On January 1, 2026, USCIS issued new policy guidance to place a hold on final adjudication of immigration benefits for individuals with a nationality or country of birth that is covered by the December 16, 2025 Presidential Proclamation titled: Restricting and Limiting the Entry of Foreign Nationals to Protect the Security of the United States. USCIS also announced it will conduct a comprehensive review of “all policies, procedures, and screening and vetting processes for benefit requests” for individuals from affected countries as well as a “re-review” of benefit requests that were approved on or after January 20, 2021.
In effect, this new guidance revises and expands the existing pause on adjudication of benefit requests that USCIS announced on November 27, 2025 to include additional countries. Petitions and applications can still be filed. However, as a result of this new policy guidance, decisions on existing and new benefit requests (such as H-1B petitions or F-1 OPT applications) for citizens of and individuals born in the affected countries may be delayed.
Importantly, while USCIS conducts its “re-review” of previously approved benefit requests, the immigration status and employment authorization of affected individuals are not impacted. If you are a citizen of, or were born in, one of the affected countries and are contacted by USCIS about a previously approved application or if you have questions, please contact the International Center.
We will continue to monitor developments and will update this announcement as needed.