Immigration updates
News
Official immigration and USCIS policy updates, Visa Bulletin highlights, and citizenship news—explained in plain language for immigration clients in Central Ohio.
- Policy Updates
Reported Proposal: Up to $100,000 Bond for Some Green Card Applicants Abroad — What Columbus Families Should Know
The Wall Street Journal reported on July 15, 2026 that the administration is weighing a refundable bond of roughly $100,000 for certain green card applicants applying from outside the U.S. Nothing has been formally announced, and immigrant visa processing has not changed. Here is what was reported, what is still unknown, and what families should (and should not) do now.
Read more → - Forms & Fees
USCIS signature rule now effective: invalid signatures can lead to rejection or denial
A DHS interim final rule effective July 10, 2026 clarifies how USCIS may handle immigration benefit requests with invalid signatures, including possible rejection or denial and retention of the filing fee after denial.
Read more → - Citizenship
Naturalization fee proposal correction: N-400, N-336, and fee-waiver details
DHS published a July 8, 2026 correction to its proposed naturalization fee rule, adding text about Form I-912 fee-waiver information tied to N-400 and N-336 fee changes.
Read more → - Policy Updates
USCIS proposes EB-5 integrity rule updates for investors and regional centers
DHS published a July 2, 2026 proposed rule to update EB-5 investor and regional center regulations, including integrity, fraud-prevention, redeployment, and petition revocation topics.
Read more → - Policy Updates
TPS update for Haiti: work authorization remains extended while court orders continue
A July 1, 2026 USCIS SAVE update says TPS and employment authorization for Haiti remain extended per court order, while applicants and employers should continue checking official USCIS TPS updates.
Read more → - Policy Updates
USCIS opens Atlanta Asylum Office: what asylum applicants should know
USCIS announced on July 1, 2026 that it is opening an Atlanta Asylum Office, with affirmative asylum interviews beginning July 8, 2026 at multiple locations.
Read more → - Policy Updates
DHS final rule on alien registration: Form G-325R and updated evidence of registration (effective June 29, 2026)
DHS/USCIS published a final rule (effective June 29, 2026) on alien registration, including Form G-325R as a general online registration option for certain unregistered noncitizens. DHS is also accepting comments on potential future changes until August 28, 2026.
Read more → - Policy Updates
Supreme Court: Asylum Seekers Turned Back While Still in Mexico Have Not ‘Arrived in the United States’ (Decision June 25, 2026)
In a June 25, 2026 decision, the U.S. Supreme Court held that a person standing in Mexico has not ‘arrived in the United States’ for purposes of key Immigration and Nationality Act provisions. The ruling affects how the federal government may manage asylum processing at ports of entry, often discussed as ‘metering.’
Read more → - Policy Updates
Supreme Court: DHS May Proceed With Ending TPS for Haiti and Syria While Lawsuits Continue (Decision June 25, 2026)
In a June 25, 2026 decision, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) statute bars judicial review of non-constitutional challenges to TPS termination decisions. The ruling lifted lower-court orders that had postponed the planned terminations for Haiti and Syria.
Read more → - Policy Updates
D.C. Circuit Vacates Stay, Allowing DHS’s Nationwide ‘Expedited Removal’ Designation to Take Effect (Decision June 23, 2026)
A June 23, 2026 opinion from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit vacated a district court stay that had paused DHS’s 2025 designation expanding expedited removal nationwide for certain people who cannot show two years of continuous U.S. presence. The decision concerns the status of the policy while the case continues.
Read more → - Citizenship
Federal Register: DHS/USCIS Proposes Higher Naturalization Fees and Ending Fee Waivers (Comment Deadline Aug. 24, 2026)
A DHS/USCIS proposed rule published June 23, 2026 would raise the Form N-400 naturalization fee to $1,330 (paper) / $1,280 (online), raise the Form N-336 hearing-request fee to $1,475 (paper) / $1,425 (online), and end fee waivers and the reduced N-400 fee option. The proposal is not yet in effect and is open for public comment through Aug. 24, 2026.
Read more → - Citizenship
DHS Proposes Raising the Naturalization (N-400) Fee to $1,330 and Ending Fee Waivers (Proposed Rule — Not Yet in Effect)
A DHS/USCIS proposed rule published June 22, 2026 would raise the Form N-400 citizenship application fee from $760 to $1,330 on paper and eliminate fee waivers and the reduced fee for most applicants. It is a proposal with a 60-day public comment period and is not yet in effect.
