Fees and Penalties

Subscribe to Fees and Penalties via RSS

USCIS has released guidance on President Donald Trump’s Sept. 19, 2025, Presidential Proclamation, “Restriction on Entry of Certain Nonimmigrant Workers,” introducing a new $100,000 fee requirement for certain H-1B nonimmigrant visa petitions.

USCIS on Oct. 20, 2025, issued guidance clarifying which petitions are subject to the Proclamation’s new requirements, how and when the $100,000 payment…

Without notice, E-Verify appeared back online late on the evening of Oct. 7, 2025. As of 2:00 p.m. (ET) on Oct. 8, 2025, E-Verify is still online and appears fully operable. Employers can resume submitting cases.

The E-Verify website had gone dark on Oct. 1, as expected, due to the federal government shutdown. Visitors to…

On Sept. 19, 2025, President Trump issued a Presidential Proclamation titled “Restriction on Entry of Certain Nonimmigrant Workers” (the “Proclamation”). The Proclamation requires employers to pay a $100,000 fee with any new H-1B petition for foreign workers outside the United States, effective Sept. 21, 2025. The stated purpose is to address perceived misuse of the…

The current government funding expired at the end of the fiscal year without a continuing resolution, resulting in a government shutdown. A federal government shutdown can create ripple effects across immigration processes, but the impact varies depending on the agency.

Since USCIS is fee-funded, most operations — like processing petitions and applications — continue as…

President Donald Trump signed a Proclamation on Sept. 19, 2025, requiring a $100,000 fee for H-1B nonimmigrants seeking to enter the United States (“Proclamation”). Initial reports suggested the restriction applied broadly, including to current visa holders. Over the weekend, the White House, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP)…

On Sept. 19, 2025, President Donald Trump signed a proclamation titled Proclamation on Restriction of Entry of Certain Nonimmigrant Workers (the “Proclamation”) imposing significant restrictions on H-1B nonimmigrants seeking to enter or reenter the United States.

Though the Proclamation does not appear to make a distinction between new applicants and current visa holders, as of…

The House of Representatives passed budget reconciliation bill H.R. 1, entitled “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” that includes significant changes to the immigration fee structure. As the Senate prepares its version of the reconciliation bill, many of the immigration-related provisions are unchanged from the one passed by the House.

H.R. 1 aims to initiate…

Takeaways:

  • Increased Worksite Enforcement: Businesses can expect a surge in ICE raids and I-9 audits at workplaces.
  • Impact on Sanctuary Cities: Federal agents will target sanctuary cities for immigration enforcement operations.
  • Employer Preparedness: Businesses, especially those operating in sanctuary cities, should have an action plan ready for potential ICE enforcement actions.

Tom Homan, President Donald…

Implementation of the European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS) has been delayed again. Initially expected to be operational in 2022, ETIAS is now scheduled to start in the last quarter of 2026. This delay allows more time for the Entry/Exit System (EES) to be fully implemented, which is expected to become operational in October…