On September 19, President Trump signed a Presidential Proclamation titled “Restriction on Entry of Certain Nonimmigrant Workers.” Here are the key pieces: A $100,000 payment requirement for certain H‑1B petitions: If someone is outside the U.S. and wants to enter under H‑1B status, the employer must include (or supplement) the petition with a $100,000 fee. Without that, the petition can be...
If you’ve been relying on the Dropbox (Interview Waiver) option to renew your U.S. visa, there’s big news you need to know. Starting September 2, 2025, the rules are changing—big time. What’s Changing? Up until now, many visa holders (H-1B, L-1, F-1 students, J-1 exchange visitors, etc.) could renew their visas without sitting through a consular interview, as long as they met the Dropbox...
Navigating the National Interest Waiver in 2025: Rising Filings, Lower Approvals, and Stricter Scrutiny. The National Interest Waiver (NIW) has long offered a valuable pathway for highly skilled professionals to obtain permanent residence in the United States without employer sponsorship. But recent USCIS trends reveal that the NIW landscape is changing rapidly and not necessarily in favor of...
On July 3, 2025 at the Iowa State Fairgrounds, President Trump unveiled a proposed new form of sponsorship for agricultural workers. If enacted, this could reshape how U.S. employers access foreign labor, especially in agriculture. Now, what is the H-2A Visa? The H-2A program allows U.S. agricultural employers to hire foreign seasonal or temporary workers when there aren’t enough U.S. workers...
For U.S. citizens living abroad, there is a lesser-known option to obtain U.S. citizenship for children born outside the United States: Form N-600K. This process allows eligible children to acquire citizenship through their U.S. citizen grandparents, even if the child has never lived in the U.S. Who Is Eligible? To qualify under the N-600K process, the child must: Be under 18 years old Reside...
On April 11, 2025, the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) issued new guidance allowing immigration judges to pretermit—or deny without a hearing—asylum applications that are legally insufficient on their face. This policy emphasizes that judges have discretion to assess whether an asylum application merits a full hearing, particularly when no factual disputes exist that would affect...
A Guide to Its Different Types If you're considering working in the U.S. for a multinational company or transferring from a foreign office to a U.S. branch, the L-1 visa could be your gateway to making that move. But not all L-1 visas are the same! There are two main types—the L-1A and the L-1B—and understanding the differences between them can help you figure out which one suits your situation....
Didn’t Get Selected in the H-1B Lottery?Here’s What You Can Do Next If you weren’t selected in this year’s H-1B lottery, you’re not alone — and more importantly, your U.S. immigration journey doesn’t end here. While it’s natural to feel disappointed, there are still several alternative visa options that could align with your background and goals. Here’s a breakdown of practical pathways you can...
On January 20, 2025, President Trump issued Executive Order 14159, titled “Protecting the American People Against Invasion,” directing the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to enforce existing registration obligations under Section 262 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) (8 U.S.C. § 1302). This executive order prioritizes civil and criminal enforcement of noncompliance with these...