The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) recently sent notices to many individuals about a new fee requirement affecting certain individuals who seek parole into the United States. It appears that most of notices were sent to those with a valid parole document, but some...
A federal district court has ruled that the substantial fee increases for EB5 immigrant investor applications implemented in April 2024 were unlawful. The court found that U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) raised fees without completing a mandatory fee study required by the EB5 Reform...
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has proposed eliminating the current regulations used to decide if an immigrant is likely to become a "public charge.” A foreign national who is considered likely to become a public charge is inadmissible, and therefore will not be...
The U.S. Department of State (DOS) has released the December 2025 Visa Bulletin. There is a bit of forward movement since the previous month's bulletin. All cutoff dates listed below refer to the final action chart (i.e., Chart A), unless otherwise specified. Visa Bulletin Summary Employment-Based, First...
On November 5, 2025, the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Foreign Labor Certification (OFLC) announced filing accommodations for employers affected by the suspension of OFLC operations during the government shutdown of 2025. The OFLC ceased operations on 01.Oct.2025, and OFLC staff who officially were...
The Trump Administration has directed the U.S. Department of State to issue new guidance directing consular officers to consider a significantly expanded range of health conditions when evaluating visa applications, including common chronic conditions such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, obesity, and mental health conditions. Although...
The Validation Instrument for Business Enterprises (VIBE) program is a tool used by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) to validate basic information about a company or organization wishing to employ a foreign national in the United...
The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) announced that the Office of Foreign Labor Certification (OFLC) has resumed processing employer applications for prevailing wage determinations and labor certifications, ending a suspension of operations that had stalled many employment-based immigration cases throughout the ongoing government shutdown. The...
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will publish an interim final rule on October 30, 2025, eliminating the practice of automatically extending employment authorization documents (EADs) for foreign nationals who file timely renewal applications. The rule takes effect immediately upon publication and applies to...
An applicant for adjustment of status (form I-485) or naturalization (form N-400) may face denial on two broad legal grounds: mandatory and discretionary. Understanding when a denial is compelled by statute, as opposed to when it reflects a negative exercise of discretion, is essential for...
