The U.S. Department of State has announced expanded screening and vetting procedures for visa applicants, effective Monday March 30. As a result, applying for a U.S. visa will now involve closer review of your background, including your online activity. Who Is Affected The following nonimmigrant visa applicants may now be…
On March 11, 2026, the U.S. Department of State published a final rule in the Federal Register requiring applicants to hold a valid passport before entering the Diversity Visa (DV) lottery—commonly known as the “green card lottery,” effective April 10, 2026. This change marks a return to a policy first…
We are pleased to report that the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Consular Affairs has published the April 2026 Visa Bulletin. In this blog post, we breakdown the movement of the employment-based and family-sponsored categories in the coming month. USCIS Adjustment of Status For adjustment of status filings to permanent…
Rising tensions in the Middle East are causing immediate disruptions to visa processing and international travel across the region. According to the State Department, several embassies throughout the Middle East have halted or significantly limited visa services following airstrikes targeting Iran and subsequent retaliatory actions. The situation is fluid and…
We are pleased to report that the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Consular Affairs has published the March 2026 Visa Bulletin. In this blog post, we breakdown the movement of the employment-based and family-sponsored categories in the coming month. USCIS Adjustment of Status For adjustment of status filings to permanent…
On January 21, the Trump administration quietly froze immigrant visa processing for people from 75 countries — a move that instantly threw thousands of families, workers, and employers into uncertainty. Just weeks later, civil rights organizations and affected U.S. citizens who were separated from their family members have filed a…
In a new change to U.S. consular policy, the State Department has announced it will indefinitely pause immigrant visa issuance for nationals of 75 countries (see listed countries below), while it establishes a process for determining whether applicants are likely to become financially dependent on the U.S. government (also known…
We are pleased to report that the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Consular Affairs has published the February 2026 Visa Bulletin. In this blog post, we breakdown the movement of the employment-based and family-sponsored categories in the coming month. USCIS Adjustment of Status For adjustment of status filings to permanent residence in…
The U.S. State Department announced on November 5, 2025, that it’s making changes to the 2027 Diversity Visa (DV) lottery. While it hasn’t yet confirmed when registration will open, the government says those dates—and the timing for entry-status check results—will be released “as soon as practicable.” Importantly, these changes do…
We are pleased to report that the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Consular Affairs has published the December 2025 Visa Bulletin. In this blog post, we breakdown the movement of the employment-based and family-sponsored categories in the coming month. USCIS Adjustment of Status For adjustment of status filings to permanent…