On Aug. 21, 2026, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York issued a decision in Catholic Legal Immigration Network (CLINIC), et al. v. Rubio, striking down a Department of State policy that suspended immigrant visa issuance to nationals of 75 countries based on generalized public charge concerns and vacated the policy.
Continue Reading Federal Court Suspends State Department’s Immigrant Visa Ban Affecting 75 Countries
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
A new final rule permanently establishes the Visa Bond Program for certain B-1/B-2 visa applicants, including bond amounts, eligibility criteria, forfeiture provisions, and travel restrictions.
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
Recent USCIS policy changes and Department of State staffing challenges may affect employment-based permanent residence processing.
Recent news reports regarding the erroneous registration of noncitizens to vote serve as an important reminder of a broader issue that immigration practitioners encounter with increasing frequency: the disconnect between state administrative systems and the federal immigration system.
The U.S. Department of State published a final rule implementing changes to the Diversity Immigrant Visa Program to strengthen security, improve vetting, and combat fraud.
Continue Reading State Department Final Rule Reinstates Passport Requirement for Diversity Visa Lottery Entries Beginning with DV-2027
The U.S. Department of State has added a new “Specialized Trainer” subcategory to the B-1 business visitor classification, offering multinational companies a clearer framework for bringing foreign experts to the United States to transfer proprietary knowledge to U.S. workers.
For at least the next 30 days, the United States will suspend entry for certain noncitizens who have been physically present in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, or South Sudan within the previous 21 days, regardless of nationality.
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