The Department of State and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services have announced expansions to screening and vetting across consular visa processing and USCIS immigration benefit adjudications.
Continue Reading DOS and USCIS Expand Immigration Screening Across Visas and Benefits
With annual appropriations for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) having lapsed on Feb. 14, 2026, immigration stakeholders are again navigating the practical consequences of a DHS-specific shutdown. Despite the
Continue Reading The Current DHS Shutdown’s Impact on Immigration Agencies
In November 2025, both the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Department of State (DOS) signaled changes to how the U.S. government will determine whether visa applicants or those
Continue Reading Comparing the 2025 DHS and DOS Approaches to Public Charge Inadmissibility
The U.S. Department of State (DOS) has added additional countries to the list of nationals subject to the visa-bond pilot program (as reported in our previous blog pieces on Zambia
Continue Reading Updated: US Visa-Bond Pilot Program Expands to Additional Countries
The U.S. Department of State’s National Visa Center (NVC) has issued updated guidance that impacts employment-based immigrant visa applicants, including EB-5 investors. This change is especially relevant for globally mobile
Continue Reading NVC Update: Residency Proof Now Required for Employment-Based and EB-5 Immigrant Visa Applicants
The federal government shutdown is disrupting some immigration functions. Most significantly, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL)’s FLAG system is down, preventing the filing of LCAs, prevailing wage requests, and
Continue Reading Government Shutdown: What Employers Need to Know About Immigration Services
The Department of State (DOS) has expanded the visa bond pilot program under Section 221(g)(3) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) to include The Gambia, effective Oct. 11, 2025.
Continue Reading US Expands Visa Bond Pilot Program to Include the Gambia
On Sept. 6, 2025, the U.S. Department of State issued updated guidance directing that nonimmigrant visa (NIV) applicants (E, F, H, J, L, O, etc.) must generally schedule their visa
Continue Reading Adjudicating Nonimmigrant Visa Applicants in Their Country of Residence — Implications for Employers and Employees
The U.S. Department of State (DOS) announced July 25, 2025, a significant change to its interview waiver policy effective Sept. 2, 2025. This policy revision will require most nonimmigrant visa
Continue Reading DOS to Require In-Person Consular Interviews for Most Nonimmigrant Visa Applicants
In recent years, many immigration applicants have filed mandamus actions with the federal courts, seeking them to compel U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and the Department of State (DOS)
Continue Reading What Does the Change in Presidential Administration Mean for Pending Mandamus Actions?