Read more → - Policy Updates
Federal Register Notice: HUD Seeks Comments on Assisted-Housing Forms About Citizenship/Immigration Eligibility
A June 22, 2026 Federal Register notice covers HUD’s request to extend information-collection requirements used to determine whether noncitizens are eligible for certain HUD-assisted housing programs.
Read more → - Visa Bulletin
July 2026 Visa Bulletin: EB-2 India and EB-5 Unreserved India Become “Unavailable”
The July 2026 Visa Bulletin marks EB-2 India and EB-5 Unreserved India as “U” (unauthorized/unavailable), meaning no immigrant visas can be issued in those categories for now.
Read more → - Policy Updates
DHS Student-Visa Rule Ending ‘Duration of Status’ Clears White House Review (Final Rule Pending Publication)
A DHS final rule that would replace ‘Duration of Status’ admissions for many F-1 and J-1 visitors with fixed time periods has completed White House review, meaning publication in the Federal Register may be next.
Read more → - Policy Updates
USCIS Clarifies When Dairy Operations Can Use the H-2A Temporary Worker Program
New federal guidance confirms dairies can seek H-2A workers if they can show a temporary or seasonal need — and explains how USCIS will review these petitions.
Read more → - Visa Bulletin
July 2026 Visa Bulletin: Family Green Card Applicants Get the Earlier Filing Chart
For July 2026, USCIS is letting family-sponsored green card applicants file using the earlier Dates for Filing chart — and the F2A category is current for every country.
Read more → - Visa Bulletin
EB-5 India Per-Country Limit Reached for Fiscal Year 2026
The State Department has issued all available EB-5 unreserved immigrant visas for applicants chargeable to India for FY 2026. Here's what it means and when numbers reset.
Read more → - Policy Updates
Federal Court Strikes Down USCIS Benefit Freeze for Travel-Ban Countries
A federal court vacated four USCIS policies that had frozen green card, work permit, asylum, and citizenship cases for nationals of 39 travel-ban countries. Here's what the ruling does — and what it does not do.
Read more → - Visa Bulletin
Visa Bulletin (July 2026): What the Priority-Date Charts Say — and the ‘Final Action Dates’ Reminder
The U.S. Department of State published the Visa Bulletin for July 2026, including the monthly priority-date cutoffs for family- and employment-based immigrant visas and a reminder that adjustment-of-status applicants generally use the ‘Final Action Dates’ chart unless USCIS says otherwise for the month.
Read more → - Visa Bulletin
July 2026 Visa Bulletin: EB-2 and EB-5 (Unreserved) for India Listed as ‘Unavailable’ for the Rest of FY 2026
The U.S. Department of State’s July 2026 Visa Bulletin says the EB-2 and EB-5 (unreserved) categories for India are unavailable for the remainder of fiscal year 2026 because the pro-rated country limits were reached.
Read more → - Visa Bulletin
June 2026 Visa Bulletin: Family and Employment Green Card Dates
The June 2026 Visa Bulletin brings movement in family categories and notable retrogression for India EB-1 and EB-2. Here are the highlights for green card applicants.
Read more → - Policy Updates
USCIS Tightens Discretion on Green Card (Adjustment of Status) Cases
USCIS Policy Memorandum PM-602-0199 directs officers to apply heightened "totality of the circumstances" scrutiny when deciding I-485 green card applications. Here's what changed and what it means for applicants.
Read more → - Citizenship
New 2025 Naturalization Civics Test: What Citizenship Applicants Need to Know
USCIS implemented a new civics test for citizenship applicants filing Form N-400 on or after October 20, 2025 — 20 questions from a pool of 128, with 12 correct needed to pass.
Read more → - Citizenship
USCIS Raises the "Good Moral Character" Bar for Citizenship Applicants
An August 2025 USCIS memo changes how "good moral character" is assessed for naturalization — a clean criminal record alone may no longer be enough. Here's what N-400 applicants should know.
Read more →
Asal Immigration Services is a non-attorney immigration support service operated by Asal Multi-Services LLC. We are not attorneys and are not authorized to practice law. We do not provide legal advice, explanations, opinions, or recommendations about legal rights, remedies, defenses, options, or strategies. We help with USCIS forms, application packets, translations, and case support based on information you provide. For legal advice, consult a licensed immigration attorney.