US Visa Policy Digest

USCIS Form and Processing Updates

• 🔥 Form AR-11 Proposal: USCIS proposes changes to Form AR-11 requiring most foreign nationals to share...

Boost H-1B approval odds with these steps amid scrutiny:

• Budget $100k fee for offshore petitions (post-Sept 21, 2025) unless exempt (e.g.,...

• Massive cuts hit Indians: Meta, Coinbase, Oracle, Amazon, Nike slashing jobs amid AI restructuring.
• Layoff triggers crisis: H-1B holders face...

• Visa program delays threaten physician placements in underserved areas
• Attorneys note employers sponsor H-1B doctors only in lucrative specialties like cardiology or orthopedics
• Major hurdle for non-profitable roles amid processing issues

Positive shift for employment-based I-485 applicants: Latest USCIS updates show processing times advancing, priority dates progressing, faster approvals, and interview waivers. Key news for those awaiting adjustment of status.

Critical update for foreign nationals: USCIS proposes changes to Form AR-11, requiring most to provide employment and schooling details when reporting address changes. Notice published in Federal Register Thursday.

H-1B workers face growing risks from using B2 visas as backups, with overstay concerns and immigration complications potentially jeopardizing new job prospects.

USCIS Guidance

• 🔥 Form I-129 Evidence Checklist: USCIS provides a checklist of required initial evidence for Form I-129 as an optional tool to...

Key proposals from the Americans First Immigration Act:

• Tougher rules for Green Card Holders and future applications.
• Visa Lottery elimination and...

• Schmitt's attack: H-1B hurts American workers and raises national security risks.
• India led 2025 H-1B approvals, fueling foreign hiring...

• Optional checklist available for required initial evidence on Form I-129 petitions
• Aids form preparation without replacing statutory,...

H-1B Fee Increases

• 🔥 Additional $100K Fee: USCIS has announced that certain H-1B petitions filed on or after Sept. 21, 2025 may require an...

• New $100K fee hits certain H-1B petitions filed after Sept. 21, 2025, prompting navigation strategies for employers.
• US companies eye LATAM...

Core H-1B stages for applicants/employers:

• Filing petition with USCIS
• USCIS processing, which may include an RFE
• Consular processing abroad or change of status

Recent Policy Changes for Employers

• JD Supra discusses what recent immigration policy changes mean for employers, noting the fee may apply to...

• Recent changes question what immigration updates mean for employers
• Key detail: Fee may apply to candidates outside the U.S. without prior H-1B
• Employers: Factor potential costs into H-1B strategies for new overseas talent

Ashani B, Indian Microsoft engineer, beat 7 H-1B lottery rejections with a Canada relocation and L-1 intra-company transfer to secure her green...

US lawyer publicly defends Indian talent amid intensifying H-1B visa debates. New 2-minute YouTube video from TimesXP spotlights this stakeholder pushback on controversies targeting Indian workers.

EB-2 NIW Approvals

• 🔥 Uruguay Doctor Telemedicine Case: Colombo & Hurd secured USCIS approval of an EB-2 National Interest Waiver petition for a...

• H-1B visa slots update for 2027 highlights challenges keeping Telugu tech professionals in India
• SumanTV Naveena video (8:05 min) targets Telugu...