UPDATE 10/1/2026
On September 30, 2026, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California invalidated the $100,000 fee imposed under the 2025 Executive Order and its 2026 extension. The fee remains blocked as a result of this ruling and the July 23, 2026, decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals.
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9/21/2026
News
Oct 1, 2026
Sep 28, 2026
Sep 24, 2026
On August 25, 2026, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) published a proposed rule, Fee for Certain H-1B Petitions, that would impose an additional $
Sep 23, 2026
9/23/2026
- On 9/10/26, the Department of State issued an official "cable" instructing U.S. embassies and consulates to immediately resume the processing and issuance of immigrant visas.
8/26/2026
Sep 11, 2026
On September 11, 2026, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) titled "Eliminating the Discretionary 60-Day Grace Period." The proposed rule would eliminate the discretionary grace period of up to 60 days that individuals in E–1, E–2, E–3, H–1B, H–1B1, L–1, O–1, or TN status may receive if and when their employment ends before their approved period of stat
Aug 24, 2026
On August 24, 2026, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM), Fee for Certain H-1B Petitions, scheduled for publication on August 25. The proposed rule would impose a $103,265 fee on all initial cap-subject H-1B petitions, including those eligible for the advanced-degree exemption.
Aug 24, 2026
On Friday, August 21, a federal judge struck down the immigrant visa processing pause that was originally announced on January 14, 2026. The stated purpose of the pause was to allow the agency to reassess procedures for determining whether applicants are likely to become financially dependent on the U.S. government.
Aug 12, 2026
On August 5th, 2026, USCIS announced a new policy intended to reduce frivolous immigration benefits requests. Under this new policy, USCIS adjudicators can now deny a petition or application without first issuing a Request for Evidence (RFE) or a Notice of Intent to Deny (NOID) if all required evidence is not included or if a benefit requestor fails to demonstrate eligibility for a benefit.
Jul 27, 2026
June 8, 2026: A federal judge blocked the $100,000 fee for H-1B visa applications imposed by the Trump administration, determining that the administration exceeded its authority, and that the fee usurped Congress’s power to set immigration policy and taxes.
Jun 5, 2026
On June 5, 2026, the U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island ruled that USCIS’s Benefits Hold Policy, the Global Asylum Hold Policy, the Comprehensive Re-Review Policy, and the Country-Specific Factors Policy are unlawful, discriminatory, and beyond USCIS’s authority.