In addition to the measures affecting all applicants covered in Part 1, the Trump administration imposed travel entry restrictions and USCIS benefit application holds specifically targeting nationals of 39 designated countries. This post explains both layers, the travel ban on entry…
On January 20, 2025, President Trump signed Executive Order 14161 directing federal agencies to vet and screen foreign nationals to the maximum degree possible. The following measures now apply to all immigration benefit applicants, regardless of nationality or country of origin.…
Quick Answer Yes, a one-year wait is normal in 2026. Current I-485 processing times range from 8 months to over 2 years due to major USCIS backlogs and policy delays. USCIS is handling over 11 million pending cases — the…
Quick Answer The government is now reviewing the social media accounts of people applying for green cards, work permits, and citizenship. Social media vetting now touches nearly every category of immigration applicant. Failing to disclose a social media account is…
On January 20, 2025, President Donald Trump signed an Executive Order seeking to limit birthright citizenship — the longstanding legal principle that anyone born on U.S. soil is automatically a U.S. citizen. This right has been protected by the Fourteenth Amendment…
Last Updated: May 2, 2026 — This page is updated as new USCIS policy changes are announced. United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has implemented new policies that may significantly delay or affect the processing of various immigration applications,…
In a previous article, “Understanding Alien Registration Requirements”, we discussed that the Alien Registration Act of 1940 requires that every foreign national, age 14 years or older who will be in the United States (U.S.) for 30 days or more,…
What is Alien Registration? The Alien Registration Act of 1940 requires that every foreign national, age 14 years or older who will be in the United States (U.S.) for 30 days or more, must be registered and fingerprinted. Foreign nationals…
If you are a U.S. citizen or permanent resident planning to sponsor a relative for a green card, you must sign an Affidavit of Support, also known as Form I-864. Who Must Sign Primary Sponsor: The main sponsor must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident petitioning for the immigrant’s green card. Joint Sponsor: If the primary sponsor’s income does not meet the requirements, a…
On Dec. 13, 2024, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced a final rule that permanently increases the automatic extension period for employment authorization and Employment Authorization Documents (EAD) available to certain EAD renewal applicants from up to 180 days to up…