Articles Posted in Immigrant Visas

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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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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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On June 9, 2025, President Trump’s new travel ban took effect, blocking or limiting entry of nationals from 19 countries with limited exceptions. Framed as a national security measure, the order expands on his earlier bans, targeting nationals from countries with high visa overstay rates or those with limited cooperation with U.S. immigration enforcement.

Who is Impacted?

Full Suspension on 12 Country Nationals

Effective June 9th the travel ban suspends the entry of both immigrants and non-immigrants from 12 designated countries who are outside the United States and do not have a valid visa on the effective date of the proclamation, including Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen.

However, several key exceptions apply for lawful permanent residents (LPRs), immediate family members of U.S. citizens, dual nationals, athletes and teams competing in major international sporting events such as the World Cup and the Olympics, and others (a full list of exceptions is provided below).

Partial Suspension on 7 Country Nationals

A separate provision of Trump’s travel ban also imposes heightened visa restrictions on nationals from Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela who are outside of the United States and don’t hold a valid visa.

For individuals from these countries, entry into the U.S. is suspended for both immigrant and nonimmigrant travelers holding B-1, B-2, B-1/B-2, F, M, or J visas. Consular officers are directed to limit the validity of any other nonimmigrant visas issued to these nationals to the extent permitted by law.

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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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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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Are you a visa holder or permanent resident thinking of traveling overseas? Then, you won’t want to miss this important video, where we share our top 3 tips to smoothly re-enter the United States after temporary foreign travel for a safe and stress-free travel experience.

This information applies to:

  • Lawful Permanent Residents (Green card holders) and
  • Nonimmigrant Visa Holders

If you are a U.S. Citizen, do not worry as this information will not apply to you.

Overview

With the ongoing saga of detentions at U.S. ports of entry, and visa holders being questioned in secondary inspection, we can understand that re-entering the United States after traveling abroad can be a nerve-wracking experience, especially for green card holders and nonimmigrant visa holders.

Even with valid documentation, many travelers feel a sense of uncertainty as they prepare to face U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers. Whether it’s your first time returning, or you’ve done it many times before, a little preparation can go a long way to ease your travel concerns under the Trump Administration.

In this post, we’ll share three practical tips to help reduce anxiety and make your return to the U.S. as smooth and stress-free as possible.

Although everyone’s situation is unique, these three tips can help you navigate U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) with confidence.

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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 May 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 May.

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 May.

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 May.

Please click here for more information.

Highlights of the May 2025 Visa Bulletin

At a Glance

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

Employment-Based Categories

Dates for Filing Advancements

  • No change

Final Action Advancements & Retrogressions

EB-3 Professionals and Skilled Workers

  • EB-3 India will advance by 2 weeks to April 15, 2013

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You have just learned that your work visa petition has been approved by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Now you are ready to attend your Consular visa interview bringing you one step closer to achieving your dream of working in the United States.

Unfortunately, receiving a USCIS approval notice does not guarantee the successful issuance of a visa by the U.S. Consulate. In fact, for some unlucky few that fail to pass their visa interview, the U.S. government can still revoke or cancel a petition that was previously approved by USCIS.

What can you do in this situation? Is this the end of the road? Learn everything you need to know about this important subject in this video.

Overview

Can the State Department revoke a work visa petition that was previously approved by USCIS?

Unfortunately, yes. After receiving an approval notice from USCIS, work visa applicants must still attend an in-person Consular interview to demonstrate their eligibility for the visa classification they are seeking. A Consular officer will question the applicant further to ensure they qualify for the visa and may request further evidence.

When a Consular visa interview goes south, not only can the visa application be denied, but the Consulate can also direct USCIS to revoke the underlying petition that was previously approved by the agency.

The petition revocation process begins when the State Department returns the application to USCIS along with the results of any investigation they have conducted.

Once USCIS has received the returned petition and the results of the investigation, they will issue a Notice of Intent to Revoke (NOIR) to the petitioner of the previously approved petition. The NOIR will include details about USCIS’ plans to revoke the underlying petition, as well as the discovery of new, derogatory information leading to the visa denial. A statement of facts underlying the revocation will be provided along with any evidence supporting the revocation.

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If you are planning to apply for a U.S. visa in 2025, you’ll want to pay close attention to new visa changes that may impact your travel plans.

In this video, attorney Jacob Sapochnick discusses new rules for nonimmigrant visa applicants starting in April and explains how you can prepare for these changes ahead of time.

The new rules are part of the Trump administration’s new policies to increase vetting and enhance the security screening of noncitizens seeking visas to travel to the United States.

To learn more about these new changes please keep on watching this video.

Overview

Since taking office, the Trump administration has been aggressively working to reduce U.S. legal immigration to the United States. New changes in the visa application process will hinder entry for those who are unprepared.

Beginning April 2025, the U.S. Department of State (DOS) will implement stricter regulations for nonimmigrant visa applicants, including a crucial requirement: your DS-160 barcode number must precisely match the one used to schedule your appointment. Even small errors could require you to complete a new DS-160 application.

This blog post summarizes the upcoming changes to help you avoid delays.

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