Client Alert: Partial Funding Bill Passed
Congress has passed a partial funding bill to fund most federal agencies (Defense, State, Treasury and others) through September 30, 2026. Debate continues over funding for the Department of Homeland Security, with negotiations centering on immigration enforcement. The partial funding bill passed today will provide funding to DHS through February 13, 2026. Funding will expire […]
Client Alert: HCAP FY 2027 Registration Alert
USCIS has announced that the initial registration period for the FY 2027 H-1B Cap will open at noon ET on March 4 and run through noon ET on March 19, 2026. During this period, prospective H-1B cap-subject petitioners and representatives must use a USCIS online account to register each beneficiary electronically for the selection process […]
Client Alert: Potential Government Shutdown on January 31, 2026
Political uncertainty on Capitol Hill may lead to a government shutdown starting on January 31, 2026. To prepare for this eventuality our recommendation to our Clients are as follows: IMMEDIATELY, submit Labor Condition Applications (LCAs) for all extension cases projected to be filed in the next two to three months. File multi-slot headquarters based LCAs […]
B-1/B-2 Visa Bond Pilot Program Expansion
The U.S. Department of State expanded the B-1/B-2 Visa Bond Pilot Program. Effective January 21, 2026, Certain applicants may be required to post a refundable bond during visa processing. Program Item Details Visa Types B-1 (Business) and B-2 (Tourism) Bond Amounts $5,000 / $10,000 / $15,000 Who Sets Bond U.S. Consular Officer Bond Refund Refunded […]
Client Alert: Indefinite Pause on Immigrant Visa Processing for Certain Countries
Executive Summary The Trump administration has announced an indefinite pause on immigrant visa processing for nationals of approximately 75 countries, effective January 21, 2026. While the full list of countries has not yet been publicly released, confirmed examples include Brazil, Iran, Russia, and Somalia. This policy primarily affects employment-based immigrant visas processed through U.S. consulates […]
February 2026 Visa Bulletin
The February 2026 visa bulletin has been published. USCIS will be accepting cases in February based on dates for filing, not on final action, for employment-based cases. Changes are as follows for both charts. If a change is not listed here, the date remains the same. Dates for Filing EB3 Rest of World: moved from […]
PERM Processing Times Update: January 2026
PERM Applications As of January 5, 2026, the Department of Labor is conducting Analyst Reviews of PERM applications filed in or before August 2024 and is now conducting Audit reviews for cases filed in or before December 2024. The DOL is reviewing Reconsideration Requests to the Certifying Officers that were appealed in or before August […]
USCIS Premium Processing Fee Increase
Effective for filings postmarked on or after March 1, 2026. Overview Overview The Department of Homeland Security has issued a final rule increasing USCIS premium processing fees to account for inflation from June 2023 through June2025. Fee adjustments occur biennially under the USCIS Stabilization Act. Why This Matters Petitioners and applicants must account for higher […]
USCIS Expands Adjudication Policies for Travel Ban Nationals
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) issued updated guidance expanding and clarifying adjudication policies for foreign nationals born in or citizens of countries subject to the U.S. travel ban. Impacted cases may continue processing but will not receive final decisions while adjudication holds remain in effect. What Has Changed • Adjudication holds apply to all pending benefit requests for […]
Social Security Number Requests No Longer Accepted on EAD Applications
