The U.S. Department of State has expanded its visa bond pilot program for B1/B2 visitor visas, affecting nationals from dozens of countries around the world.
U.S. State Department Pauses Immigrant Visa Processing for 75 Countries – What Applicants and Businesses Need to Know
The U.S. State Department has announced a temporary halt on immigrant visa processing for applicants from 75 countries, effective Jan. 21, 2026. This pause comes as the department reassesses its
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Business Visitors, Training Visas, and Compliance Risks: What Employers Need to Know
The line between permissible business visitor activities and unauthorized employment has come under heightened scrutiny. A recent large-scale raid – where foreign nationals were found working on B-1/ESTA entries – demonstrates how costly missteps can be.
US Consular Posts Tighten Restrictions on Eligibility for Nonimmigrant Visa Interview Waivers
The U.S. Department of State has unexpectedly updated various Consular websites with revised eligibility requirements for the Visa Interview Waiver (also known as dropbox or mail-in) program, reverting to narrower
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USCIS Mandates Concurrent Filing of Form I-693 with Adjustment of Status Applications
On Dec. 2, 2024, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that the agency will now require, with immediate effect, the concurrent filing of Form I-693, Report of Immigration Medical
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Report on the US Department of State’s FY 2023 Visa Operations
On Nov. 28, 2023, the U.S. Department of State (DOS) released a press release highlighting its visa operations achievements in the federal fiscal year 2023 (FY 2023) from October 2022
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USCIS Updates Child Status Protection Act (CSPA) Age Calculation for Certain Adjustment of Status Applicants
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has issued updated guidance in its Policy Manual, which makes a key change in the interpretation of when an immigrant visa number “becomes available”
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U.S. State Department Unveils a New Refugee Program, ‘Welcome Corps’
On Jan. 19, 2023, the U.S. State Department unveiled a new refugee program, “Welcome Corps,” which enables private sponsorship of refugees.
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December 2022 Visa Bulletin – Worldwide Cut-Offs for EB-2 Category
The U.S. Department of State (DOS) has published the December 2022 bulletin which reflects an increased demand across multiple categories. As warned in last month’s bulletin, the December bulletin implements
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Takeaways From State Department’s EB-5 Visa Delays
The federal government’s fiscal year begins on Oct. 1, and while the new fiscal year brings new visa numbers, many EB-5 regional center stakeholders and investors were surprised by the
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