer at the time the H-1B petition is filed. If finalized, the fee would dramatically increase the cost to U.S. employers seeking new cap-subject H-1B workers. DHS states that

Effective August 1, 2026, the U.S. Department of State will restrict routine visa services at 25 posts in Africa to designated regional visa hubs. The change affects both nonimmigrant and immigrant visa processing and may require applicants to travel to another country for a visa interview. Routine visa services will be “realigned” at the following consular locations to direct applicants to process at the regional visa hubs: Antananarivo, Madagascar Abuja, Nigeria Asmara, Eritrea Bamako, Mali Banjul, The Gambia Brazzaville, Republic

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) published a final rule replacing the longstanding “duration of status,” or D/S, framework for certain nonimmigrants, including students, exchange visitors, and most foreign media representatives, with fixed periods of admission. The rule is currently scheduled to take effect on September 15, 2026. DHS will publish a subsequent notice if congressional review changes the effective date or terminates the rule. F and J Nonimmigrants Under the new rule, beginning September 15, 2026: F and J

On June 23, 2026, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a decision that gives U.S. border officials significant discretion when evaluating certain lawful permanent residents (green card holders) returning to the United States. As a result, international travel may pose greater risks for some green card holders with criminal histories or other conduct that could affect their immigration status. Specifically, the Court held that border officials do not need to satisfy the heightened “clear and convincing evidence” standard when determining whether

UPDATE (6/15): A federal district court in Massachusetts has temporarily stayed its June 8, 2026 order vacating the $100,000 H-1B fee policy. As a result, USCIS is currently permitted to require the $100,000 fee for approval of H-1B petitions that are filed for consular notification. This is a quickly developing situation. Please check in with your immigration counsel to discuss how this will impact employers and employees. A federal district court in Massachusetts has vacated the Trump administration’s policy implementing

USCIS has issued a new policy memorandum that could affect foreign nationals seeking permanent residence (“green cards”) through Adjustment of Status (AOS) inside the United States. On May 21, 2026, USCIS released a Policy Memorandum titled “Adjustment of Status is a Matter of Discretion and Administrative Grace.” The memo emphasizes that AOS is an “extraordinary discretionary benefit” and signals USCIS’s intent to more closely scrutinize applications filed from within the United States. Key Takeaways USCIS is encouraging individuals to apply

As the United States prepares to host matches for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the U.S. Department of State (“DOS”) has introduced new procedures designed to help international ticket holders secure expedited visa interview appointments more efficiently through FIFA’s Priority Appointment Scheduling System (“PASS”). What Is FIFA PASS? FIFA PASS is a scheduling initiative available to individuals who purchased official World Cup tickets directly through FIFA. The program allows eligible applicants to access a separate pool of visa interview appointments