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.

Visa Options for Social Media Influencers and Content Creators

I remember when I first downloaded Instagram on my iPhone. Like many others, I instantly fell in love with the app. Even if I was in my office in Manhattan on a freezing cold gray winter day, with Instagram I could be transported to a new restaurant in Mexico City, an art exhibit in Buenos Aires, or an oceanside bungalow in the Maldives (preferably sipping a delicious beverage). Sure, not all the photos in my feed were so glamorous or exciting—I still got plenty of food photos from my friends and family (looks delicious, mom!)—but, as trite as it sounds, Instagram opened a whole world of sights, people, and experiences (not to mention memes).

And thanks to Instagram and other social media platforms, we have influencers and content creators, two professions that have always existed in some form but not quite in the same powerful way as they do now. In this post, we’ll discuss US visa options for social media influencers and content creators looking to expand their horizons to the US. As always, this is a general post for informational purposes only. Any influencer or content creator should DM aka consult a qualified immigration attorney to discuss their specific situation.

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USCIS Expands Premium Processing Service to E-3 Petitioners Effective February 24, 2021

This week US Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS) expanded the fifteen-day premium processing service to E-3 petitioners. Effective February 24, 2021, petitioners filing Form I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker, who are requesting a change or extension of status to E-3 classification, will have the option to request premium processing service for their petition. The E-3 visa category is reserved for Australian nationals seeking to work in the US in a professional job.

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