Headlines:
DHS Proposes Rule to Finish Length-of-Standing Admissions Coverage for College students, Trade Guests, and Overseas Media Representatives – The Division of Homeland Safety introduced a proposed rule to finish the “period of standing” (D/S) admissions coverage for F-1 (pupil), J-1 (trade customer), and I-1 (overseas media) nonimmigrants. The proposed rule would transition present F-1s and J-1s on D/S to a most four-year admission as of the efficient date of the ultimate rule.
DOS to Require Immigrant Visa Candidates to Interview in Designated Dwelling Nation Consular Districts – The Division of State would require immigrant visa candidates to interview within the consular district designated for his or her place of residence, or of their nation of nationality if requested, with restricted exceptions.
USCIS Implements Fee by Digital Debit; Paper Checks and Cash Orders Will No Longer Be Accepted – U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Companies has carried out a brand new method to pay charges utilizing digital debits from U.S. financial institution accounts and can cease accepting paper checks and cash orders after October 28, 2025.
DOJ Expands {Qualifications} to Recruit Extra Short-term Immigration Judges – The Division of Justice is amending the Short-term Immigration Choose (TIJ) provisions “to allow the Director, with the approval of the Legal professional Basic, to designate or choose any legal professional to function a TIJ for a renewable time period to not exceed six months.”
OFLC Archives Searchable FAQ Database – The Division of Labor’s Workplace of Overseas Labor Certification’s archived searchable FAQ database will not be up to date and shouldn’t be relied on for the latest OFLC steering.
Ship Enterprise Visa Inquiries By way of Navigator, Not By way of E mail, DOS Says – The Visa Navigator, which leads the person by way of a sequence of prompts, might be discovered on the related U.S. embassy or consulate’s web site.
Particulars:
DHS Proposes Rule to Finish Length-of-Standing Admissions Coverage for College students, Trade Guests, and Overseas Media Representatives
On August 27, 2025, the Division of Homeland Safety introduced a proposed rule to finish the “period of standing” (D/S) admissions coverage for F-1 (pupil), J-1 (trade customer), and I-1 (overseas media) nonimmigrants. The proposed rule would transition present F-1s and J-1s on D/S to a most four-year admission as of the efficient date of the ultimate rule. In contrast to most nonimmigrants, who’re admitted for a set interval, F, J, and most I nonimmigrants are at the moment admitted for D/S so long as they adjust to the phrases of their standing.
Particulars of the proposed modifications embrace:
- Fastened dates of admission for F-1 and J-1 nonimmigrants: F-1s and J-1s would not be admitted for D/S. As an alternative, they’d be admitted for a set date vary, to not exceed 4 years or their program size.
- Transition guidelines for F-1 and J-1 nonimmigrants in the USA: F-1s and J-1s at the moment in legitimate standing inside the USA would have legitimate standing up by way of this system finish date on their I-20 or DS-2019, on the date the ultimate rule could be efficient, to not exceed 4 years from the ultimate rule’s efficient date.
- For many who depart the USA through the pendency of a well timed filed extension of standing, upon searching for admission, their particular circumstances will decide whether or not they’re restricted to the utmost 4 years or a interval beforehand licensed.
- Fastened dates of admission for I-1 overseas media representatives: I-1s could be admitted for a most of 240 days, or 90 days for Chinese language nationals (not together with Hong Kong/Macau).
- Extension of standing required: These nonimmigrants would wish to well timed file an extension of standing to increase their keep.
- F-1s who well timed file an extension of standing could be thought of as remaining in standing till U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Companies (USCIS) adjudicates the extension. Whereas a well timed filed extension is pending, Optionally available Sensible Coaching, Curricular Sensible Coaching, or hardship-based work authorization could be prolonged for a most of 240 days.
- J-1s who well timed file an extension of standing could be thought of as remaining in standing for both a most of 240 days or till USCIS adjudicates the extension, relying on the circumstances.
- Grace interval discount for F-1: The “grace interval” for F-1s to go away the USA could be diminished from 60 days to 30 days.
- F-1 program restrictions: F-1 college students would face restrictions in altering applications, and graduate college students could be prohibited from doing so.
Feedback on the proposed rule are due by October 27, 2025.
DOS to Require Immigrant Visa Candidates to Interview in Designated Dwelling Nation Consular Districts
Efficient November 1, 2025, the Division of State (DOS) will require immigrant visa candidates to interview within the consular district designated for his or her place of residence, or of their nation of nationality if requested, with restricted exceptions. The Nationwide Visa Heart will start scheduling appointments accordingly. This consists of Variety Visa 2026 candidates.
DOS additionally mentioned that residents of nations the place routine visa operations are suspended or paused ought to apply at designated immigrant visa processing posts, except the applicant is a nationwide of one other nation with ongoing operations.
