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The Transportation Security Administration announced the implementation of the One Stop Security pilot program, allowing eligible international travelers to bypass TSA rescreening upon arrival in the U.S.
Key Points:
Additional Information: TSA said it anticipates “better security, reduced costs and an improved passenger experience for those traveling from a One Stop Security location.”
This alert has been provided by the BAL U.S. Practice Group.
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On Aug. 21, a federal judge ruled that the State Department cannot use the Trump administration’s travel ban to refuse the final processing of visa applications for a group of 84 Diversity Visa (DV) lottery winners.
Federal agencies announced several immigration-related actions and policies the week of Aug. 18-22 that could impact employers, including an ongoing review of all U.S. visas.
At the time of publication, the respective federal agencies have not publicly released further details on the above developments. BAL will continue following these and other immigration developments and will provide updates as information becomes available.
The Department of Homeland Security released an update regarding an Aug. 20 appellate court ruling allowing the agency to end Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for “aliens” from Honduras, Nepal and Nicaragua.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services shared an update regarding its compliance with a federal court stay postponing the termination of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Honduras, Nepal and Nicaragua until Nov. 18, 2025.
The Office of Foreign Labor Certification (OFLC) announced it has published third quarter (Q3) of fiscal year (FY) 2025 public disclosure data and selected program statistics, along with an updated H-2B foreign labor recruiter list.
Additional Information: The selected program statistics offer a snapshot of activity in the first half of FY2025 to help stakeholders understand the volume and outcomes of labor certification requests and provide insight into employer demand and certification trends. The public disclosure data and program statistics can be accessed here.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services released a memo on Aug. 15 providing guidance on the “good moral character” (GMC) standard as an eligibility factor for becoming a naturalized U.S. citizen.
The State Department updated global visa wait times on Aug. 18, 2025.
The average wait times reported do not guarantee a visa applicant will get an appointment within a specific time. U.S. embassies and consulates regularly release additional appointment slots. Applicants who want an earlier appointment slot after initially scheduling their interview should check back frequently and move their appointment to another slot if available.
Excerpted below are the latest reported global visa wait times of some of the cities/posts that historically have the most visa issuances. Most notably, Mexico City, New Delhi and Shanghai have a slight reduction in certain wait times, while Chennai, Guatemala City and Hyderabad have an increase in certain wait times.*
B-1/B-2 visas
Average wait times
Next available appointment
F, M, J visas
Petition-based
H, L, O, P, Q visas
Additional Information: More details on the different visa categories referenced in the table can be found here. Wait times are calculated in months in 30-day increments and half-months in 15-day increments. Average wait times are provided for B-1/B-2 visas only in cases where the next available appointment is more than three months away.
Applicants are reminded that post-specific instructions are available on the website of the U.S. embassy or consulate where the applicant schedules their interview. Links to U.S. embassies and consulates can be found here. Applicants should be aware there may be limitations on how many times they can reschedule an appointment. Calendar access for a specific post may not be accessible until the DS-160 visa application has been submitted and the required fee has been paid. (The fee is typically nontransferable across countries.)
Embassies and consulates may waive the in-person interview requirement for eligible applicants. Wait times for these appointments are not reflected in the visa wait timetables. Please check the individual U.S. embassy or consulate website to find out if a waiver of the in-person interview is available. Eligibility for interview waiver was recently updated and takes effect Sept. 2.
*The current global visa wait times were compared with global visa wait times posted by the State Department on July 29, 2025.
EducationUSA is hosting eight free education fairs across India from Aug. 9-17, connecting undergraduate, graduate and doctoral students and their parents with accredited U.S. universities.
Additional Information: With disciplines ranging from STEM and business to arts and humanities, the events cater to diverse interests and ambitions. In India, EducationUSA services are offered through five centers and provide current and comprehensive information to students pursuing a post-secondary education in the U.S.
The U.S. Embassy and Consulates in India have launched an official WhatsApp channel to share consular updates, alerts and relevant announcements.
Additional Information: This channel is designed to enhance accessibility for U.S. citizens residing or traveling in India, offering a streamlined way to stay informed about important developments. It may be especially useful for travelers who may not regularly check email or embassy websites.