News & Analysis as of

US Department of State

Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart,...

USCIS Requires Final Action Dates for Employment-Based Filings in June 2026

The U.S. Department of State’s June 2026 Visa Bulletin confirms that U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will again require use of the Final Action Dates chart—rather than the more permissive Dates for Filing...more

Poyner Spruill LLP

2026 FIFA World Cup: U.S. Travel and Visa Considerations

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As one of the three host countries for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the United States is expecting a significant increase in international travel this summer. Foreign nationals planning to travel to or from the United States to...more

Morrison & Foerster LLP

New Cuba Sanctions Broaden Targeting Authorities—and Risk to Foreign Financial Institutions

On May 1, 2026, the Trump Administration escalated U.S. sanctions on Cuba by issuing Executive Order (E.O.) 14404, which, in part: (i) provides broad authority to designate parties determined to participate in key sectors of...more

Fisher Phillips

New State Department Rules Bar Visa Applicants Who Fear Returning Home: 5 Steps for Employers

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Nonimmigrant visa applicants who admit they’ve experienced harm in their home country or fear returning there will now be denied a visa, according to a new State Department directive that came down last week. This April 28...more

Tarter Krinsky & Drogin LLP

USCIS Expected to Pause Many Domestic Applications for Immigration Benefits

Applications Now Subject to Enhanced Security Vetting - At the end of April 2026, members of the American Immigration Lawyers Association were reporting to the national organization that many of their clients were...more

Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP

Imposing Sanctions on Those Responsible for Repression in Cuba and for Threats to United States National Security and Foreign...

Expands upon Executive Order 14380 that established a national emergency regarding Cuba due its threat to U.S. national security by directing the Department of State and Treasury to block U.S. trade with foreign persons...more

Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP

ITAR Brokering: Two Federal Register Notices Remind Defense Contractors Not to Overlook Broker Registration

Two recent regulatory notices spotlight often overlooked “brokering” obligations for international defense contractors. For companies involved in any aspect of the international defense trade, these notices serve as a useful...more

Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer

Updated asylum-related questions at US consulate visa interviews may be grounds for nonimmigrant visa denials

Several major media outlets have reported that on April 28, 2026, the U.S. Department of State issued a cable, effective immediately, directing consular officers to “request that a nonimmigrant visa applicant affirm that he...more

Morgan Lewis

US Department of State Releases May 2026 Visa Bulletin

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The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will use the Final Action Dates Chart for Employment-Based Adjustment of Status Applications in May 2026. As a result, many adjustment of status applicants who were eligible...more

Cozen O'Connor

Growing Use of Artificial Intelligence in U.S. Immigration Adjudications Is Driving Higher RFE and Denial Rates

Cozen O'Connor on

U.S. immigration agencies are rapidly expanding their use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in case processing, fraud detection, and security screening. While these systems are intended to improve efficiency, they are also...more

Friling Law

ITAR Brokering in Foreign Defense Transactions: DS-4294 Approval, Expanding Enforcement, and Hidden Liability Risks

Friling Law on

I. Executive Overview - Brokering under the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) is one of the most misunderstood and increasingly enforced areas of U.S. export control law....more

Jackson Lewis P.C.

State Department Expands ‘Online Presence Review’ for Additional Nonimmigrant Visas Effective March 30

Jackson Lewis P.C. on

The Department of State has announced an expansion of its 2025 visa screening and vetting process for certain nonimmigrant visas to other classifications. The new policy is scheduled to go into effect March 30, 2026....more

Clark Hill PLC

United States Department of State Announces Expansion of Online Presence Review for Additional Visa Categories Starting March 30,...

Clark Hill PLC on

Starting March 30, 2026, U.S. visa applicants in all A-3, C-3 (domestic worker), G-5, H-3, H-4 dependents of H-3, K-1, K-2, Q, R-1, R-2, S, T, and U classifications will undergo a review of their online presence by the...more

Morgan Lewis

US Department of State Releases April 2026 Visa Bulletin

Morgan Lewis on

The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will use the Dates for Filing Chart for Employment-Based Adjustment of Status Applications in April 2026. The Dates for Filing chart shows significant advancement in several...more

Clark Hill PLC

April 2026 Visa Bulletin: “Current” Events

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Foreign nationals and their sponsoring US employers eagerly await the monthly release of the US Department of State (DOS) Visa Bulletin, to confirm when they will be eligible to apply for permanent residence in the US: the...more

Gibney Anthony & Flaherty, LLP

Diversity Immigrant Visa Program Update: New Passport Requirement with Entry Form

The U.S. Department of State (DOS) published a final rule amending Diversity Immigrant Visa Program (DV Program) requirements for enhanced vetting. What is the Diversity Visa Lottery Program?...more

Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart,...

Diversity Visa Lottery Selection Opens on March 11, 2026

The U.S. Diversity Visa (DV) program, established by the Immigration Act of 1990 and known as the “Diversity Lottery,” aims to increase immigrant diversity by selecting individuals from countries with historically low U.S....more

Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart,...

B-1 Visa Updates: New Specialized Trainers Category for Foreign Nationals

The U.S. Department of State recently updated the Foreign Affairs Manual (9 FAM 402.2) to expand and clarify the scope of B-1 visa eligibility for foreign nationals providing after-sales services and training to U.S. workers....more

Thompson Coburn LLP

Top Takeaways on 2026 Business Immigration Trends and the H‑1B Lottery

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What’s Changing—and Why It Matters- Recent changes across U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), the U.S. Department of State, the U.S. Department of Labor, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement are creating...more

Morgan Lewis

US Department of State Releases March 2026 Visa Bulletin

Morgan Lewis on

The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will use the Dates for Filing Chart for Employment-Based Adjustment of Status Applications in March 2026. The Dates for Filing chart shows significant advancement in several...more

Clark Hill PLC

March 2026 Visa Bulletin: Spring Forward!

Clark Hill PLC on

Foreign nationals and their sponsoring US employers eagerly await the monthly release of the US Department of State (DOS) Visa Bulletin, to confirm when they will be eligible to apply for permanent residence in the US: the...more

Cozen O'Connor

Mass Cancellations of H-1B Visa Appointments at U.S. Consulates in India: What You Need To Know

Cozen O'Connor on

Since December 2025, the U.S. Consulates in India have been undergoing changes that applicants should consider when traveling abroad or scheduling appointments with the U.S. Consulates in India. The first major change has...more

Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick, LLP

Client Alert: Impact of the Mass Cancellation of H-1B Visa Appointments at U.S. Consulates in India

Beginning in mid-December 2025, U.S. Mission India commenced a mass cancellation of H-1B visa appointments, with rescheduled interviews now being pushed to March 2026 and later. This widespread disruption is believed to be...more

Robinson Immigration Law

March 2026 Visa Bulletin: EB-2 “Date for Filing” Now Current for Rest of World — Key Implications and Limitations

On February 19, 2026, the U.S. Department of State released the March 2026 Visa Bulletin, which reflects substantial forward movement in several employment-based (EB) categories. Most notably, the EB-2 category is now listed...more

Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck

President Trump’s “America First Arms Transfer Strategy”

President Trump signed an Executive Order (EO) on Feb. 6 establishing an “America First Arms Transfer Strategy,” outlining a plan to make significant changes in how the United States sells weapons to other countries. Trump’s...more

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