Immigration Insights Podcast: International Entrepreneur Parole Program & Biometrics Requirement
The U.S. Department of State has announced resumption of student and exchange visitor visa processing, along with expanded digital vetting procedures. The June 18, 2025, press release, “Announcement of Expanded Screening and...more
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) released updated policy guidance in the USCIS Policy Manual regarding certain eligibility requirements, including filing, requirements for classification, and change of status...more
The USCIS has issued new guidance in its Policy Manual, which updates the eligibility criteria for TN professionals under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, also known as the “USMCA.” This guidance outlines...more
The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will use the Final Action Dates for Employment-Based Adjustment of Status Applications chart in July 2025. The Final Action Dates chart shows slight advancement in several...more
Last week, an internal U.S. Department of State (DOS) correspondence pertaining to visa processing for international student and exchange visitors in the F, M, and J visa classifications was leaked and published by various...more
On May 27, 2025, the Department of State issued a cable instructing U.S. Embassies and Consulates to pause scheduling new visa appointments for foreign nationals seeking to obtain student and exchange visitor visas (F, M, and...more
On April 30, 2025, the U.S. Department of State launched two new tools to monitor immigrant and nonimmigrant visa interview availability: (1) the Immigrant Visa (IV) Scheduling Status Tool, and (2) the Global Visa Wait Times...more
The Department of State announced it is restricting the eligibility for visa interview waiver appointments (commonly known as dropbox). To remain eligible for dropbox, applicants must be applying for a visa in the same...more
On February 18, 2025, the US Department of State announced a new policy requiring more foreign nationals to attend in-person interviews to apply for nonimmigrant visas....more
Effective February 18, 2025, the Department of State has changed the categories of applicants that are eligible to waive the in-person non-immigrant visa interview appointment when applying for a non-immigrant visa stamp for...more
International travelers seeking to renew their U.S. visas must meet stricter requirements and may see longer wait times. Effective February 18, 2025, DOS has officially reverted the special pandemic-era eligibility criteria...more
On February 18, 2025, the U.S. Department of State updated visa interview waiver (“drop box”) eligibility criteria for individuals renewing their visa stamps, resulting in sudden drop box appointment cancellations and...more
After quietly updating consular websites, signaling a significant change to Visa Interview Waiver (“dropbox”) eligibility requirements, on Feb. 18, 2025, the Department of State (DOS) officially announced the reversion to...more
On Feb. 10, 2025, the U.S. Department of State (DoS) began limiting those who can use the Dropbox Program to renew their visas to individuals with either valid visas or with visas that expired in the last 12 months (reduced...more
The U.S. Embassy and Consulates in India recently announced updates to nonimmigrant visa processing that took effect last week, including changes to interview waiver (drop box) eligibility and the centralization of visa...more
H-1B Registrations for the FY2026 cap season will open at noon ET on March 7, 2025, and run through noon ET on March 24, 2025. The USCIS filing fee is $215 per registration this year (a significant increase from $10)....more
Through a series of sweeping executive orders, the Trump Administration has launched a systematic overhaul of U.S. immigration policy. The Administration’s prioritization of immigration enforcement will likely impact...more
An all too familiar countdown once again as we wait to hear the fate of the latest temporary extension to continue funding the government after midnight on Friday, December 20th. Employers should be aware that a shutdown will...more
As of December 2, 2024, USCIS has updated its policy to require that Form I-693, Report of Immigration Medical Examination and Vaccination Record, be submitted along with Form I-485, which is the Application to Register...more
The Online 2026 Diversity Visa (DV) Lottery for green cards is open until noon ET on Nov. 5, 2024. Eligibility requirements, application instructions, and frequently asked questions are on the DV Lottery website. ...more
Established in 1990, the Diversity Visa (DV) Lottery program allocates 55,000 immigrant visas (green cards) each year to individuals from countries with low rates of immigration to the United States....more
The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will use the Final Action Dates for Employment-Based Adjustment of Status Applications chart in August 2024. The Final Action Dates chart reflects one-month advancements in...more
With the summer travel season around the corner, we are fielding many travel and visa application questions. Here are answers to your most frequently asked questions....more
The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will use the Final Action Dates for Employment-Based Adjustment of Status Applications chart in April 2024, reflecting modest advancement in several categories....more
Each month, federal immigration authorities publish a list of dates informing immigrant visa applicants when they should expect to be notified to assemble and submit required documentation to government officials. This...more