Country Reference
United States
Visa news and reference for travel, work, study, family, and investment migration to the United States.
Last verified: May 1, 2026
Key facts
- Visa-required for
- Most nationalities (consult ESTA / Visa Waiver Program for exceptions)
- USCIS Visa Bulletin
- Published mid-month for cut-off dates affecting employment + family-based immigrant visas
- Primary agency
- U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) + U.S. Department of State
- ESTA eligibility
- Citizens of Visa Waiver Program countries — see DOS for full list
Visa types covered
- B-1/B-2 (visitor)
- F-1 (student)
- J-1 (exchange visitor)
- H-1B (specialty occupation)
- L-1 (intracompany transferee)
- O-1 (extraordinary ability)
- EB-1 / EB-2 / EB-3 (employment-based green card)
- EB-5 (investment)
- Family-based immigrant visas
Recent news
DOS makes EB-2 India unavailable in the July 2026 Visa Bulletin
EB-2 India is unavailable for the rest of FY2026 after reaching its limit; EB-1 India retrogresses and EB-3 India advances.
June 17, 2026
Federal court vacates the $100,000 H-1B fee imposed under Proclamation 10973
A Massachusetts court declared the $100,000 H-1B payment unlawful on June 8, 2026, then stayed its order June 12; the fee stays in force pending appeal.
June 12, 2026
DHS auto-extends Lebanon TPS by six months through November 27, 2026
Six-month statutory auto-extension preserves Employment Authorization for an estimated 11,000 Lebanese beneficiaries; DHS will decide further action by September 28.
May 29, 2026
DOL comment period on H-1B and PERM prevailing-wage hike closes May 26
Public comment window on the 17-67 to 34-88 OEWS percentile band shift closes May 26, 2026; DOL final-rule drafting follows.
May 26, 2026
USCIS memo recasts Adjustment of Status as discretionary administrative grace
Policy Memorandum PM-602-0199 instructs officers to weigh discretionary factors on every Form I-485 and frames consular processing as the ordinary path.
May 21, 2026
US halts visa services and bars entry from Uganda, DRC, South Sudan over Ebola
State Department paused visa processing at three US Embassies; CDC
May 18, 2026
DOS retrogresses EB-2 India by 10 months in June 2026 Visa Bulletin
Final Action Date moves from July 15, 2014 back to September 1, 2013; EB-1 India also retrogresses; DOS warns of FY2026-end unavailability.
May 11, 2026
DHS allows USCIS to deny immigration filings on signature grounds from July 10
Interim final rule effective July 10, 2026 amends 8 CFR 103.2(a)(7) to authorize denial-with-fee-retention on invalid signatures, including post-acceptance.
May 8, 2026
USCIS narrows deferred action to extraordinary or compelling circumstances
Policy Manual update on May 8, 2026 reframes deferred action as administrative remedy of last resort; sets non-routine, persuasive, unique standard.
May 8, 2026
Federal court postpones DHS termination of Yemen Temporary Protected Status
Judge Dale Ho
May 3, 2026
USCIS reverts to Final Action Dates for May 2026 employment-based filings
India EB-2 holds at July 15, 2014, and EB-3 at November 15, 2013, as USCIS narrows the chart for adjustment-of-status filings.
May 1, 2026