Policy Updates

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.

White House Orders Visa Revocations and Bans for Pregnant Travelers — What Nonimmigrant Visitors Must Know

President Trump signed an executive order targeting 'birth tourism' — the practice of traveling to the US on a nonimmigrant visa specifically to give birth. The order empowers DHS and the State Department to deny visas, revoke existing authorizations, and permanently bar foreign nationals deemed to be entering for this purpose. If you're a pregnant nonimmigrant traveler or planning to visit the US while pregnant, this order could directly affect your visa application or entry.

USCIS Can Now Deny Your Application Without Asking for More Evidence

Starting August 5, 2026, USCIS officers can reject incomplete or ineligible immigration applications outright — without first issuing a Request for Evidence (RFE) or Notice of Intent to Deny (NOID). This is a major shift from Biden-era policy and raises the stakes for anyone filing a benefit request. One missing document could now mean an instant denial instead of a second chance.

USCIS Can Now Reject Your Petition Later If It Lacks a Valid Signature

Starting July 10, 2026, USCIS has new authority to reject or deny any immigration benefit request — even one it already accepted — if it later finds the signature is missing or invalid. This interim final rule closes a gap that let unsigned petitions slip through intake. If you've filed recently or plan to file, double-checking your signature could save your case.

Argentina's Tech Brain Drain Meets a Closed Door: How the New H-1B Landscape Prices Out Candidates Recruited From Abroad

Argentine tech workers and AI researchers are leaving the country in growing numbers as Milei's austerity guts public research funding. But the U.S. H-1B pathway they once relied on has become functionally inaccessible: the $100,000 fee targets workers hired from outside the U.S., and the new wage-weighted lottery favors candidates already in the country. The practical result is a closed loop that benefits neither Argentine talent nor American employers trying to recruit them.

White House Nominates Mullin as DHS Secretary — What It Means for Visa Holders

The White House has sent Markwayne Mullin's nomination as Secretary of Homeland Security to the Senate for confirmation. As DHS oversees USCIS and immigration enforcement, a new secretary could shape H-1B, F-1, and other visa policies. Here's what immigration-watchers should know.

2 reports · One policy timeline

USCIS Raises Premium Processing Fees March 1, 2026 to Keep Pace with Inflation

USCIS is increasing its premium processing fees effective March 1, 2026, adjusting for inflation from June 2023 through June 2025. The fee hike follows a congressionally mandated biennial adjustment tied to the Consumer Price Index. Anyone filing Form I-907 on or after March 1 must use the new, higher fees.