Articles Posted in Employment Based Immigration

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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 September 2025 Visa Bulletin.

In this video, attorney Jacob Sapochnick explains what you can expect to see in terms of the movement of the family-sponsored and employment-based visa categories in the month of September.

USCIS Adjustment of Status

For employment-based preference categories, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has confirmed it will continue to use the Final Action Dates chart to determine filing eligibility for adjustment of status to permanent residence in the month of September.

For family-sponsored preference categories, USCIS will also continue to use the Dates for Filing chart to determine filing eligibility for adjustment of status to permanent residence in the month of September.

Please click here for more information.

Highlights of the September 2025 Visa Bulletin

At a Glance

What can we expect to see in the month of September?

Employment-Based Categories

There will be no changes to the employment-based Final Action Dates and Dates for Filing for the month of September.

The Visa Bulletin contains an important note that says the Visa Office expects to reach the FY 2025 annual limit for most employment-based categories during August and September. When this occurs, affected categories will become “unavailable” and no visas will be issued.

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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 awaiting green card approval, employers navigating sponsorship timelines, and helps green card applicants manage their expectations.

In this blog post, we’ll break down what this means, why it happened, and what those affected can expect moving forward as the immigration system resets on October 1st for the next fiscal year.

What is visa number management in immigration?

First, let’s discuss visa number management in immigration.

This refers to the process by which the U.S. government tracks and allocates the limited number of immigrant visa numbers available each fiscal year. These numbers are divided across various categories, including family-based and employment-based immigration, and are subject to annual limits on visa issuance set by Congress.

Why are there annual limits on visas?

Proper visa number management ensures that the limited supply of visas is distributed fairly and efficiently among the various visa categories and countries each year. It also helps the government plan and monitor immigration flows, while giving applicants and employers a clearer picture of potential wait times and availability.

Who manages visa issuance?

The U.S. Department of State, in coordination with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), is responsible for issuing annual visa numbers. Each month, the State Department publishes the Visa Bulletin, which outlines visa number availability and priority date cutoffs, helping applicants determine when they may proceed with their green card applications.

Since the demand for visas significantly exceeds the annual supply, the State Department imposes “cutoff dates” where individuals must wait in line for a visa. Typically, the majority of visa categories reach their limits by the summer months. When this occurs, no additional visas can be issued until the start of the new fiscal year on October 1st.

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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 a nonimmigrant visa interview waiver. Under the new policy, most applicants, including children under 14 and seniors over 79, will generally be required to appear for an in-person interview with a U.S. consular officer—with a few notable exceptions.

These changes override the previous Interview Waiver Update issued on February 18, 2025, and will have wide-reaching implications for those planning to travel to the United States on a nonimmigrant visa.

Who May Qualify for an Interview Waiver After September 2nd?

Despite the overall tightening of interview requirements, some categories of applicants may still be eligible to skip the in-person interview, including:

  1. Certain Diplomatic and Official Visa Holders

Applicants under the following visa classes are exempt from the interview requirement:

  • A-1, A-2 (representatives of foreign governments)
  • C-3 (excluding attendants or personal staff)
  • G-1 through G-4 (representatives of international organizations)
  • NATO-1 through NATO-6
  • TECRO E-1 (Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office officials)
  1. Diplomatic or Official-Type Visa Applicants

Those applying for visas that support diplomatic or governmental missions may still be eligible for interview waivers.

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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 system.

The bill is a revised version of the Dignity Act of 2023 and has been introduced in the House of Representatives.

In this video, attorney Jacob Sapochnick breaks down each section of the Dignity Act touching on the bill’s major goals such as:

  • Border Security and Enforcement
  • Reform of the Asylum System
  • Legalization for Dreamers and Other Undocumented Immigrants
  • Benefits for American Workers and
  • Modernizing Legal Immigration

Border Security and Enforcement

The bill’s first major goal is to decrease illegal immigration with several measures aimed at strengthening border security and immigration enforcement. The bill would mandate the nationwide implementation of E-Verify to ensure that only authorized individuals are employed in the U.S., helping to deter illegal immigration through the workforce.

U.S. employers would face civil penalties for knowingly hiring individuals who are not legally authorized to work in the United States, as well as new penalties for employees and employers who knowingly submit false information through E-Verify.

The bill also funds the construction and modernization of physical and technological border infrastructure, including surveillance systems and sensors to improve detection and response capabilities at the border. Approximately $10 billion would be distributed until 2030 for the construction and modernization of ports of entry. To promote accountability, the Act includes oversight requirements for immigration enforcement agencies like ICE. Together, these provisions are designed to improve border control, discourage unlawful entry, and restore public trust in the immigration system.

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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 August 2025 Visa Bulletin.

In this video, attorney Jacob Sapochnick explains what you can expect to see in terms of the movement of the family-sponsored and employment-based visa categories in the month of August.

USCIS Adjustment of Status

For employment-based preference categories, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has confirmed it will continue to use the Final Action Dates chart to determine filing eligibility for adjustment of status to permanent residence in the month of August.

For family-sponsored preference categories, USCIS will also continue to use the Dates for Filing chart to determine filing eligibility for adjustment of status to permanent residence in the month of August.

Please click here for more information.

Highlights of the August 2025 Visa Bulletin

At a Glance

What can we expect to see in the month of August?

