DHS Green Card Update Eases Applicant Concerns   Green Card Applicants Get Big Relief The US Department of Homeland Security has clarified that most green card applicants will not have to leave the United States while their applications are under review. The DHS green card clarification comes after earlier remarks from USCIS created confusion among immigrants, employers, and visa holders.   Adjustment Of S

EB-2 India is unavailable for fiscal year 2026 after all available visa numbers for Indian applicants were used, pausing final Green Card approvals until the next fiscal year begins on Thursday, October 1, 2026. The U.S. State Department said all available Employment-Based Second Preference immigrant visas for applicants chargeable to India have been issued for FY2026. As a result, U.S. embassies and consulates cannot issue additional EB-2 immigrant visas in these cases for the rema

Green Card and H-1B Applications Face Growing Scrutiny The United States is tightening scrutiny on green card and H-1B visa applications, affecting thousands of IT professionals, doctors, and students seeking employment and educational opportunities in the country. Recent updates from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) indicate a more rigorous review process for applicants, prompting concerns among skilled

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the new US green card rule for Indians is not aimed specifically at India, but is part of a broader global immigration reform effort by Washington. Speaking to NDTV after arriving in New Delhi and meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday, May 23, 2026, Rubio said the policy applies worldwide. He said the United States is trying to restructure its immigration system after what he described as a major migration crisis.

The latest wave of Silicon Valley layoffs affecting Indian H-1B visa holders has put thousands of Indian techies under extreme pressure. Professionals working at major companies like Meta, Amazon, and LinkedIn now face a ticking 60-day clock to either find a new employer willing to sponsor their visa, switch to another legal status, or leave the United States. In today’s slowing US tech job market, securing H-1B visa transfers or completing interviews and background checks within this short

The USCIS invalid signature rule 2026 could make small filing mistakes more costly for immigration applicants, employers and petitioners. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security published an interim final rule on Monday, May 11, 2026, clarifying how U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services may handle immigration benefit requests with missing, incomplete or invalid signatures. The rule is set to take effect on Friday, July 10, 2026

US Immigration 2026: What Changed and Why It Matters US immigration updates in 2026 are causing visa delays, stricter EAD rules, and longer green card wait times. Officials say these changes aim to tighten oversight—but applicants are feeling the impact immediately. Visa Delays and Green Card Backlogs Grow Processing times have slowed across multiple visa categories as USCIS enforces stricter use of Final Action Dates. This

Did Indian nationals exploit H-1B visas? Guilty plea reveals visa fraud scheme. Two Indian nationals have admitted to orchestrating a fraudulent H-1B visa scheme, confirming that the program was deliberately misused through false job claims linked to the University of California system. Between June 2020 and January 2023, the accused used a firm associated with one of them to submit petitions containing fabricated employment details, influencing approvals under the US immigration process.

The United States Justice Department is currently pursuing at least 300 foreign-born American citizens as part of an intensified denaturalisation effort, marking what officials describe as the largest such initiative in the country’s history. The legal process, which allows authorities to revoke citizenship obtained through fraud or concealment, has traditionally been used sparingly but is now being applied on an unprecedented scale. A senior offi

Applications for the H-1B visa program for skilled non-immigrant workers have dropped sharply this year, with immigration experts estimating a decline of nearly 50 percent compared with the previous year. The fall in filings follows significant changes to the US immigration framework that have altered the dynamics of employer participation in the work visa program. Experts say the decline is linked largely to policy adjustments that introduced a steep increase in registration costs

Applications for the EB-1A employment-based immigrant visa, commonly known as the Einstein visa, have increased sharply as long backlogs continue to affect the broader US immigration system. The EB-1A category, which allows individuals with extraordinary ability to self-petition for permanent residency without employer sponsorship, has attracted growing interest from professionals seeking a faster path to a green card amid delays in other visa routes. The surge comes at a time when

The United States has announced a major overhaul of its H-1B visa programme, scrapping the long-running lottery-based selection system in favour of a wage-weighted model that prioritises higher-paid and higher-skilled foreign workers. The new rule, issued by the Department of Homeland Security, will come into effect on February 27, 2026, and will apply to the FY 2027 H-1B cap registration cycle, with registrations expected to open in March 2026 for jobs beginning on October 1. While

The Trump administration on Thursday ordered an immediate suspension of the United States’ diversity visa lottery programme, citing national security concerns following deadly shootings at Brown University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The directive was issued by the Department of Homeland Security after authorities confirmed that the suspect in the attacks had entered the country through the diversity visa programme, also known as the green card lottery. Homeland Security

