Starting September 30, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) will begin collecting new fees enacted by the budget reconciliation bill (H.R.1) passed by Congress in early July, according to a Federal Register (FR) notice. The notice implements the new fees for the…
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has released an advance copy of a proposed regulation that would replace the current “duration of status” (D/S) policy for international students (F status), exchange visitors (J status), representatives of foreign information media (I status), and…
On August 20, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals stayed a district court order that had temporarily postponed the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) terminations for Honduras, Nepal, and Nicaragua. As a result, the TPS designation for Nepal is now considered…
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) officers are being directed to consider foreign nationals’ support for “anti-American” ideologies or organizations and an array of other new factors when adjudicating certain applications and petitions for immigration benefits, according to updated guidance revising the…
Applicants for naturalization will undergo a more searching review of their background, behavior, and activity under a new U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) policy memorandum on good moral character (GMC) assessments in the naturalization process. It has long been a requirement…
According to the State Department’s September Visa Bulletin, Final Action cutoff dates for issuance of an immigrant visa or approval of an adjustment of status application will be as follows: EB-1: China will remain at November 15, 2022, and India will…
A Department of Homeland Security (DHS) proposed rule that would apply a weighted selection process to the annual H-1B cap has cleared federal review. The proposal was submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review three weeks ago. Though details…
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced today that it is returning to its previous Child Status Protection Act (CSPA) policy for determining whether a child continues to qualify for derivative green card eligibility in family preference category and employment-based adjustment of…
A Department of Homeland Security (DHS) proposed rule seeking to replace the current “duration of status” (D/S) admission policy for international students (F status), exchange visitors (J status), representatives of foreign information media (I status), and their dependents with a…
The State Department will impose a visa bond requirement on certain B-1/B-2 visa applicants under a pilot program, according to a temporary final rule published in today’s Federal Register. The new Visa Bond Pilot Program will be in effect from…