Business
Immigration Bulletin

USCIS has sent out selections for this year’s (FY 2026) lottery cases. Look out for selection emails! Note, there is a 90-day filing deadline from selection. Some foreign nationals (including students, individuals with soon-to-expire work authorization, and those with TPS) will need to file sooner to avoid status gaps and to minimize employment gaps.

The U.S. Department of State has just released the new visa bulletin for April 2025. Check out the new priority dates for your Green Card application.

Some consulates are changing the drop box visa appointment criteria when foreign nationals renew their visas abroad. Many consulates now require an interview (rather than use of drop box) where the visa being renewed has expired more than 12 months ago, or when a different visa classification is requested. Employees should book their visa renewal appointments early, check the consulate websites here www.usembassy.gov for updates, and be ready for extra scrutiny.

Employees who were/are on work visas (like H-1, L-1, O-1, TN, E-2 etc.) and have a pending I-485 green card, should consider renewing and maintaining non-immigrant status until the green card is issued. New USCIS policy states it will often start removal (deportation) proceedings when someone has an application denied and no other status. However, speak to your immigration attorney before filing anything, particularly if renewal requires a visa appointment abroad.

The U.S. Department of State has just released the new visa bulletin for March 2025. Check out the new priority dates for your Green Card application.

USCIS announced that the initial registration period for the fiscal year (FY) 2026 H-1B cap will open at 12:00 pm (ET) on March 7, 2025, and run through 12:00 pm (ET) on March 24, 2025.

USCIS announced that EADs with a Category Code of A12 or C19 for 2021 TPS Venezuela beneficiaries expiring on March 10, 2024, or September 9, 2022, will expire on March 10, 2025. Employers must reverify these EADs before employees begin work on March 11, 2025. EADs for 2023 TPS Venezuela beneficiaries expiring on April 2, 2025, must be reverified before work begins on April 3, 2025.

USCIS updated its policy guidance on National Interest Waiver EB-2 petitions with more specifics regarding evidence to successfully meet the regulatory criteria. For entrepreneurs, broad assertions of job creation and general economic benefits will not suffice; however, USCIS lists additional, helpful types of evidence.

In December 2024, DHS made permanent a temporary rule increasing the automatic extension period for certain categories of Employment Authorization Documents (EADs) from 180 days to up to 540 days.

The U.S. Department of State has just released the new visa bulletin for February 2025. Check out the new priority dates for your Green Card application.