U.S. immigration resources and updates, by visa type

A new restriction on entry of certain nonimmigrant workers has been announced, though specific details are not provided in this notice. This policy may affect work visa holders and employers seeking to bring foreign workers to the United…

USCIS has completed the FY 2027 H-1B initial registration period and received enough registrations to meet both the regular H-1B cap and the advanced degree exemption cap. This marks the end of the registration window for fiscal year 2027.…

The H-2B visa cap for returning workers in the first allocation of fiscal year 2026 (January–March start dates) has been reached, with 18,490 visas now allocated. USCIS received enough petitions to hit the cap under the supplemental cap…

The Department of Homeland Security is exercising time-limited authority to allocate an additional 64,716 H-2B visas for fiscal year 2026, available exclusively to American businesses facing permanent and severe financial loss or impending…

The H-1B cap registration period for fiscal year 2027 will open on March 4, 2026 at noon ET and close on March 19, 2026 at noon ET. All H-1B petitions subject to the annual cap must be registered during this window before employers can…

DHS is revising the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) information collection, which tracks international students and exchange visitors in the United States. The revision follows a 60-day public comment period in…

USCIS updated its policy manual guidance on optional practical training (OPT) eligibility for F and M nonimmigrant students, specifically regarding STEM field OPT extensions. The updated guidance clarifies when students may qualify for…

The U.S. Department of State is requesting public comments on an information collection for the Annual Report of the J nonimmigrant exchange visitor program, which tracks foreign nationals in cultural and educational exchange programs. The…

ICE is extending approval for Form I-515A, the Notice to Student or Exchange Visitor, which is used to notify students and exchange visitors of immigration violations or status issues. This administrative collection had no public comments…

DHS is revising the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) data collection to update paperwork requirements for student and exchange visitor tracking. The revision is under public review for comments. Public comments…

The State Department is introducing a new optional $750 expedited interview fee for B-1/B-2 business and tourism visa applicants. Eligible applicants who pay this premium fee can secure an interview appointment at selected posts within ten…

The U.S. Embassy in Lebanon is operating with limited services due to current conditions in the country. Persons seeking visa services or other embassy assistance should expect reduced availability and may experience delays or be directed…

The U.S. State Department has determined that certain artworks being imported for the "Krasner and Pollock: Past Continuous" exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York qualify as culturally significant objects. This…

The U.S. State Department has determined that certain historical objects from the Warsaw Ghetto archive being imported for the "Will These Words Reach You?" exhibition at the Museum of Jewish Heritage in New York qualify as culturally…

The U.S. State Department has determined that certain photographic masterworks from the Bibliothèque nationale de France being imported for the "Photography's First Century" exhibition at the Kimbell Art Museum in Fort Worth, Texas qualify…

On June 18, DHS announced a process to keep families together by allowing certain noncitizen spouses of U.S. citizens who have lived in the country for at least 10 years to request parole in place on a case-by-case basis. This new pathway…

USCIS clarified its policy on how age is calculated under the Child Status Protection Act (CSPA) for family-based petitions. A visa is now considered available for CSPA age calculation purposes based on the Department of State Visa…

USCIS released new policy guidance to improve how it reviews family-based immigration petitions, with enhanced screening and vetting procedures. The guidance is being added to the official USCIS Policy Manual for staff reference. This…

USCIS assisted ICE, the State Department, and federal prosecutors in dismantling a nationwide marriage fraud operation, resulting in arrests. The agency's data and investigation support helped identify fraudulent family-based petitions.…

USCIS has updated its policy manual to clarify how it applies exceptions to the 'sought to acquire' requirement under the Child Status Protection Act (CSPA), following a February 2023 policy change. This guidance affects family-based…

USCIS has discovered widespread fraud in applications from immigrants claiming to be juveniles, potentially affecting thousands of pending cases. The agency is reviewing claims and may deny or delay benefits for applicants found to have…

Lebanon's Temporary Protected Status designation has been automatically extended for six months, through November 27, 2026, due to rapidly unfolding security events in the country. No action is required by current TPS beneficiaries, but…

DHS is implementing new fees and requirements for asylum cases under the H.R. 1 Reconciliation Act of 2025. The agency has announced consequences for applicants who fail to pay annual asylum fees. This interim final rule affects asylum…

DHS is terminating Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Yemen, with the designation expiring on March 3, 2026. The Secretary of Homeland Security determined that Yemen no longer meets the conditions required to maintain TPS status after…

The Department of Homeland Security has terminated Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Yemen, meaning Yemeni nationals currently holding TPS will lose their protected status. Affected individuals will face deportation unless they obtain…

India has reached the per-country limit for EB-5 immigrant investor green cards in the unreserved category, meaning no more visas are currently available for Indian nationals in this category. This creates a significant backlog for Indian…

India has reached its per-country limit for EB-2 (employment-based second preference) green cards, meaning Indian nationals in this category will face significant delays in obtaining their green cards. This occurs because a large backlog…

USCIS announced a new policy restricting adjustment of status (green card applications within the U.S.) to only extraordinary circumstances, requiring most applicants to process through consular processing abroad instead. This reverses…

The EB-3 and EW (Employment-Based Third Preference and Exceptional Worker) green card categories have reached their annual numerical limits for the current fiscal year. This means no additional applicants can be approved under these…

The annual visa cap for the EB-5 immigrant investor green card category has been reached, meaning no additional EB-5 petitions can be approved under the unreserved visa allotment for the current fiscal year. Applicants who have not yet…

USCIS and the Department of Justice have filed denaturalization actions against 12 individuals in federal district courts, alleging serious crimes including providing material support to terrorist organizations, committing war crimes,…

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has upgraded the SAVE program, which verifies immigration status, to help states confirm that only U.S. citizens vote in federal elections. The enhanced system enables better coordination between…

USCIS has updated guidance on military naturalization to clarify that uncharacterized discharges occurring on or after August 1, 2024 do not satisfy the "honorable conditions" requirement for alien service members to naturalize. Former…

USCIS has announced the implementation of the 2025 naturalization civics test, marking the first changes to the citizenship test as part of a broader overhaul of American citizenship standards. The updated test was posted in a Federal…

USCIS updated its policy for processing Form N-648 (disability exceptions to naturalization test requirements) to strengthen verification of medical certifications and prevent fraud. The agency will conduct more rigorous review of medical…

The Department of Justice is updating fee regulations for cases filed with the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR), the immigration court system, to comply with new statutory requirements. This interim final rule establishes new…

The U.S. has temporarily paused visa operations, affecting the processing of new visa applications. This suspension impacts travelers, workers, students, and families seeking to enter or remain in the country. The exact duration and scope…

The Trump administration has maintained a policy of zero migrant releases at the southern border for a full year, meaning all apprehended individuals are either detained or removed rather than released into the United States pending legal…

The White House has announced a suspension of visa issuance to foreign nationals to protect U.S. security. This is a broad action affecting multiple visa categories and classes of admission. Details on scope, duration, and specific visa…

USCIS announced that the Trump administration is implementing heightened screening and vetting procedures for foreign nationals applying for entry or immigration benefits, citing national security and public safety priorities. These…