U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced that the initial registration period for the fiscal year (FY) 2027 H-1B cap will open at noon ET on March 4, 2026 and run through noon ET on March 19, 2026. During this time, employers and their legal representatives must register each beneficiary through their USCIS online account […]
Governor Abbott Freezes H-1B Visa Petitions for Texas State Agencies and Public Universities
27 Jan
by Foster, on Immigration Updates
On January 27, 2026, Texas Governor Greg Abbott announced that all Texas public institutions of higher education and state agencies controlled by a gubernatorially appointed head must freeze the initiation and filing of new H-1B visa petitions until the end of the 90th regular legislative session on May 31, 2027. Until then, public universities and impacted state […]
Immigrant Visa Processing Paused for Nationals from 75 Countries
16 Jan
by Foster, on Immigration Updates
The U.S. Department of State (DOS) has announced updates to immigrant visa processing at U.S. consulates around the world for applicants from a specified list of 75 countries. The stated rationale for the pause is so that the DOS can review their assessment protocols to better determine whether certain applicants may potentially seek public benefits upon arrival in the U.S. Effective January 21, 2026, the DOS will pause the issuance of all immigrant visas to applicants who […]
The U.S. Department of State (DOS) has published the monthly Visa Bulletin for February 2026. Until February 1, the January 2026 Visa Bulletin remains in effect. The Visa Bulletin contains the DOS’s Final Action Dates chart, which lists the priority dates that are current in each respective category, the categories that are current during the applicable month (i.e., categories […]