The United States has initiated a comprehensive review of Green Cards held by permanent residents from 19 designated “countries of concern” after a deadly shooting near the White House left one National Guard member dead and another injured. The directive, issued by President Donald Trump, instructs US Citizenship and Immigration Services to reassess existing Green Cards and tighten vetting standards for residents originating from these nations. Officials described the Washington attack as an act of terror, citing the suspected assailant’s Afghan nationality as a factor prompting immediate policy action. Under the updated USCIS guidance, agency officers may now treat an applicant’s country of origin as a significant adverse factor when assessing eligibility for immigration benefits. This marks a notable shift in the approach to immigration review, as the order applies not only to new applicants but also to long-term permanent residents whose Green Cards were approved under earlier administrations. The list of 19 countries includes Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Yemen, Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela. These countries mirror those identified in a June presidential proclamation that imposed full or partial entry suspensions. USCIS Director Joseph Edlow said the policy aims to strengthen national security by giving officers broader discretion to weigh security concerns. He emphasized that ensuring stringent screening remains a core responsibility of the agency, stressing that the safety of American citizens is paramount. According to Edlow, the updated guidance directly responds to the Washington shooting and reflects the administration’s belief that previous vetting procedures were weakened in recent years. The shooting suspect, identified as 29-year-old Rahmanullah Lakanwal, entered the United States in 2021 through Operation Allies Welcome, a resettlement initiative created after the US withdrawal from Afghanistan. Lakanwal had served alongside US Special Forces and spent more than a decade as a soldier in the Afghan army. Authorities said the incident has reignited debate surrounding resettlement programmes for individuals from conflict-affected regions, especially those relocated under emergency evacuation procedures. While the revised review process affects a wide group of nationalities, officials confirmed that Indian Green Card holders will not be impacted. However, immigration experts noted that the move forms part of a broader tightening of immigration policy that could signal further enforcement actions in the coming months. They cautioned that the directive underscores a continued shift toward heightened scrutiny of immigrants from nations perceived as high-risk, particularly in cases involving national security. The comprehensive review is expected to unfold over the coming months as USCIS examines existing records and evaluates cases under the strengthened criteria. Officials maintain that the updated policy is designed to close gaps in the vetting process, asserting that national security concerns necessitate more rigorous oversight of immigration status for individuals from the identified countries. The directive marks one of the administration’s most extensive actions on immigration security since the presidential proclamation earlier this year.

Washington: The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has announced the end of automatic extensions for certain Employment Authorisation Documents (EADs), a policy change that will have significant consequences for thousands of foreign professionals, students, and asylum seekers working in the country. The change, effective October 30, removes the automatic renewal grace period that previously allowed eligible workers to continue employment while their EAD renewal applications w

A significant policy change by the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is set to impact thousands of foreign professionals working across the country. Beginning October 30, 2025, the DHS will end the automatic extension of certain Employment Authorization Documents (EADs), a move that could temporarily leave many workers without legal permission to work while their renewal applications are processed. Until now, employees whose work permits had expired but whose renew

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) issued long-awaited guidance on October 20, 2025 clarifying the applicability of the newly introduced USD 100,000 one-time fee on certain H‑1B visa petitions, bringing much-needed clarity for international students, employers and visa applicants. The fee, initially announced in a presidential proclamation on September 19, 2025, had triggered widespread uncertainty about whether it would apply across the board.  The origina

Thousands of Indian students studying in the United States are facing growing uncertainty over their post-graduation career prospects as new immigration policies and enforcement actions threaten the stability of the Optional Practical Training (OPT) and H-1B visa systems. The OPT program has long served as a bridge for international students transitioning from study to work, but recent developments suggest that this once-reliable path may soon become more complex and costly. The anx

The United States government has announced a significant escalation in its immigration oversight, with the Department of State confirming that it is reviewing the records of more than 55 million foreigners who currently hold valid US visas. This large-scale review aims to identify potential violations of immigration rules or security threats that could make an individual ineligible to remain in the country. Officials have indicated that the move forms part of an

Indians and other immigrants hoping to live and work legally in the United States will now face a new obstacle with the introduction of an anti Americanism screening. The policy, announced by the US Citizenship and Immigration Services, instructs immigration officers to evaluate whether green card applicants have ever endorsed, supported, or promoted anti American, antisemitic, or terrorist views. Officials argue that this screening is necessary to protect the