Compliance Management

USCIS Proposal on Weighted Selection of H-1B Cap-Subject Registrants and Petitioners

Update: On December 29, 2025 the Department of Homeland Security-US Citizenship and Immigration Services (DHS/USCIS) its final rule on Weighted Selection Process for Registrants and Petitioners Seeking to File Cap-Subject H-1B Petitions. The final rule will be effective on February 27, 2026, 60 days

DOS Reduces Validity of New Visas for a Number of Countries

According to the Department of State Foreign Affairs Manual: "INA 221(c) and INA 281 require the Department to set visa validity, number of entries, and fees for nationals of a country based on what that country provides to U.S. citizens for the same purpose of travel. The goal of visa reciprocity

Budget Law Imposes New Immigration Fees

Budget Law Imposes New Immigration Fees H.R.1 (Pub.L. 119-221), the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act" signed into law on July 4, 2025, imposes several new immigration fees to be paid in addition to any other fees otherwise required by law. Read TITLE X, Subtitle A, Part I, Immigration Fees, One Big

Budget Law Imposes New Form I-94 Fee

October 1, 2025

Budget Law Imposes New "I-94 Fee" Executive Summary. H.R.1, the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act" signed into law on July 4, 2025, imposes a new fee of at least $24 on "any alien who submits an application for a Form I-94 Arrival/Departure Record." Nonimmigrants are issued an electronic Form I-94 that

Budget Law Imposes Nonimmigrant "Visa Integrity Fee"

Budget Law Imposes Nonimmigrant "Visa Integrity Fee" Executive Summary. H.R.1, the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act" signed into law on July 4, 2025, imposes a new "visa integrity fee" to be paid upon the issuance of any nonimmigrant visa. For fiscal year 2025, the fee was set at the greater of $250 or

Sharing Model Practices for Public Access Files

Understanding and properly maintaining Public Access Files (PAFs) is essential for every H-1B practitioner. Noncompliance can lead to serious consequences, including debarment from the H-1B program. This community dialogue, held June 25, 2025, began with a brief panel discussion and was followed by

DHS Proposal to Replace Duration of Status

Shortlink to this page: https://www.nafsa.org/dsproposal2025 The DHS/ICE (Department of Homeland Security-US Immigration and Customs Enforcement) proposed rule to end "duration of status" (D/S) for F, J, and I nonimmigrants was published in the Federal Register on Thursday, August 28, 2025. Public

Transcription of Purported DOS Cable 25 STATE 59756 on Expanded Screening and Vetting of FMJ Visa Applicants

Transcription of purported DOS cable 25 STATE 59756, Action Request: Expanding Screening and Vetting for FMJ Applicants, from a version of the cable circulated within the immigration bar (see, e.g., AILA Doc. No. 25062300). Please note, this text transcribes the text of a circulated document that

IssueNet Quarterly Summary - Second Quarter 2025

June 20, 2025

April, May, June, 2025 Highlighting the top issues reported through NAFSA IssueNet. Prepared by Randa Meyer, University of Wisconsin-Madison and Brian Groves, University of California-San Francisco Top Issues SEVP Issue 1: SEVIS Record Terminations Institutions continued to report more SEVIS

Possible Expansion of Travel Ban

News outlets periodically report that the Trump administration is planning or considering adding more countries to the travel ban. This page identifies some notable reports. Currently 19 countries are covered, 12 subject to a total ban and 7 subject to a partial ban under Presidential Proclamation