Immigration Updates

On October 14, 2026, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS) published a proposed rule that would end USCIS’s practice of generally deferring to prior eligibility determinations when adjudicating nonimmigrant extension petitions.   DHS states that eliminating the deference requirement would strengthen program integrity, […]

Many foreign nationals and their families have recently reported receiving correspondence from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) referencing federal compliance, registration, or recordkeeping requirements. Receiving an unexpected government notice can understandably cause concern, particularly for individuals with pending immigration applications.  Why Am I Receiving This Notice?  Federal immigration laws […]

On October 8, 2026, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) proposed a rule that could dramatically alter the Optional Practical Training (OPT) and STEM OPT landscape for international students, universities, and U.S. employers.  If implemented, the proposal would require educational institutions to pay substantial fees before a Designated School Official […]

On September 29, 2026, USCIS published the October 2026 Visa Bulletin that contains a notable development for EB-5 investors born in mainland China. At the same time, USCIS has announced significant increases to EB-5 filing fees, effective later this year.  Significant Advancement in EB-5 Dates for Filing  The October 2026 […]