Employment-Based Categories

Final Action Advancements

EB-2 Members of the Professions and Aliens of Exceptional Ability

  • EB-2 Worldwide, Mexico, Philippines retrogressed by 1.4 months to September 1, 2023

EB-3 Professionals and Skilled Workers and Other Workers

  • EB-3 India will advance by 1 month to May 22, 2013

EB-5 Unreserved Categories (C5, T5, I5, and R5)

  • India will advance by 6.5 months to November 15, 2019
  • China will advance by 22.5 months to December 08, 2015

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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 July 2025 Visa Bulletin.

In this video, attorney Jacob Sapochnick explains what you can expect to see in terms of the movement of the family-sponsored and employment-based visa categories in the month of July.

USCIS Adjustment of Status

For employment-based preference categories, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has confirmed it will continue to use the Final Action Dates chart to determine filing eligibility for adjustment of status to permanent residence in the month of July.

For family-sponsored preference categories, USCIS will also continue to use the Dates for Filing chart to determine filing eligibility for adjustment of status to permanent residence in the month of July.

Please click here for more information.

Highlights of the July 2025 Visa Bulletin

At a Glance

What can we expect to see in the month of July?

Employment-Based Categories

Final Action Advancements

EB-1 Aliens of extraordinary ability, Outstanding Professors and Researchers, and Certain Multinational Managers or Executives

  • EB-1 China will advance by 1 week to November 15, 2022

EB-2 Members of the Professions and Aliens of Exceptional Ability

  • EB-2 China will advance by 2 weeks to December 15, 2020

EB-3 Professionals and Skilled Workers

  • EB-3 India will advance by 1 week to April 22, 2013
  • EB-3 China will advance by 9 days to December 1, 2020
  • EB-3 All other countries will advance by 1.7 months to April 1, 2023

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When it comes to applying for a U.S. work visa, one of the most important — and often overlooked — decisions you’ll make is where to schedule your visa interview.

While most applicants automatically default to the U.S. embassy or consulate in their home country, that may not always be the fastest or most convenient option.

With backlogs, varying appointment availability, and differences in approval rates, choosing the right embassy can make a big difference in how quickly and smoothly your application is processed.

In this post, we’ll walk you through the key factors to consider — from current wait times to local requirements — so you can strategically select the best location for your visa interview and increase your chances of success.

Overview

In this guide, we will specifically cover visa interview appointments for the E-2, L-1, and H-1B visa categories, which are among the most common U.S. work and investor visas. Choosing the right U.S. embassy or consulate for your interview is particularly important for these visas because not every Consulate is experienced in handling these types of cases.

The Busy Embassy Myth

One common belief among visa applicants is the “busy embassy myth” — a belief that a busy U.S. embassy will cause visa processing delays. In reality, a busy embassy can make your visa process much smoother because it means that the post processes a high volume of E visas, and L visas, increasing your likelihood of success because of the Consulate’s experience with those cases leading to a fair adjudication.

Many high-volume embassies, like those in Canada or Mexico City, have streamlined systems, experienced officers, and more frequent appointment openings. Meanwhile, smaller posts may have limited staffing, fewer appointment slots, or stricter documentation review. Instead of assuming a less slow location is better, applicants should look at actual wait times, local procedures, and chances of approval when selecting where to apply.

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If you have a pending application with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), it’s important to stay informed as policies continue to shift under the Trump administration.

Recent changes in immigration enforcement and USCIS procedures may directly affect how your application is reviewed, how long the process takes, and even whether additional information or interviews may be required.

Understanding these policy changes can help you better prepare, avoid unnecessary delays, and ensure that your application remains compliant with these changing policies.

Detentions at Green Card and Naturalization Interviews

Recent reports indicate a concerning trend of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents detaining individuals during green card and naturalization interviews at U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) field offices.

Under the Trump administration, there has been an uptick in such incidents, raising alarm among the immigrant community. For instance, in April a Danish national and father of four, was arrested by ICE during his USCIS citizenship interview in Memphis, Tennessee, due to a missed paperwork deadline from 2015. Despite having no criminal record, he was denied bail and remains detained.

Similarly, a Palestinian student at Columbia University, was detained by ICE during his USCIS naturalization interview in Vermont. His arrest, reportedly linked to his pro-Palestinian activism, sparked legal challenges and debates over constitutional rights.

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If you have a petition pending with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), you may be wondering why the agency is taking so long to process immigration and naturalization applications.

In this video, attorney Jacob Sapochnick discusses the main factors contributing to slow processing times and highlights the anticipated rise in wait times in 2025.

Overview

Several key factors have contributed to the slow processing times at U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) during the Trump administration.

Below are some of the most significant reasons, based on insider information shared by a former USCIS officer.

Reduction in Staff and Budgetary Constraints

Employee layoffs and budgetary constraints have led to understaffed USCIS offices, reducing the agency’s ability to process applications efficiently. Trump’s return to the White House has increased staffing reductions, making it difficult for the agency to balance its workload.

Sub-Optimal Staffing and Capacity

USCIS operates with insufficient personnel to handle rising application volumes, and many offices (such as those processing green card applications) face staffing shortages or lack adequate training, reducing overall processing efficiency.

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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 June 2025 Visa Bulletin.

In this video, attorney Jacob Sapochnick explains what you can expect to see in terms of the movement of the family-sponsored and employment-based visa categories in the month of June.

USCIS Adjustment of Status

For employment-based preference categories, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has confirmed it will continue to use the Final Action Dates chart to determine filing eligibility for adjustment of status to permanent residence in the month of June.

For family-sponsored preference categories, USCIS will also continue to use the Dates for Filing chart to determine filing eligibility for adjustment of status to permanent residence in the month of June.

Please click here for more information.

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