Effective March 10, 2026, Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport (YTZ) joined nine other Canadian airports in offering U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Preclearance. The preclearance allows travelers to complete their U.S. immigration, customs, and agriculture inspection before departure. This is great news for travelers wishing to return to the U.S. in a quicker and
L-1A / L-1B
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
State Department Curtails ‘Third Country National’ Appointments for Visas
Employers with workers on employment-based visas, such as H-1B and L-1, could face workforce disruptions after the Department of State (DOS) announced that Non-Immigrant Visa (NIV) applicants should schedule visa interview appointments in their own country of nationality or residence, with limited exceptions, effective Sept. 6, 2025.
If an NIV applicant’s application is based on…
USCIS Announces Initial FY 2026 H-1B Cap Selection: What Employers Need to Do Next
Takeaways
- The initial drawing includes registrants under both the 65,000 regular cap and the 20,000 master’s cap.
- Employers and attorneys have been notified of selection results through their myUSCIS accounts.
- H-1B petitions must be filed between 04.01.25 and 06.30.25 to use the cap selection.
USCIS announced on Mar. 31, 2025, that it has completed the…
DOS Announces Dropbox Eligibility Reduced to 12 Months
After quietly updating consular websites, signaling a significant change to Visa Interview Waiver (“dropbox”) eligibility requirements, on Feb. 18, 2025, the Department of State (DOS) officially announced the reversion to pre-COVID eligibility standards, reducing the window for dropbox eligibility from 48 months to 12 months. This update follows reports of Visa Application Centers turning away…
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)…
Immigration Hurdles Ahead: What Employers Can Expect from the Second Trump Administration
By Aimee Guthat & Kimberly M. Bennett on
President-Elect Donald Trump is promising sweeping changes to the U.S. immigration system, with a focus on ramping up enforcement and the removal of undocumented immigrants. We can look to his first term, along with his campaign platform, to anticipate upcoming immigration action.
We expect President Trump will take swift action in the following areas through…
DHS Announces Permanent Rule for 540-Day Automatic Extension of Work Authorization Renewals
- They timely filed an EAD renewal application
How Employers Can Prepare for End of Bundled Processing of Work Authorizations for H and L Dependents
By Otieno B. Ombok on
In January 2025, the settlement agreement that returned USCIS to its practice of “bundling” adjudication of extensions of stay and applications for employment authorization documents (EADs) for dependent spouses of H-1B and L-1 visa holders will expire. Without that bundling policy, some dependents and their employers could experience lengthy processing times and possible gaps in…
U.S. Embassy in Havana Restores Visa Services for 7 Work, Exchange Visas
By Sydney Wong on
Posted in B Visa, Biden Administration, Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Department of State, Exchange Visitors, Global Immigration, H-1B, H-2A, H-2B, Immigrant Visas, J-1 Exchange Visitors, J-1 Trainees, L-1A / L-1B, O-1, Other Non-immigrant Visas, P-1, Temporary (Non-immigrant) Work Visas, Travel (General), Trump Administration, US Immigration, USCIS
- H – Temporary workers or trainees
- J – Exchange visitors
- L – Intracompany transferees
- O – Workers with extraordinary ability or achievement
- P