News

On July 25, 2025, the Department of State announced that, effective September 2, 2025, all applicants for a nonimmigrant visa, regardless of their age, will generally need to attend an in-person interview with a consular officer. Visa interview waivers will remain available in limited circumstances, as described in the Department of State announcement. 

On June 4, 2025, President Trump issued a Presidential Proclamation titled: Restricting the Entry of Foreign Nationals to Protect the United States from Foreign Terrorists and Other National Security and Public Safety Threats.

In an effort to increase its screening and vetting of individual beneficiaries, USCIS may request that a beneficiary of a pending H-1B petition appear for a "biometrics" appointment at a designated USCIS Application Support Center for the collection of a digital picture, signature and fingerprints.

On 4/5/2025, the U.S. Department of State announced it revoked all visas held by South Sudanese passport holders and would not issue visas to South Sudanese passport holders. 

Read the full press statement "Defending America’s Security through Visa and Travel Restrictions on South Sudan" on the U.S. Department of State website. 

On 2/18/2025, the US Department of State announced changes to the eligibility criteria for nonimmigrant interview waivers, also known as "drop box appointments." If you qualify for a visa interview waiver, you can apply for a visa without an in-person interview at a U.S. embassy or consulate.

FSIS is closely tracking any developments in immigration policy and will continue to share updates through our usual communication channels. While the new Administration has announced several executive orders, none of them directly affect employment-based immigration (e.g. H-1B). However, some of these orders may impact processing times at USCIS or U.S. consulates abroad, and they could lay the groundwork for potential future restrictions, such as travel bans. 

On 12/18/2024, USCIS issued its Final Rule titled "Modernizing H-1B Requirements, Providing Flexibility in the F–1 Program, and Program Improvements Affecting Other Nonimmigrant Workers," which is scheduled to take effect on 1/17/25.

On 12/10/2024, the US Department of Homeland Security announced that it is permanently extending the automatic extension period for certain EAD applicants from 180 to 540 days.

On 12/6/2024, the US Department of State announced that, effective 12/9/2024, it is changing the J-1 "skills list." If a country is removed from the skills list, the two-year home residency obligation is retroactively removed for individuals from that country as long as they are not also subject on a different basis, e.g. government funding or J-1 program category (Alien Physician).