The U.S. Department of State (DOS) announced July 25, 2025, a significant change to its interview waiver policy effective Sept. 2, 2025. This policy revision will require most nonimmigrant visa applicants to attend in-person consular interviews, altering the visa processing landscape for HR departments and legal teams. This change arrives following a rollback that began
In recent years, many immigration applicants have filed mandamus actions with the federal courts, seeking them to compel U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and the Department of State (DOS) to adjudicate delayed immigration benefits applications. Invariably, when a mandamus action is brought, the defendants not only include USCIS, its director, the DOS, and its
According to the U.S. Treasury Department, every year a significant number of Americans renounce their U.S. citizenship. The reasons vary, and often include a stronger allegiance to another country, family dynamics, or the complexities of U.S. tax and financial regulations for citizens living abroad. Renouncing U.S. citizenship is a major decision with far-reaching consequences.
Why
On Nov. 28, 2023, the U.S. Department of State (DOS) released a press release highlighting its visa operations achievements in the federal fiscal year 2023 (FY 2023) from October 2022 through September 2023. During FY 2023, DOS issued more than 10.4 million nonimmigrant visas globally and half of U.S. embassies and consulates adjudicated more nonimmigrant
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has issued updated guidance in its Policy Manual, which makes a key change in the interpretation of when an immigrant visa number “becomes available” for the purpose of calculating a child’s age under the Child Status Protection Act (CSPA). Under this new guidance, starting Feb. 14, 2023, USCIS will
The U.S. Department of State (DOS) plans to test a program that would permit H- and L-visa holders to renew their visa stamps from within the United States, rather than requiring those individuals to travel abroad to renew their visas at a U.S. consulate. A visa stamp is placed in a visa holder’s passport, allowing
The U.S. Department of State (DOS) has published the December 2022 bulletin which reflects an increased demand across multiple categories. As warned in last month’s bulletin, the December bulletin implements a world-wide cut-off for the EB-2 category.
DOS also warns in its December bulletin that due to increased demand and number use in the EB-1
The State Department updated its Foreign Affairs Manual on intent to depart and residence abroad requirements for F-1 and M-1 students. The new guidance clarifies that although F-1 and M-1 students are required to show a residence abroad when applying for a student visa, the context is inherently different than that for B visitor and