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)

Announced in a Federal Register notice published Feb. 5, 2025, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem decided not to extend the 2023 Venezuela Temporary Protected Status (TPS) designation. That designation will expire April 7, 2025.

Secretary Noem had announced on Jan. 29, 2025, that she is vacating former DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas’ Jan. 17, 2025, redesignation

The H-1B cap season for Fiscal Year 2026 is quickly approaching. USCIS announced on Feb. 5, 2025, that the registration period for FY 2026 will open at noon (EST) on Friday, March 7, 2025, and close at noon (EST) on Monday, March 24, 2025, and that the registration fee will go up significantly. Employers should

Announced in a Federal Register notice published Feb. 5, 2025, Secretary Kristi Noem decided not to extend the 2023 Venezuela TPS designation. That designation will expire April 7, 2025.

DHS Secretary Noem announced on Jan. 29, 2025, that she is vacating former DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas’ Jan. 17, 2025, redesignation of Temporary Protected Status

DHS Secretary Kristi Noem announced on Jan. 29, 2025, that she is vacating former DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas’ Jan. 17, 2025, redesignation of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Venezuela for an additional 18 months. This announcement impacts approximately 600,000 Venezuelans currently in the United States with TPS.

Former Secretary Mayorkas designated Venezuela for TPS once on

Following his inauguration on Jan. 20, 2025, President Trump issued a number of immigration-related Executive Orders (EOs) sure to have impact on employers and their business operations. So far, the focus in the media has been on border security, asylum, refugees, removal of undocumented aliens (deportation) and birthright citizenship. However, there are other aspects covered

Humanitarian parole programs for individuals from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela have been cancelled by President Trump’s Executive Order (EO) on Securing Our Borders. USCIS’s Uniting for Ukraine application process has also been paused. To date, although it has been reported that Afghan refugees have been removed from flight manifests, the Afghan parole program

As many expected, President Donald Trump has not only issued Executive Orders (EOs), but he has also rescinded many EOs issued by the Biden Administration concerning immigration, including the following: “The Restoring Faith in Our Legal Immigration Systems and Strengthening Integration and Inclusion Efforts for New Americans” EO which particularly affects business immigration. This EO

Takeaways

  • USCIS issued updated policy guidance on 1/15/25 on how it will evaluate candidates for EB-2 immigrant visas seeking a National Interest Waiver (NIW).
  • USCIS will be more closely scrutinizing a candidate’s qualifications, profession, experience, and support letters.
  • These changes will make it more difficult to obtain NIWs in the future.

The U.S. Citizenship and

Following his inauguration on Jan. 20, 2025, President Donald Trump signed several executive orders designed to advance his immigration agenda. The orders include:

  • Ending Birthright Citizenship
  • Enhanced Vetting
  • Creating “Homeland Security Task Forces”
  • Ending Birthright Citizenship

This order directs federal agencies to refuse to recognize U.S. citizenship for children born in the United States to