Policy Updates

October 2026 Visa Bulletin: EB-2 and EB-3 Rest of World Retrogress, EB-2 India Reopens

The first bulletin of fiscal year 2027 ends current EB-2 for most countries, moving its final action date to January 1, 2025, and pulls EB-3 Rest of World back to May 15, 2024. EB-2 India reopens and EB-1 India advances. USCIS is accepting October employment-based I-485s under the Dates for Filing chart.

USCIS Opens Dates for Filing Chart for October 2026 Employment-Based Green Card Applications

USCIS will accept employment-based I-485s in October 2026 under the Dates for Filing chart. EB-2 Rest of World applicants with priority dates before March 15, 2026 can file, even though final action retrogressed to January 1, 2025.

Proposal at publication

5 reports · One policy timeline

DHS Proposes $103K H-1B Fee — Here's What It Means for Employers and Workers

The Trump administration has proposed a $103,265 fee on new cap-subject H-1B petitions — a move critics say is designed to price out foreign skilled workers. This is the second attempt at a massive H-1B fee hike; the first $100,000 version was struck down by a federal court in June. If finalized, this could reshape who gets sponsored and who doesn't.

Daily Brief: Two takes on the proposed $103K H-1B fee and AILA's legal challenge

The Trump administration has published a proposed rule that would charge employers over $103,000 per new cap-subject H-1B petition, months after a federal judge struck down a nearly identical fee. Immigration lawyers are calling it legally dubious, and the rule could limit which employers can realistically sponsor H-1B workers.

USCIS Sets September 2026 Green Card Filing Rules — EB Applicants Face Tighter Chart

USCIS has announced which visa bulletin charts to use for adjustment of status applications in September 2026. Employment-based applicants must use the stricter Final Action Dates chart, while family-sponsored applicants get access to the more permissive Dates for Filing chart. If you're waiting to file your I-485, this distinction could determine whether you can file at all this month.

Federal Judge Strikes Down Trump's 75-Country Visa Ban — What It Means for You

A federal judge has vacated the Trump administration's sweeping pause on visa processing for nationals of 75 countries, ruling it illegal under existing immigration law. The Hill reported the decision, handed down August 22, 2026, finding that Secretary of State Marco Rubio exceeded his authority. If you're from one of the affected countries, this ruling could reopen a path that's been blocked since January.

USCIS Tightens Green Card Rules: Broader Public Charge Test Takes Effect Sept. 18

Starting September 18, USCIS officers will apply a wider, more discretionary standard when deciding whether green card applicants could become reliant on government benefits — and they can even consider a U.S. citizen family member's benefit usage against you. The Hill reported on the change, which replaces the Biden-era 2022 framework with a five-factor case-by-case review. If you're on a path to a green card through an H-1B or family petition, this is a shift you need to understand now.

USCIS Drops New I-485 Form Sept. 18 — Old Versions Rejected Immediately

If you're applying for a green card, your form has an expiration date. USCIS is releasing a new edition of Form I-485 on September 18, 2026 — and old versions will be rejected on the spot, with zero grace period. Here's what that means if you're planning to file soon.

USCIS Revamps Green Card Form I-485 Starting Sept 18 — No Grace Period

USCIS is replacing the current Form I-485 on September 18, 2026, with no grace period — meaning applicants who send the wrong version get rejected outright. The biggest change is a revamped public charge section that strips out much of the explanatory guidance that previously lived inside the form instructions. If you're planning to file for adjustment of status, the edition you use could make or break your application.

USCIS Rewrites Public Charge Rules — What Green Card Applicants Must Know Now

USCIS has issued new guidance on the public charge ground of inadmissibility, effective September 18, 2026, following the rollback of a 2022 rule. AILA reported the update, which reshapes how officers evaluate whether applicants could become financially dependent on government benefits. If you're applying for a green card or adjustment of status, this change could affect your case.

USCIS Now Has Power to Force E-Filing — What Every Visa Applicant Must Know

USCIS just gained sweeping authority to mandate electronic filing for immigration benefit requests, moving away from paper applications for good. Starting immediately, USCIS can require e-filing for any form that's been available online for at least 180 days — which covers most major forms right now. If you file paper today, you may soon have no choice but to go digital.

2 reports · One policy timeline

DHS Expands 9-11 Biometric Fee to All H-1B & L-1 Extensions Starting Sept 9

Starting September 9, 2026, employers filing H-1B or L-1 extension petitions will owe an additional $4,500 (H-1B) or $4,000 (L-1) fee — even if the worker is staying with the same employer. DHS is correcting its decade-long misreading of the law, and the cost hits employers who were previously exempt from this fee on same-employer renewals. If your company sponsors H-1B or L-1 workers, your renewal budget is about to change.