H-1B and H-4 visa applicants have joined the growing list of visa categories subject to the Department of State’s “online presence review.” Starting December 15, 2025, H-1B and H-4 visa applicants, including those applying...more
There have been many reports that the U.S. Department of State (DOS) has begun automatically rescheduling some H-1B and H-4 visa appointments, with the DOS admitting that it is doing so in an effort to free up resources...more
The U.S. Department of State is implementing an expanded vetting process for H-1B and H-4 visa applicants beginning December 15, 2025, requiring a mandatory review of applicants’ online presence, including public social media...more
Significant rescheduling of H-1B/H-4 visa appointments in India, ongoing restrictions on third-country processing, and expanded visa applicant screening and vetting have constrained visa-processing options and heightened...more
H-1B visa applicants in India are experiencing mass rescheduling of consular interviews in the wake of sweeping new social media vetting requirement announced by the US State Department last week. Applicants with appointments...more
Following last week’s announcement that the Dept. of State will expand social media vetting to H-1B and H-4 visa applicants, there have been reports that U.S. consulates are cancelling and rescheduling H-1B and H-4 visa...more
The U.S. Department of State is expanding its review of H-1B and H-4 visa applicants' online presences, and U.S. consulates have started canceling and rescheduling visa appointments scheduled on or after Dec. 15, 2025, when...more
As a result of operational constraints related to the enhanced social media vetting of H-1B and H-4 visa applicants that will go into effect on December 15, 2025, U.S. consulates in India have begun automatically rescheduling...more
Following the Dept. of State’s announcement that it will expand its “online presence review” to all H‑1B and H-4 visa applicants starting Dec. 15, 2025, U.S. Embassy and Consulates in India (“Mission India”) started, on Dec....more
Starting December 15, 2025, the U.S. Department of State will expand its online presence review to include all H-1B and dependent H-4 visa applicants. As part of the expansion, announced by the State Department on December 3,...more
The Department of State has announced a new security-screening requirement that will directly affect H-1B employees and their H-4 dependents whenever they travel internationally and need to renew their visas. Effective...more
The Department of State has announced that, effective December 15, 2025, all H-1B and H-4 visa applicants will be subject to an online presence review, expanding a requirement previously limited to F, M, and J student and...more
USCIS has announced the reduction of the maximum validity period from five years to 18 months for employment authorization documents (EAD) for certain categories of aliens or foreign nationals beginning Dec. 5, 2025. The...more
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) issued new guidance on Nov. 27, 2025, allowing for negative, country-specific factors to be considered when foreign nationals from 19 countries are vetted for any U.S....more
Following its Dec. 2, 2025 announcement to pause adjudication of certain U.S. immigration benefits applications filed by applicants born in or nationals of one of the 19 Travel Ban Countries, the U.S. government has announced...more
On December 3, 2025, the U.S. Department of State announced a significant expansion of digital vetting for visa applicants. Beginning December 15, 2025, H‑1B applicants and their H‑4 dependents will be subject to an...more
The U.S. Department of State announced that starting on December 15, 2025, the social media vetting requirement currently in place for F, M and J visa applicants will expand to include H-1B visa applicants and their H-4...more
As of December 15, 2025, the U.S. Department of State (DOS) will officially begin enhanced screening and vetting of those applying for an H-1B or H-4 visa at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate abroad by reviewing the social media...more
The federal government just rolled out a sweeping new social media vetting requirement that will reshape the visa process for H-1B workers and their families. Beginning December 15, all H-1B applicants – along with their H-4...more
The Department of State is planning to expand its oversight of all visa holders in the US, estimated at approximately 55 million foreign nationals, through a system known as “continuous vetting.” The program, announced late...more
From digital to physical evidence, the processes for evidence disclosure management are increasingly demanding due to the elevated volume of evidence being gathered during major cases and the strict timelines imposed by the...more
The U.S. Department of State has announced resumption of student and exchange visitor visa processing, along with expanded digital vetting procedures. The June 18, 2025, press release, “Announcement of Expanded Screening and...more
Recent United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and U.S. State Department updates require businesses and individuals to adhere to new TN visa eligibility criteria—such as prohibiting self-employment,...more
The U.S. Department of State (DOS) has temporarily paused the scheduling of new visa interviews for international students and exchange visitors applying for F, M and J visas. This directive, effective May 27, 2025, is part...more
Last week, an internal U.S. Department of State (DOS) correspondence pertaining to visa processing for international student and exchange visitors in the F, M, and J visa classifications was leaked and published by various...more