USCIS Implements Fee by Digital Debit; Paper Checks and Cash Orders Will No Longer Be Accepted
On August 29, 2025, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Companies (USCIS) introduced that it has carried out a brand new method to pay charges utilizing digital debits from U.S. financial institution accounts and can cease accepting paper checks and cash orders after October 28, 2025.
Efficient instantly, people could make funds on to USCIS by finishing and signing Type G-1650, Authorization for ACH Transactions, and submitting it with their functions, petitions, or requests. This new cost choice is along with the present choice of paying by bank card utilizing Type G-1450, Authorization for Credit score Card Transactions
USCIS mentioned the brand new cost technique aligns with Govt Order 14247, Modernizing Funds to and from America’s Financial institution Account, and is “geared toward decreasing the time and manpower required to course of checks and cash orders, in addition to decreasing the dangers of fraud, misplaced funds, and theft.”
USCIS mentioned it’ll proceed to simply accept paper test and cash order funds along with credit score and debit funds till October 28, 2025. After October 28, USCIS will settle for solely ACH debit transactions utilizing Type G-1650 or bank card funds utilizing Type G-1450. USCIS mentioned that those that wouldn’t have a U.S. checking account can’t use Type G-1650 however might submit Type G-1450 and use a pay as you go bank card to pay submitting charges.
DOJ Expands {Qualifications} to Recruit Extra Short-term Immigration Judges
To “assist additional tackle its caseload and develop the pool of potential candidates” to be Short-term Immigration Judges (TIJs), the Division of Justice (DOJ) is “amending the relevant TIJ regulation to take away regulatory constraints that transcend the regulatory constraints on everlasting IJ hiring.”
Particularly, DOJ is amending the TIJ provisions “to allow the Director, with the approval of the Legal professional Basic, to designate or choose any legal professional to function a TIJ for a renewable time period to not exceed six months, topic to all statutory and regulatory limits on short-term service.” Equally, DOJ mentioned it “not believes the restriction of TIJs to present [DOJ] staff with a threshold degree of immigration regulation expertise serves [the Executive Office for Immigration Review’s (EOIR)] pursuits. Immigration regulation expertise will not be all the time a powerful predictor of success as an IJ, and EOIR has employed people from different Federal businesses and Division elements with out prior immigration expertise who’ve develop into profitable and exemplary IJs,” DOJ defined. Additional, the company mentioned, “there isn’t any clear motive to ban people at different Federal businesses with stellar credentials—e.g., Supreme Courtroom clerkships or vital expertise in high-salience, complicated litigation” who’re “in any other case well-qualified” from serving as TIJs “solely as a result of they lack a sure degree of immigration expertise or should not at the moment serving within the Division, neither of which is even a prerequisite to function a everlasting IJ.”
In deciding on TIJs, DOJ mentioned it “will proceed to search for essentially the most certified people total with main weight given to an applicant’s schooling and employment historical past. Additional components might carry further weight, reminiscent of prior judicial or quasi-judicial service of any sort, service in State or Federal authorities, together with trial or litigation expertise, and immigration regulation expertise.” The Director and Legal professional Basic will “retain discretion to think about another components deemed related and to make alternatives.”
In keeping with experiences, the Trump administration is contemplating reassigning some army judges to develop into TIJs.
OFLC Archives Searchable FAQ Database
Efficient August 30, 2025, the Division of Labor’s (DOL) Workplace of Overseas Labor Certification (OFLC) has archived the searchable Ceaselessly Requested Questions (FAQ) database. It should solely be obtainable at its new location.
OFLC mentioned the database is “being saved at an internet site [Wayback] that isn’t managed by DOL. Stakeholders are suggested to replace their bookmarks and hyperlinks in the event that they want to proceed to entry the archived FAQs.” OFLC famous that “the archive might take time to load, however as soon as it does, it’s totally useful.” OFLC famous that “the archived searchable FAQ database will not be up to date as soon as it’s archived and shouldn’t be relied upon to offer the latest OFLC steering. It’s advisable to solely depend on the searchable FAQ database for historic steering.”
For extra data, see the OFLC’s information web page (scroll to August 27) and OFLC’s FAQ web page.
Ship Enterprise Visa Inquiries By way of Navigator, Not By way of E mail, DOS Says
In keeping with experiences, enterprise visa inquiries to the Division of State (DOS) should now be despatched by way of the Visa Navigator platform fairly than by way of e mail.
The Visa Navigator, which leads the person by way of a sequence of prompts, might be discovered on the related U.S. embassy or consulate’s web site. For instance, the Visa Navigator for the U.S. Embassy and Consulate in Nigeria is right here. The Navigator notes that it “will not be a web-based utility. Finishing the navigator doesn’t entitle you to a U.S. passport or another citizenship or immigration profit. The U.S. consulate might require you to offer further data or supporting paperwork earlier than appearing in your request.”
