USCIS has now issued new policy guidance of I-485 on public charge review.

The American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) has prepared three helpful domestic travel guides. Please review the PDF that applies to your current immigration status.

On July 17, 2026, DHS formally published the final F-1 rule. Under the current implementation schedule, the new rule is expected to take effect on September 15, 2026.

The FY 2027 H-1B filing window has barely closed, and already a bigger shift is taking shape behind the scenes. The Department of Labor is rewriting the rules that govern how employers sponsor EB-2 and EB-3 green cards through PERM labor certification, and this could be the most significant change to the program in over two decades.

The U.S. Department of State has now introduced a new B-1 classification for certain “Specialized Trainers.” This update may be relevant to employers involved in manufacturing, technology deployment, equipment sales, industrial projects, or cross-border commercial arrangements.

The memo emphasizes that the standard, preferred pathway to permanent residency is through consular processing at a U.S. embassy abroad. Therefore, allowing an applicant to adjust their status is considered a discretionary privilege rather than an absolute right.

The H-1B season is upon us again! As we approach the registration window, we want to ensure you are well-prepared for this year’s H-1B cycle, especially given the recent H-1B lottery policy reforms. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has issued the final rule introducing a wage-based weighted random selection system for cap-subject H-1B registrations. The rule will take effect on February 27, 2026 and is expected to apply to the FY2027 H-1B registration season (ty

On December 4, 2025, USCIS announced that the maximum validity period for certain categories of Employment Authorization Documents from five years to no more than 18 months per issuance. The change is intended to strengthen screening and background checks for foreign nationals seeking authorization to work in the U.S.Effective for all applications filed or pending on or after December 5, 2025, the 18-month limit applies to: Refugees Asylees Individuals granted withholding of

I. Presidential Proclamation On September 19, 2025, the White House issued a Proclamation, Restriction on Entry of Certain Nonimmigrant Workers. It provides that: Effective 12:01 a.m. EDT, September 21, 2025. A $100,000 payment must accompany any new H-1B petition. Applies only to individuals outside the U.S. seeking H-1B admission. The Department of State will issue visas only if the payment has been made. Valid for 12 months, unless extended. Future reforms will raise pre

The Trump administration has introduced a new immigration policy proposal requiring the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to collect social media account information from green card applicants and certain other immigration applicants. On March 5, 2025, USCIS announced that social media accounts—such as Facebook and Instagram—would become part of the application process for individuals seeking to enter the U.S. or apply for asylum. While visa applicants have al

On March 12, 2025, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) published an Interim Final Rule (IFR) introducing a standardized alien registration process through a new form: Form G-325R, Biographic Information (Registration).Please review the summary below carefully and consult your attorney if any of the provisions apply to you or your family. ✅ Who is already registered? You are already registered if one of the following

During the first 2 months of President Trump’s second term, immigration policy has already undergone significant adjustments. Since 01/18/2025, there have been 18 executive orders related to immigration issued, potentially reshaping the U.S. immigration system. Below is an overview of several key policies and their impacts. 01 Protecting the Integrity of U.S. Citizenship The Trump administration has redefined birthright citizenship, requiring at least one parent to be a U.S.

The H-1B season is here again and electronic registration for the FY2026 cap will open at noon ET on March 7 and run through March 24, 2025. We want to remind you to get prepared if you plan to sponsor any H-1B candidates this year. If USCIS receives enough registrations by March 24, it will randomly select registrations and send selection notifications via myUSCIS online accounts. If not enough registrations are received, all registrations that were properly submitted in the

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has issued a final rule modernizing the H-1B program, refining nonimmigrant work visa policies. These changes aim to improve program integrity, provide greater flexibility, and reduce administrative burdens. Here’s a summary of the key updates: Specialty Occupation. The candidate’s educational degree must be directly related to the H-1B job duties. This means there is a logical connection between the degree or its equivalent, and

On August 24, 2023, USCIS announced a policy update that clarifies the Child Status Protection Act (CSPA) age calculation rules for I-485 adjustment of status applications, as previously issued on February 14, 2023. This update benefits families whose children have aged out under the Final Action Date (Chart A) but not under the Filing Date (Chart B). Background On February 14, 2023, USCIS announced a policy change regarding CSPA age calculation for I-485 adjustment of status

USCIS announced on March 6th, 2023, the expansion of premium processing for certain F-1 students seeking OPT and F-1 students seeking STEM OPT extensions who have a pending Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization, and wish to request a premium processing upgrade. With this expansion, online filing of Form I-907, Request for Premium Processing Service, is now available to F-1 students in these categories. USCIS continues to accept the latest paper version of this

USCIS is about to implement the final phase of the premium processing expansion for Form I-140, Immigrant Petition for Alien Workers. This expansion will apply to petitions under the EB-1 and EB-2 classifications, including new (initial) petitions, as well as all previously filed Form I-140 petitions under the EB-1C and EB-2 NIW I-140 petitions. Petitioners who wish to take advantage of the premium processing service will need to file Form I-907, Request for Premium Processin

The regulation regarding the expansion of the USCIS premium processing program was published in March 2022, and the first phase of expansion started earlier in June 2022. Today, USCIS announced that the expansion will continue to become available to the following categories: EB-1C: Starting 08/01/2022, I-140 cases filed before 07/01/2021 will be eligible for premium processing. EB-2 NIW: Starting 08/01/2022, I-140 cases filed before 08/01/2021 will be eligible for premium pr

The regulation regarding the expansion of the USCIS premium processing program was published in March 2022. Today, USCIS announced that the expansion will first become available to the following categories: EB-1C: Starting 06/01/2022, cases filed before 01/01/2021 will be eligible for premium processing. Starting 07/01/2022, cases filed before 03/01/2021 will be eligible for premium processing. EB-2 NIW: Starting 07/01/2022, cases filed before 06/01/2021 will be eligible for

The EB-5 Immigrant Investor Regional Center Program has been reauthorized by the Consolidated Appropriations Act in 03/2022. EB-5 Regional Center petitions filed before 06/30/2021 have been resumed processing. According to the Department of State Visa Bulletin, EB-5 Final Action Dates in the May Visa Bulletin are effective immediately in April. As shown in the May Visa Bulletin, a "reserved" pool is created to reflect the new categories for qualified immigrants who invest in