United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”) announced that premium processing fees will increase effective March 1, 2026, pursuant to a Final Rule issued by the Department of Homeland Security and published on the Federal Register. The fee adjustments occur every two years to account for inflation in accordance with the USCIS Stabilization Act.
The revised fees apply to premium processing requests for Forms I-129, I-140, I-539, and I-765. Foreign nationals planning to request premium processing should be aware that any Form I-907, Request for Premium Processing, postmarked on or after March 1, 2026, must include the updated fee amount, as outlined in the USCIS fee chart below. Petitions submitted to USCIS with the incorrect fee may be rejected experience processing delays.
Read moreI was recently quoted in an article about O-1B’s for Influencers and their impact on O-1 adjudications in general. After reading the piece, I don’t think my quote accurately reflects my opinion on the topic and so, I wanted to take this opportunity to clarify my thoughts.
I don’t believe influencers applying for O-1B visas displace musicians, artists, designers, architects, or models within the O-1 category. The classification is not zero sum, and multiple professional profiles can qualify at the same time if they independently meet the legal standard. In practice, I continue to see strong cases approved across traditional arts disciplines alongside newer creator driven fields.
Read moreThe Department of Homeland Security (“DHS”) has announced a significant change to how H-1B cap registrations will be selected. A final rule published in the Federal Register on December 29, 2025 revises the long-standing random lottery system used for H-1B cap selection, replacing it with wage-based selection. The rule will take effect on February 27, 2026, and will apply to the Fiscal Year 2027 (“FY2027”) H-1B cap registration season. The lottery selections for FY2027 are made on April 1, 2026.
Read moreWe were recently moved by Stuart Anderson’s article in Forbes “The Most Inspiring Immigration Stories of 2025” which celebrates and shares the stories of immigrants who have shaped American innovation, culture, and opportunity, across science, sports, public service, and everyday life. Together, the stories told by Mr. Anderson illustrate a common theme that cannot be forgotten especially these days when immigration is depicted as a threat to our country. As we are fortunate to experience every day in our practice, when immigrants are given opportunity, they contribute not only to economic growth and scientific advancement, but to the character, creativity, and resilience of the United States itself. As a country founded by immigrants we must champion the contributions made by those who have emigrated in search of the American Dream.
Read moreOn December 16, 2025, President Trump executed a Presidential Proclamation expanding administration’s full and partial suspensions of immigrant and nonimmigrant visa issuance announced this past June to an additional twenty countries and the Palestinian Authority. With this expansion, there are now more than 35 countries subject to US travel restrictions. The new travel ban will be effective as of January 1, 2026.
Read moreOn December 10, 2025, the Trump Administration rolled out President Trump’s Gold Card program, and the official website is now live and accepting applications. Under the published framework, applicants are required to pay a $15,000 nonrefundable fee for themselves to “unlock life in America”. Individuals who wish to include dependents must pay an additional $15,000 for each qualifying dependent. Upon receipt and processing of this payment, applicants are instructed to submit Form I-140G to USCIS in order to initiate the government’s vetting and background check process. Following the completion of background checks, applicants who are approved must then pay a further contribution of $1 million for individual applicants, or $2 million for those sponsored by a corporate entity.
Read moreOn December 2, 2025, United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”) paused processing of several types of immigration applications, including asylum, green cards, and citizenship requests, for individuals from 19 countries previously restricted under the administration’s updated travel policies while USCIS conducts additional security reviews. The decision comes after an Afghan national, who had been granted humanitarian parole into the United States based on his work with CIA counterterrorism unit in Afghanistan after the fall of Kabul, and subsequently granted asylum in April 2025, under the Trump administration, was identified as the November 26th shooter in Washington, D.C., that killed one National Guard member and left another in critical condition.
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