Posts

Sep 29, 2026 • Policy Updates • 3 min read

Final EB-5 Fee Rule Publishes Sept. 30: I-526 Doubles to $7,615 Against Today's Court-Restored Fees, Effective in 60 Days

DHS's final EB-5 fee rule (FR 2026-20016) sets the I-526 at $7,615 and I-526E at $7,850, more than double the $3,675 fee USCIS has charged since Moody v. Noem, effective 60 days after Sept. 30 publication.

EB-5 USCIS Green Card

Sep 29, 2026 • Visa News • 3 min read

October Visa Bulletin Ends 'Current' EB-2 for Most Countries: Rest-of-World Final Action Drops to Jan. 1, 2025 as India Reopens

The FY2027 opening bulletin retrogresses EB-2 Rest of World to a January 1, 2025 final action date and reopens EB-2 India at November 1, 2013. USCIS will accept the Dates for Filing chart in October.

Visa Bulletin EB-2 NIW USCIS

Sep 28, 2026 • Immigration News • 3 min read

USCIS August Data: Family-Petition Denials Nearly Tripled and Employment Green Card Waits Hit 11.8 Months

USCIS's August 2026 report to Congress shows I-130 denials jumping from 5,480 to 14,704 in a month, employment-based I-485 processing climbing to 11.8 months, and the N-400 backlog passing 813,000.

USCIS Processing Times EB-2 Green Card

Sep 26, 2026 • Policy Updates • 4 min read

22 State Attorneys General Tell DHS to Withdraw the $103,265 H-1B Fee, Previewing the Next Lawsuit

On Sept 24, a 22-attorney-general coalition led by California and Massachusetts, the states that got the $100,000 H-1B payment vacated in court, filed comments calling the proposed $103,265 cap-subject fee an unlawful tax and urging USCIS to withdraw it.

H-1B USCIS NIW

Sep 25, 2026 • Policy Updates • 3 min read

The $103,265 H-1B Fee Rule Drew More Than 11,700 Comments as the Window Closed, With Hospitals, Universities and Business Groups Filing Against It

Comments on DHS's proposed $103,265 cap-subject H-1B fee closed Sept 24 with 11,706 posted and still counting. The AHA, AMA, U.S. Chamber, NAM, AAU, ACE and AILA were among the filers. Here is what happens before any final rule.

H-1B USCIS NIW

Sep 24, 2026 • Policy Updates • 3 min read

USCIS Ends the Weekend Grace Period for Birthday Deadlines Starting October 23, and Online Filings Never Get One

Policy Alert PA-2026-15 reverses a 2023 policy: from Oct. 23, 2026, USCIS will not extend age-based deadlines like a 21st birthday that fall on a weekend or holiday, and online filings get no next-business-day extension.

USCIS Policy Manual Filing Deadlines RFE

Sep 23, 2026 • Immigration News • 2 min read

FY2027 Refugee Ceiling Set at 17,500, Again Reserved Mostly for White South Africans

In a September 22 notice to Congress, the administration set the FY2027 refugee ceiling at 17,500, primarily for Afrikaners, with about $500 million budgeted for resettlement.

Refugees USCIS State Department

Sep 22, 2026 • Visa News • 2 min read

Social Media Vetting Expands to TN, TD and I Visa Applicants on October 1

The State Department will require I, TN and TD visa applicants to make their social media profiles public starting October 1, 2026, expanding a vetting program that already covers students, exchange visitors and H-1B workers.

Department of State Visa Policy TN Visa Social Media Vetting

Sep 22, 2026 • Green Card • 3 min read

The October Visa Bulletin Is Running Late — and It Carries the First EB-2 Numbers of FY2027

The October 2026 Visa Bulletin still had not been published as of September 22, later than most October bulletins. It will set the first employment-based cutoff dates of fiscal year 2027, with EB-2 India expected to reopen after being unavailable.

Visa Bulletin EB-2 NIW Priority Dates

Sep 21, 2026 • Policy Updates • 3 min read

DHS Quietly Extended Its "Mass Influx of Aliens" Finding for a Fifth Time - It Has Now Run Continuously for 20 Months

A Federal Register notice published September 21, 2026 extends the DHS Finding of Mass Influx of Aliens another 180 days - the fifth extension of a finding originally set to last 60 days.

USCIS Policy Updates