As we approach the 2025 holiday season, many foreign nationals and their families are preparing for travel, reunions, and family gatherings. Even during this joyous time of year, it is crucial to stay on top of important...more
12/9/2025
/ Corporate Counsel ,
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) ,
Employment Authorization Documents (EAD) ,
Foreign Nationals ,
H-1B ,
Immigration Procedures ,
International Travel ,
Popular ,
Presidential Proclamations ,
Social Media ,
Travelers ,
USCIS ,
Visa Applications ,
Visas
Yesterday, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced an interim final rule, effective October 30, 2025, ending the agency's longstanding practice of automatically extending the validity of employment authorization...more
10/30/2025
/ Adjustment of Status ,
Corporate Counsel ,
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) ,
Employer Responsibilities ,
Employment Authorization Documents (EAD) ,
Foreign Nationals ,
Form I-9 ,
H-4 Spouses ,
Immigration Procedures ,
Interim Final Rules (IFR) ,
USCIS
United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced that the $100,000 H-1B fee does not apply to workers already in the U.S., even in some other status such as visitor or student, as long as they are...more
10/23/2025
/ Business Immigration ,
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) ,
Filing Requirements ,
Foreign Workers ,
Form I-129 ,
H-1B ,
Immigration Procedures ,
Non-Immigrant Visas ,
Presidential Proclamations ,
Temporary Work Visas ,
USCIS
Clarification as of 6:00 p.m. Eastern on September 20, 2025: USCIS has confirmed that the proclamation applies only prospectively to petitions that have not yet been filed: The proclamation does NOT apply to aliens who: are...more
Adjudication of F, M, and J nonimmigrant visas – paused for the last month – will soon resume, and applicants will be subject to heightened screening and vetting, including of their social media accounts....more
On June 4, 2025, President Trump issued a proclamation restricting entries for people from 19 countries based on national security concerns about deficient vetting and screening processes with a June 9, 2025 start date. A...more
On April 11, 2025, USCIS will begin enforcing a requirement that certain foreign nationals register with the agency and submit to fingerprinting if they remain in the U.S. for 30 days or longer. This alert summarizes the...more
The official USCIS announcement of registration and filing dates for the H-1B CAP Registration process is quickly approaching and with the inauguration of the second Trump administration, there is much uncertainty about the...more
The first Trump administration brought significant changes to U.S. immigration policies, which had profound impacts on businesses and individuals alike. Donald Trump has shared plans for closing the U.S. borders and enforcing...more
11/18/2024
/ Business Disruption ,
E-Verify ,
Foreign Nationals ,
Foreign Workers ,
Form I-9 ,
Hiring & Firing ,
Immigrants ,
Immigration Procedures ,
Immigration Reform ,
Popular ,
Strategic Planning ,
Trump Administration ,
Visas
USCIS published a final rule (the Final Rule) on January 31, 2024, increasing certain filing fees that went into effect on April 1, 2024....more
In addition to the increase in Premium Processing Fees already slated to become effective February 26, 2024, USCIS has announced filing fee increases for almost all other filings, with discounted fees in many cases for online...more
Now is the time to start planning your visa applications for the summer. In addition to reduced appointment availability in many countries due to limited operations and staffing, many nonimmigrant visa (NIV) application fees...more
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced a new mail delivery process for processing ADIT stamps for lawful permanent residents. The Alien Documentation, Identification, and Telecommunication (ADIT)...more
It's that time of year again: H-1B CAP season! The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) initial registration period for H-1B CAP will open at 12 p.m. ET on March 1 and run through 12 p.m. ET on March 17, 2023....more
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced several important changes this week: expansion of premium processing for several employment-based categories; resumption of concurrent processing of spousal...more
As the holidays approach and you are considering traveling abroad, it's important to be mindful of the limited consular availability and need for a valid visa stamp to return to the U.S. (unless you're Canadian or traveling...more
Employers who file labor certifications/PERM applications on behalf of their workers need to prepare for changes in the recruitment process that will be driven by Equal Pay Transparency (EPT) laws. Many states have enacted...more
Effective May 2, 2022, eligible noncitizen visitors traveling under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) through land ports of entry will no longer be required to complete a paper Form I-94W upon arrival and instead, as they have...more
It's that time of year again – H-1B CAP season! The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that the initial registration period for H-1B CAP will open at noon Eastern on March 1, 2022 and will...more
President Trump has issued a new Proclamation that immediately extends to December 31, 2020 its April 22 suspension of certain immigrant visas (family categories other than spouse and children of citizens; employment...more
President Trump has issued a new Proclamation that immediately extends to December 31, 2020 its April 22 suspension of certain immigrant visas (family categories other than spouse and children of citizens; employment...more
Baker Donelson has been closely monitoring serious developments in the White House concerning its possible use of emergency powers for development of an expanded proclamation to suspend the entry of certain nonimmigrant visa...more
Just as FY20's H-1B approved cap cases are reaching the October 1 effective date for their authorized period of employment, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) reminds us that there are changes to the cap lottery...more
Spring is in the air, and H-1B excitement abounds. Now is the time to take stock of your H-1B needs for FY20, which begins on October 1, 2019. ...more
On November 19, 2018, the Department of Labor (DOL) implemented amendments to its attestation-based Labor Condition Application Form ETA 9035/9035E, which is a prerequisite filing by employers sponsoring workers in the H-1B,...more