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The Office of Foreign Labor Certification (OFLC) will permanently discontinue its fax services starting Sept. 1, 2025, as part of an ongoing digital modernization initiative to streamline document submission and communication processes. A list of the fax email addresses that will be discontinued can be found
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) posted an advance copy of a Federal Register Notice (FRN) implementing new immigration-related fees under the H.R. 1 Reconciliation Bill, a.k.a. the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” (H.R. 1). The FRN is scheduled to be published July 22. In
Foreign Secretary Juan Ramón de la Fuente announced the completion of Mexico’s consular service simplification process in the United States, including new technology to streamline processes. Key Points: A new appointment platform and Single Window are now available via the Mi Consulado portal, streamlining nearly
The European Commission announced that the European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS) fee will be 20 euros, an increase from the previously listed 7 euros. Key Points: The fee increase aims to cover the operating costs of ETIAS and considers inflation rates and the
USCIS recently published a new edition of Form G-1055, Fee Schedule, removing fee waiver eligibility for Form I-131 for certain nonimmigrants. Key Points: The new 07/14/25 form edition removes fee waiver eligibility for Form I-131, Application for Travel Documents, Parole Documents,
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services received enough petitions to reach the mandated 65,000 H-1B visa regular cap and the 20,000 H-1B visa master’s cap (the U.S. advanced degree exemption) for fiscal year (FY) 2026. Key Points: USCIS will continue to accept and process petitions otherwise exempt
Update on applications received for requested date of need from April 1, 2025 (fiscal year (FY) 2025 second half of the visa cap): The Department of Labor reported that, as of July 12, a total of 8,893 cases were issued Final Decisions. Certified positions for this
The U.S. Senate voted to confirm Joseph Edlow as director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services on July 15. The 52-47 vote was divided along party lines. As USCIS director, Edlow will play a key role in advancing President Donald Trump’s immigration agenda, stating at his
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) will begin issuing invitations to apply under the Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP) starting July 28, 2025. Key Points: As BAL reported, IRCC plans to accept up to 10,000 complete applications for sponsorship under
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services published guidance for employers regarding completion of the Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification, for certain beneficiaries of the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) Venezuela 2023 redesignation. Key Points: Beneficiaries of the TPS Venezuela 2023 redesignation who received certain TPS-related documentation on or
The U.S. State Department released the August 2025 Visa Bulletin. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced filings for employment-based visa preference categories must use the Final Action Dates chart in this bulletin. Final Action Dates for EB-2 visa country categories retrogressed
The Office of Foreign Labor Certification (OFLC) published the randomized assignment groups for H-2B visa applications submitted July 3–5, 2025, with a start date of Oct. 1, 2025. Key Points: The OFLC completed the randomization and assignment process on July 6 for all 2,421 H-2B applications
The State Department recently published the Report of the Visa Office 2024 showing a steady climb in both immigrant visa and nonimmigrant visa issuance in fiscal year (FY) 2024. According to the report, the State Department issued a total of 612,258 immigrant visas, an increase of
The reconciliation bill H.R.1, aka “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” signed into law on July 4, includes several immigration-related provisions, including new fees, as well as more than $140 billion allocated to border security and enforcement measures. Key Points: Titles IX and X include various immigration-related
The Department of Homeland Security announced the termination of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for both Honduras and Nicaragua, effective Sept. 8, 2025. Key Points: The TPS designation for both Honduras and Nicaragua was set to expire on July 5, 2025, but
The Labor Department posted the latest processing times for permanent labor certification (PERM). As of July 1, the department was adjudicating PERM applications filed in March 2024 and earlier and reviewing appeals for reconsideration filed in May 2025 and earlier. These dates reflect the month and year