On May 11, 2026, USCIS published a new interim final rule addressing how the agency will handle immigration filings containing invalid signatures. The rule becomes effective for filings received by USCIS on or after July 10, 2026. Under the new rule, if USCIS later...
Recent reporting indicates that the U.S. Department of State has issued internal guidance instructing consular officers to ask all nonimmigrant visa applicants two new questions during visa interviews: Whether the applicant has experienced harm or mistreatment in...
On March 27, 2026, the U.S. Department of Labor (DHS) published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) that would significantly change how government-set “prevailing wages” are calculated for key employment-based immigration programs. The rule would directly affect...
On January 30, 2026, USCIS announced the dates for the upcoming H-1B visa cap registration window. The window will open at noon ET (9am PT) on Wednesday March 4, 2026 and will close at noon ET (9am PT) on Thursday March 19, 2026. The registration fee will remain $215....
The Department of State (“DOS”) announced it will expand screening and vetting for all H-1B applicants and their H-4 dependents beginning December 15, 2025. Consular officers will review the online presence of all visa applicants, including any social media, to...
Update 6/9/2026: On June 8, 2026, U.S. District Judge Leo T. Sorokin in Massachusetts struck down the Trump administration's $100,000 H-1B visa fee, ruling it an unlawful tax that unconstitutionally bypassed Congress and violated the Administrative Procedure Act. The...
Update: December 23, 2025 On December 23, 2025, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced that the proposed changes to the H-1B cap selection system in the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) discussed below would become the subject of a final rule,...
Disclaimer: Any foreign national considering international travel should have an attorney review the particular circumstances of their case. UPDATE 09/24/2025Since President Trump released his proclamation on Friday, September 19, 2025, imposing a $100,000 fee on...
On September 6, 2025, the Department of State announced a policy that applicants must apply for nonimmigrant visas in their home countries. This policy reverses years of flexibility in interview location choice: the prior policy allows applicants to interview anywhere...
