The Trump administration has directed U.S. embassies and consulates worldwide to temporarily pause and reschedule immigrant visa interviews while consular officers undergo mandatory training on enhanced screening procedures, including the public charge ground of inadmissibility.
Continue Reading State Department Pauses Immigrant Visa Interviews Worldwide as Consular Officers Undergo New Public Charge Training
On Aug. 5, 2026, DOS announced the Immigrant Visa Public Charge Bond Pilot Program, which allows consular officers to invite certain immigrant visa applicants found inadmissible on public charge grounds to post a bond as a condition of visa issuance.
Continue Reading A Second Visa Bond, Aimed at Immigrants: DOS Launches a Public Charge Bond Pilot Beginning in the Dominican Republic
The Department of State (DOS) established a temporary Paid Expedite pilot program allowing certain B-1/B-2 visa applicants to pay an additional fee for expedited visa interview scheduling. DOS has now launched the pilot program, providing eligible applicants at designated U.S. consular posts with the opportunity to obtain earlier visa interview appointments.
Continue Reading Department of State Launches $750 Paid Expedite Pilot Program for B-1/B-2 Visa Interview Appointments
U.S. consular operations in Israel have resumed after the prior closure of the U.S. Branch Office in Tel Aviv and the pause in consular processing.
On Feb. 28, 2026, the U.S. Department of State issued a Worldwide Caution security alert following the launch of U.S. combat operations in Iran.
Continue Reading State Department Issues Worldwide Caution: What Visa Applicants and US Travelers Need to Know
The U.S. Department of State has published its March 2026 Visa Bulletin, and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) confirmed that employment-based adjustment applicants must rely on the Dates for Filing chart this month, instead of the Final Action chart.
The U.S. government is rapidly expanding its use of AI across immigration and visa adjudications. While much of the public discussion focuses on efficiency and enforcement, these developments carry concrete
Continue Reading The US Government’s Expanding Use of AI in Immigration Adjudications: Considerations for Employers and Investors
U.S. consulates across India have begun cancelling and automatically rescheduling H-1B and H-4 visa appointments (often 90 to 120 days later) due to the new online presence and social media
Continue Reading US Consulates in India Conduct Mass Rescheduling of Visa Appointments as New Screening Rules Launch
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
In a new procedural development, U.S. consular posts have started forwarding B-1 in lieu of H-1B visa applications to the Department of State (DOS)’s Visa Office in Washington, D.C., for
Continue Reading US Consulates Now Requiring Additional Review in Washington for B-1 in Lieu of H-1B Visa Applications