On September 17, 2025, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced the implementation of the new 2025 Civics Test for naturalization, replacing the 2008 version of the test. Here are the key points you need to know about the new test:Approximately 75 percent...
Each year, thousands of F-1 students are granted a change of status to H1B, with an effective start date of October 1st. But plans sometimes change before the start date. The employer may withdraw the H1B petition before it ever takes effect, leaving the student...
Congress must pass a spending bill to extend government operations before October 1, 2025, or else a temporary shutdown of the federal government will go into effect. This would be the first shutdown since Trump was reelected. Security, CBP, and Vital Functions Continue The U.S. government never...
On September 24, 2025, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will publish a proposed rule in the Federal Register titled “Weighted Selection Process for Registrants and Petitioners Seeking to File Cap-Subject H-1B Petitions.” If finalized, the rule would change the H1B cap registration process...
Donald Trump signed an executive order on September 19, 2025, ostensibly creating a new "Gold Card" program that would provide foreign nationals with a green card based on making a substantial financial contribution to the United States. The program requires donations of $1 million for...
Following our earlier NewsFlash, new statements from the White House and additional reporting provide some clarification on the new $100,000 fee affecting H1B workers abroad. However, key details remain uncertain, and we will continue to provide analysis as more information becomes available. Effective Date and Scope...
Last night, Trump issued a proclamation to restrict the entry of certain nonimmigrant workers, specifically targeting the H1B visa program. The proclamation, which goes into effect at 12:01 a.m. EDT on September 21, 2025, requires employers to pay a $100,000 fee to accompany a visa petition...
The Trump Administration is poised to sign a proclamation that would impose a $100,000 fee for H1B petitions. No additional details have been provided. But, if Trump proceeds with this action, it will inevitably result in a flurry of lawsuits filed to block the rule...
The U.S. Department of State announced on September 16, 2025, that all available immigrant visas in the employment-based, fifth preference (EB5) unreserved category have been issued for fiscal year (FY) 2025. Accordingly, consular posts temporarily cannot issue immigrant visas in this category and the U.S....
The U.S. Department of State (DOS) has released the October 2025 Visa Bulletin, which is the first visa bulletin of fiscal year (FY) 2026. All cutoff dates listed below refer to the final action chart (i.e., Chart A), unless otherwise specified. Visa Bulletin Summary Employment-Based, First Preference...
