Congressional Letter in Support of OPT
We are sharing a bipartisan congressional letter sent to Markwayne Mullin, Secretary of Homeland Security, from Representatives Liccardo, Obernolte, Krishnamoorthi and Salazar.
U.S. House introduces bipartisan bill to codify Optional Practical Training (OPT) program
A new bipartisan bill, "Keep Innovators in America Act", has been introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives to formally codify the F-1 Optional Practical Training (OPT) program into law.
U.S. Department of State adds 12 countries to the B-1/B-2 Visa Bond Pilot Program
The U.S. Department of State updated the list of countries subject to the Visa Bond Pilot Program by adding 12 more countries.
U.S. State Department pauses immigrant visa issuance for nationals of 75 countries starting January 21, 2026
The New York Times reports that a lawsuit has been filed against the U.S. Department of State seeking to block the immigrant visa ban.
USCIS Increase to Premium Processing Fees
U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services USCIS will publish a final rule in the Federal Register that will be effective March 1, 2026.
USCIS Policy Memo - USCIS pauses benefit applications for individuals from 39 countries listed in Presidential Proclamation (PP) 10998 and re-reviews approvals since Jan. 20, 2021
USCIS Policy Memo - USCIS pauses benefit applications for individuals from 39 countries listed in Presidential Proclamation (PP) 10998 and re-reviews approvals since Jan. 20, 2021
Legal Challenge Update on the Presidential Proclamation regarding a $100,000 fee for some H-1B petitions
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce filed an appeal against the 23 December ruling in favor of the legality of the new $100,000 H-1B fee with the DC District Court of Appeals. It could be several more months before a ruling is issued.
Weighted Selection Process for Cap-Subject H-1B Petitions - Update
USCIS published the final rule - subjecting all cap-subject H-1B petitions to a new weighted selection process on 29 December, 2025. The rule will be effective on February 27, 2026.
Expansion of Travel Restricted Countries
In June 2025, the Trump Administration imposed full travel restrictions on citizens from 12 countries under Presidential Proclamation 10949.
Presidential Proclamation regarding a new $100,000 fee for some H-1B petitions
A coalition of Attorneys General (AG) from 20 states have filed a lawsuit challenging the new $100,000 H-1B fee.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announces new policies regarding photographs required for certain applications
USCIS has published a policy memo regarding requirements for photographs submitted with immigration benefit applications. The memo is effective December 12, 2025, and states that USCIS will require photos taken at a USCIS Biometric Services Appointment (BSA).
U.S. State Dept. Announces Increased Social Media Vetting for H-1B and H-4 visa Applicants
The U.S. State Dept. announced increased scrutiny of social media accounts held by H-1B and H-4 visa applicants as of December 15, 2025. Similar to the current requirement for F-1 and J-1 visa applicants, all H-1B and H-4 visa applicants will be required to set their social media accounts to “public” to facilitate the review.
USCIS Policy Memo - Halting all asylum applications, pausing pending benefit applications, and re-reviewing approvals for the 19 countries listed in Presidential Proclamation (PP) 10949
Presidential Proclamation 10949 was issued on June 4th, 2025. Entitled, “Restricting the Entry of Foreign Nationals To Protect the United States From Foreign Terrorists and Other National Security and Public Safety Threats”, the proclamation listed 19 countries that would have restrictions placed on citizens seeking to enter the U.S.
The Hill article: The Importance of International Students to the U.S.
Increasingly, the U.S. is realizing the importance of international students and scholars to our colleges, universities and institutions, our communities, our economy, and our stature in the world.
USCIS Payment Processing Now Restricted to Electronic or Credit Card Payments
On Oct. 28, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services will only accept electronic payments for paper-filed forms. Payments may be made either via credit card or debit card using Form G-1450, Authorization for Credit Card Transactions, or ACH debit transactions from a U.S. bank account using Form G-1650, Authorization for ACH transactions.
Proposed rule to eliminate ‘‘D/S” (Duration of Status)
Final publication date for the D/S rule is still unknown, but given that DHS stated in its Notice of Proposed Rule Making (NPRM) that the final rule will be published at least 60 days prior to its effective date and given the academic calendar (many students graduating in the spring) - we might expect the final D/S elimination rule in December or January.
U.S. Government Shutdown
Congress has voted to re-open the government. The bill passed by Congress funds the federal government through January 30, 2026.
Proposed DHS Rule Expanding Required Biometrics Collection
On November 3, 2025 the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) published a Proposed Rule regarding the collection of biometrics.
DHS Rule Eliminates the 540-Day Automatic Extension of EADs
On October 29, 2025, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) published an Interim Final Rule regarding the automatic 540-day extension of certain Employment Authorization Documents (EADs), if the holder had filed for an extension of the EAD prior to the EAD’s expiration.
Revised Policy on Third Country National (TCN) Visa Applications
The U.S. Department of State issued an update regarding visa applications in “third” countries.