Visa Bond Pilot Program for Visitors Effective August 20, 2025

On August 5, 2025, the US Department of State (“DOS”) published a temporary final rule in the Federal Register that will test a visa bond pilot program for one year commencing August 20, 2025. Nationals of  certain countries, currently Malawi and Zambia with more countries to be added to the list, will potentially be subject to the bond requirement when applying for B-1/B-2 visas for travel to the US.  Under the program, consular officers, at their discretion, may require certain nonimmigrant visa applicants to pay a refundable bond of $5000, $10,000, or $15,000 before a visa is issued. Visas issued under the pilot program will be valid for three months and a single entry into the US. US Customs and Border Protection (“CBP”) will admit the visa holders for a maximum stay of 30 days in most cases.

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New CBP Rule Changes How Airlines Report Passenger Gender Information

On July 7, 2025, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (“CBP”) instructed airlines and other travel carriers on a new rule that they must submit "M" (male) or "F" (female) in the sex field of the pre-departure information they transmit to CBP through the Advanced Passenger Information System (APIS), even if the traveler's passport contains a sex indicator other than M or F or does not otherwise indicate the sex of the traveler. This new rule, which has been in practice since July 14, 2025, is based on Executive Order 14168, Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government.

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Are Your I-9s in Order? What Every Employer Needs to Know About I-9 Compliance, Audits, and E-Verify

When onboarding new employees, most US employers are aware they must complete Form I-9 for every employee, but far fewer are prepared when the government comes calling. Given President Trump’s immigration directives, which focus heavily on enforcement efforts, the probability surrounding possible increases in site visits and surprise audits by various agencies including Immigration and Customs Enforcement (“ICE”) , maintaining accurate I-9 records is not an option, but a legal obligation with real consequences. Is your business ready?

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USCIS Reaches Fiscal Year 2026 H-1B CAP

United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”) announced on July 18, 2025, they had reached the H-1B Cap for fiscal year 2026. The Service reported having received enough petitions to reach the congressionally mandated limits for the H-1B visa regular cap, as well as the advanced degree exemption (master’s cap) for FY2026. The agency conducted  a single lottery selection from selections that were submitted in March 2025 and will not be conducting any further selection lotteries for FY2026.

For those not selected, remember there may still be hope.