Shutdown Effects on Visa and Passport Processing Times and Recovery
Fee-funded passport and visa services are still operating during the shutdown; routine passport processing is 4–6 weeks. DOL…
Articles by & updated by Robert Pyne
US Siblings Green Card: Who Qualifies, Costs, and Waiting Times
Citizens 21+ file Form I-130 to sponsor siblings; USCIS approval takes 12–18 months but Visa Bulletin limits in…
BIA Finds Immigration Judge Improperly Terminating Pending Case
The BIA’s 2025 decision limits Immigration Judges’ power to terminate removal proceedings to clearly defined regulatory grounds. Humanitarian-only…
Mexico Immigration Fees to Rise in 2026; 50% Reduction Details Await
Starting January 1, 2026, Mexico will raise many immigration fees—temporary and permanent residency costs will nearly double. The…
H-1B Status Update Delays Deny US Driver’s License: DMV Verification
A valid H-1B holder was denied a license because the federal SAVE database had not updated. After multiple…
Delayed Visa Integrity Fee Pending: State Dept. and DHS Coordination
Although the $250 Visa Integrity Fee was enacted July 4, 2025, there is no start date as of…
Florida Expands E-Verify Mandate to All Private Employers in 2025
Effective July 1, 2025, Florida’s HB 955 requires all private employers to use E-Verify for new hires, enforces…
US Tightens Visa Rules: No Interview Exemption for Minors and Seniors
From September 2, 2025, nearly all nonimmigrant visa applicants must attend in-person interviews; age-based exemptions end. Limited waivers…
Can a spouse with chronic illness be denied a US visa?
A November 2025 State Department guidance expands health-based public-charge assessments to include chronic conditions and lifetime cost projections…