On Aug. 6, 2026, DHS submitted a proposed rule, “Eliminating the Discretionary 60-day Grace Period,” to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) that seeks to eliminate the 60-day grace period available to H-1B workers and certain other employment-based visa holders following a job loss. The full regulatory text has not yet been released publicly.
Major Visa Shift: U.S. Realigns Visa Services in Africa to Regional Hubs
The Department of State has announced a significant restructuring of visa operations across Africa, effective Aug. 1, 2026. Under this initiative, routine immigrant and nonimmigrant visa processing at certain U.S. embassies and consulates will be consolidated into designated regional visa processing hubs or centers. According to the Department of State, this realignment is intended to…
Federal Court Vacates USCIS Adjudication Pause Affecting Nationals of 39 Countries
By John E. Exner, IV, Amy L. Peck & Otieno B. Ombok on
Posted in Asylum / Refugee, Compliance and Enforcement, E-1 / E-2, EADs, EB-1, EB-2, EB-3, H-1B, H-2A, H-2B, H-4, I-9 and E-Verify, Immigration Litigation, L-1A / L-1B, L-2, Other Non-immigrant Visas, Permanent Residence, Temporary (Non-immigrant) Work Visas, Travel Ban, Trump Administration, US Immigration, USCIS
- A federal district court has vacated USCIS policies that paused adjudication of immigration benefit requests filed by nationals of 39 countries.
- The court ruling could allow affected adjustment of status, employment authorization, naturalization, and certain asylum-related applications to proceed.
- The government is expected to consider appellate options, and employers should continue to monitor developments.
State Department Expands ‘Online Presence Review’ for Additional Nonimmigrant Visas Effective March 30
The Department of State has announced an expansion of its 2025 visa screening and vetting process for certain nonimmigrant visas to other classifications. The new policy is scheduled to go into effect March 30, 2026.
Consular officers will be broadening “online presence review” as part of adjudicating certain nonimmigrant visa applications. Groups already subject to…
H‑1B, H‑4 Visa Appointments Rescheduling Begins Amid Expanded Social Media Vetting Policies
By Amy L. Peck & Giuseppina Mammoliti on
U.S. consulates abroad have recently begun postponing a wide range of H‑1B and H‑4 visa interviews, resulting in significant delays in visa processing. Consulates in India have been among the most affected, as India remains the largest source of H‑1B visa holders worldwide.
Beginning in the second week of December, applicants with interviews scheduled between…
USCIS Widens Freeze on Immigration Benefits for Nationals of 19 Countries: Employers Should Expect Delays Across Multiple Categories
By Amy L. Peck & Otieno B. Ombok on
- USCIS has confirmed its Dec. 2 policy memo, which listed only a narrow set of applications, was not exhaustive and that it has
Employers Can Expect Higher H‑1B/H‑4 Visa Denials + Delays as State Department Expands Review of Applicants’ Social‑Media Presence
Takeaways
- Starting 12.15.25, all H‑1B visa applicants and their H‑4 dependents must make their social‑media profiles public.
- Consular officers will scrutinize social-media activity, resumes and online work history.
- Employers sponsoring H-1B workers should anticipate possible delays, administrative processing or denials, especially for roles in tech, social media or other sensitive content-related fields.
Expansion of Online…
U.S. Supreme Court Declines to Hear Challenge to H-1B Spouses’ H-4 Work Authorization
By Otieno B. Ombok on
The U.S. Supreme Court denied the petition for review in Save Jobs USA v. Department of Homeland Security, No. 24-923, on Oct. 14, 2025, effectively ending a long-running legal challenge to employment authorization for certain H-4 visa holders — spouses of H-1B visa holders. The outcome maintains the status quo for many H-4 visa…
SSA Pauses Automatic Issuance of SSNs for Certain Immigration Applicants
Takeaways
- As of March 19, 2025, the SSA has paused automatic SSN issuance for many immigrant applicants, including those receiving new work permits and newly naturalized citizens.
- Affected individuals must now apply in person at SSA offices.
- Employers should adjust onboarding processes accordingly and educate HR teams to avoid disruptions.
The Social Security Administration (SSA)…
U.S. Visa Dropbox Eligibility Reverts to Pre-COVID Standard, More Applicants Will Need In-Person Interviews
The U.S. Department of State has unexpectedly updated Consular websites with revised eligibility requirements for Visa Interview Waiver (“dropbox”) appointments.
Effective immediately, dropbox eligibility is limited to applicants renewing a visa in the same nonimmigrant classification that expired within the past 12 months. While no official government announcement has been made, Visa Application Centers (VACs)…