Department of State Clarifies Guidance for Nonimmigrant Visa Appointments
On September 06, 2025 the US Department of State announced changes to their Nonimmigrant Visa Interview Scheduling Procedures. In the announcement, DOS clarified that applicants should apply for their appointment in their country of nationality or residence. Please note that this is a long standing policy that is simply being clarified. DOS noted that while […]
Trump Administration Spring 2025 Regulatory Agenda Released
The Trump Administration has released their Spring 2025 regulatory agenda, which contains thousands of proposed and final rules across a variety of government agencies. This publication is intended to explain the goals and priorities for each federal agency over the coming months. In this specific agenda, the agency changes of note are as follows: H2A […]
USCIS to Recruit Special Agents for Law Enforcement Purposes
On September 04, 2025, in a news release entitled “USCIS to Add Special Agents with New Law Enforcement Authorities”, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) explained that they have been authorized to employ “special agents” who are mandated to “investigate, arrest, and present for prosecution” individuals who are thought to be in violation […]
Annual Limit Reached in the EB-2 Category
The State Department has announced that the available immigrant visa limit for Employment-Based Second Preference (EB-2) category has been reached for FY 2025. At this time, embassies and consulates may not issue visas in this category for the remainder of the fiscal year. The annual limit will reset on the start of the new fiscal […]
September 2025 Visa Bulletin
The September 2025 visa bulletin has been published. There are no changes to the Employment-Based Final Action Dates and Dates for Filing. USCIS will be accepting cases in September based on final action, not dates for filing, for employment-based cases. The Visa Office expects to reach FY-2025 category limits in most employment-based preference categories during […]
PERM Processing Times Update: August 1, 2025
PERM Applications As of August 1, 2025, the Department of Labor is conducting Analyst Reviews of PERM applications filed on or before April 2024 and is now reviewing Reconsideration Requests to the Certifying Officers that were appealed on or before June 2025. The DOL has not provided a priority date related to Audit Reviews. Please […]
Important change to CSPA age calculation starting Aug. 15, 2025
Important update from USCIS that could impact some dependent children in family- and employment-based immigration cases. This is about the Child Status Protection Act (CSPA) – which is the rule that helps certain kids avoid “aging out” when they turn 21 before their green card process is complete. So, what’s changing? • Right now (Feb. […]
Important Update: Proposed Rule to Replace “Duration of Status” for F, J, and I Visa Holders
On August 7, 2025, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) completed its review of a proposed rule from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to end “duration of status” (D/S) for certain nonimmigrants. Currently, most F-1 students, J-1 exchange visitors, and I visa holders are admitted for […]
BREAKING NEWS: White House clears H-1B weighted selection rule, lottery could be out.
A sweeping overhaul of the H-1B visa process is now poised to move forward after clearing a key White House review. Instead of the current lottery system, visas will be awarded by wage levels, prioritizing higher-paid roles. What just happened On August 8, the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) signed off on a […]
Important Update: New U.S. Visa Bond Pilot Program – Effective August 20, 2025
On August 5, 2025, the Department of State announced a one-year Visa Bond Pilot Program. Starting August 20, 2025, some B-1 (business visitor) and B-2 (tourist) visa applicants from certain countries will be required to post a refundable bond before a visa is issued. Who’s affected right now? Countries in the pilot as of August […]