U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced that the initial registration period for the fiscal year (FY) 2027 H-1B cap will open at noon Eastern on March 4 and run through noon Eastern 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 …
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is publishing a final rule that will increase USCIS fees for premium processing to reflect the amount of inflation from June 2023 through June 2025. The USCIS Stabilization Act established the authority for DHS to adjust premium processing fees every two years to account for inflation. Fees will continue to …
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), through U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), is implementing a comprehensive overhaul of the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS), significantly expanding data collection on SEVP-certified schools and F-1/M-1 international students. This revision to the existing information collection (OMB Control No. 1653-0038), detailed in the Federal Register …
Release Date 12/05/2025 New vetting center will focus on powerful screening resources to keep America safe WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced the establishment of a specialized unit to strengthen the ability of America’s immigration system to screen out terrorists, criminal aliens, and other foreign nationals who pose potential threats to public safety …
WASHINGTON – U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services updated its Policy Manual to reduce the maximum validity period for Employment Authorization Documents (EAD) for certain categories of aliens. This update also incorporates changes to EAD validity periods made by recent legislation to ensure proper vetting and screening of aliens. The reduced maximum validity periods for certain categories …
WASHINGTON – U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has implemented a new way to pay fees using electronic debit from a U.S. bank account. Effective immediately, individuals can make transactions directly to USCIS by completing and signing Form G-1650, Authorization for ACH Transactions, and filing it with their applications, petitions, or requests. The move aligns with Executive …
WASHINGTON – The Department of Homeland Security has announced an interim final rule ending the practice of automatically extending employment authorization documents for aliens filing renewal applications in certain employment authorization categories. With this rule, DHS prioritizes the proper screening and vetting of aliens before extending the validity of their employment authorizations. Aliens who file to renew their EAD …
On August 19, 2025, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) released an update to its Policy Manual, clarifying how officers should apply discretionary judgment when reviewing applications for immigration benefits. Under the new framework, officers are required to evaluate the applicant’s entire immigration and personal history, carefully weighing both favorable and adverse factors before reaching a decision. Particular attention will be given to …
A proposed Department of Homeland Security rule that would alter how H-1B visas are allocated has cleared review by the White House’s Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA), according to Bloomberg Law. Federal regulators cleared a proposed rule that would apply a “weighted selection process” by replacing the current random lottery with a new system that gives priority …
Release Date 08/08/2025 We are updating the Policy Manual to clarify that a visa becomes available for the purposes of Child Status Protection Act age calculation based on the Final Action Dates chart of the Department of State Visa Bulletin. The new guidance applies to requests filed on or after August 15, 2025. We will apply the Feb. …
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