On January 14, 2026, the State Department announced it is pausing the issuance of immigrant visas for nationals of 75 countries, effective January 21, 2026, while it develops a new process to assess whether applicants may become a “public charge” (financially dependent on the U.S. government). Applicants can still apply…
Articles Posted in Consular posts
All About the February 2026 Visa Bulletin
Are you applying for an immigrant visa and want to know when your priority date will become current? Then you won’t want to miss our analysis of the February 2026 Visa Bulletin. In this video, attorney Jacob Sapochnick explains what you can expect to see in terms of the movement…
Trump Administration STOPS Green Card Lottery Program
In the wake of a deadly shooting at Brown University, the Trump administration has suspended the U.S. Diversity Immigrant Visa program — better known as the Green Card Lottery — after learning the suspected shooter entered the country using the program. The decision, announced by the Secretary of the Department…
Visa Bulletin January 2026: Major Immigration Changes You MUST See!
Are you applying for an immigrant visa and want to know when your priority date will become current? Then you won’t want to miss our analysis of the January 2026 Visa Bulletin. In this video, attorney Jacob Sapochnick explains what you can expect to see in terms of the movement…
Visa Bulletin For December 2025 and Predictions!
Are you applying for an immigrant visa and want to know when your priority date will become current? Then you won’t want to miss our analysis of the December 2025 Visa Bulletin. In this video, attorney Jacob Sapochnick explains what you can expect to see in terms of the movement…
U.S Visa Update 2025: Embassy Status By Country Open, Limited or Suspended
The U.S. visa landscape is undergoing major changes in 2025, with embassy operations varying widely across the globe. New federal policies have made the visa process more challenging. From enhanced social media scrutiny to removing the option for third-country nationals to apply for visas outside their country of nationality or…
$100,000 Fee for the H-1B Visa Application: What you need to know?
On September 19, 2025, President Trump issued a presidential proclamation titled “Restriction on Entry of Certain Nonimmigrant Workers,” announcing new changes to the H-1B visa program. The proclamation imposes a $100,000 fee on all new H-1B petitions filed after 12:01 a.m. EDT on September 21, 2025, but leaves open the…
No More Green Cards: End of Year Visa Predictions
In this video, attorney Jacob Sapochnick explains why immigrant visa numbers are no longer available for certain visa categories for the rest of fiscal year 2025, as the annual limit on visa issuances has already been reached, well before the fiscal year’s end on September 30. This news affects workers…
No More US Visa Interview Waivers: What this means for you?
In this video, attorney Jacob Sapochnick discusses new changes to the U.S. visa interview waiver policy announced by the State Department and what visa applicants need to know moving forward. Effective September 2, 2025, the U.S. Department of State is making significant changes to the categories of applicants eligible for…
Dignity Act 2025 Explained: Is this Immigration Reform?
On July 15, 2025, U.S. Congresswoman Maria Elvira Salazar introduced the Dignity Act of 2025 known as H.R. 4393, a bipartisan immigration bill that aims to strengthen border security in the United States, provide certain undocumented immigrants with an opportunity to legalize their status, and reform the U.S. legal immigration…