29 Sep 2026

October 2026 Adjustment of Status: Dates for Filing for Family and Employment Categories

UPDATE TO: October 2026 Visa Bulletin USCIS has confirmed that applicants may use the Dates for Filing charts for both family-sponsored and employment-based adjustment-of-status filings in October 2026. Check your category, country of chargeability, and priority date before filing Form I-485. https://www.uscis.gov/green-card/green-card-processes-and-procedures/visa-availability-priority-dates/adjustment-of-status-filing-charts-from-the-visa-bulletin...

23 Sep 2026

Eleventh Circuit Holds That an EOIR Disciplinary Complaint Can Satisfy Lozada

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit recently issued an important decision addressing ineffective-assistance-of-counsel claims in immigration proceedings. In Pasqual-Andres v. U.S. Attorney General decided on August 4, 2026, the court held that a complaint filed with the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR)...

22 Sep 2026

I recently attended my H1B visa interview at a U.S. consulate abroad. The consular officer mentioned that my social media might need to be reviewed, but did not clearly explain whether anything else was needed. My CEAC status now says “Refused,” even though I have received H1B visas before. Does this mean my visa will not be issued?

Answer Not necessarily. When checking a case on CEAC, the status may show only “Issued” or “Refused,” without distinguishing between a refusal that requires additional processing and a refusal that is based on another ground of ineligibility. Thus, a “Refused” status may reflect a refusal under...

16 Sep 2026

CSPA Protection for Employment-Based Derivative Children with Pending Adjustment Applications

A derivative child in an employment-based immigration case does not necessarily lose eligibility for a green card upon reaching the biological age of 21. The Child Status Protection Act (CSPA) provides a special age calculation that may preserve the person’s classification as a “child,” provided...

15 Sep 2026

I have an arrest or criminal record and will need to apply for a nonimmigrant visa at a U.S. consulate or embassy abroad. What should I consider before traveling?

Answer Any arrest, charge, or conviction can complicate a nonimmigrant visa application, although a criminal record does not automatically make every applicant inadmissible. The result depends on the offense, criminal statute, disposition, sentence, and other facts. If a criminal ground of inadmissibility applies, the applicant may...

08 Sep 2026

If I qualify for transition protection under the new F-1 fixed-period-of-admission rule scheduled to take effect on September 15, 2026, what could happen if I travel internationally after that date?

Answer If the new rule takes effect as scheduled, an F-1 student who departs the United States after September 15, 2026, generally may be readmitted under the new fixed-period-of-admission framework. If admitted, the student may receive an I-94 with a specific admit-until date rather than D/S....