Country Reference
United States
Visa news and reference for travel, work, study, family, and investment migration to the United States.
Last verified: 1 May 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
CDC orders US-bound air passengers to attest no DRC presence from November 3
From November 3, 2026, every passenger on a flight to the United States must sign a declaration that they have not been in the DRC in the previous 21 days.
25 October 2026
DHS finalizes end of automatic EAD extensions for renewal applicants
Effective October 14, 2026, a DHS final rule makes permanent, unchanged, the end of automatic EAD extensions for renewals filed from October 30, 2025.
22 October 2026
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.
17 June 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; after the First Circuit declined to stay that ruling on July 24, DHS stated it is complying with the order while the appeal continues.
12 June 2026
DHS auto-extends Lebanon TPS by six months through November 27, 2026
Six-month statutory auto-extension preserves status and Employment Authorization for an estimated 11,000 Lebanese beneficiaries through November 27, 2026; no further DHS notice had been published as of October 22.
29 May 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.
26 May 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.
21 May 2026
US halts visa services and bars entry from Uganda, DRC, South Sudan over Ebola
US paused visas at three embassies; the Title 42 bar runs to November 10, 2026, and US citizens recently in the DRC cannot board US-bound flights.
18 May 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.
11 May 2026
DHS allows USCIS to deny immigration filings on signature grounds from July 10
Interim final rule took effect July 10, 2026, amending 8 CFR 103.2(a)(7) to authorize denial-with-fee-retention on invalid signatures, including post-acceptance.
8 May 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.
8 May 2026
Federal court postpones DHS termination of Yemen Temporary Protected Status
Judge Dale Ho's May 1 order postponed the termination of TPS for around 2,800 Yemeni nationals; after the Supreme Court's June 25 ruling in Mullin v. Doe, the designation ended effective July 20, 2026.
3 May 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.
1 May 2026