Beginning in mid-December 2025, the U.S. consular posts in India (commonly referred to as “Mission India”) initiated widespread cancellations and rescheduling of H-1B visa appointments. Many interviews were postponed to March 2026 or later, with some applicants reporting dates extending…
Update (August 5, 2026): Federal Courts Have Blocked the $100,000 Fee The $100,000 payment requirement described in this alert is not currently being enforced. In California v. Mullin, twenty states challenged the agencies’ implementation of the Proclamation (Proclamation No. 10973,…
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has implemented significant regulatory updates to modernize, clarify, and enhance the H-1B visa program and related employment-based nonimmigrant classifications. These updates provide greater clarity, improve program integrity, and offer additional benefits and flexibilities. Below,…
On December 20, 2024, DOS announced a pilot program for renewing certain nonimmigrant visas within the United States, starting on January 29, 2024, and concluding on April 1, 2024. This program aims to test and improve the process for renewing…
As part of the agreement to settle the Edakunni class action lawsuit challenging H-4 and L-2 adjudication delays, on January 20, 2023, USCIS agreed to resume bundling the adjudication of Form I-539 and Form I-765 for the spouses and minor children of H-1B and…
How long can I remain in H-1b Status? A person can normally only remain in H-1B status for six (6) years. Time spent in L status counts towards the six years. If a person spends less than six months a…
Every year there are only 65,000 H-1B visas available to applicants in general. This 65,000 is known as the Regular Cap. Beneficiaries who have “earned a master’s or higher degree from a United States institution of higher education,” are not…
USCIS has announced that they have received enough electronic registrations during the initial period to reach the FY 2021 H-1B numerical allocations (H-1B cap), and have randomly selected from among the registrations properly submitted. They have notified petitioners with selected…
USCIS has announced the registration period will be open from March 9, 2021, to March 25, 2021, and will continue to use a random selection process for this year’s H-1B lottery. March 9: H-1B registration process opens at Noon, Eastern Time;…
The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California set aside the DHS interim final rule, Strengthening the H-1B Nonimmigrant Visa Classification Program, and the DOL interim final rule, Strengthening Wage Protections for the Temporary and Permanent Employment of Certain Aliens…
