Headlines:
DHS Proposes Guideline to Finish Duration-of-Status Admissions Plan for Trainees, Exchange Visitors, and Foreign Media Representatives — The Division of Homeland Protection introduced a suggested policy to finish the “duration of standing” (D/S) admissions policy for F- 1 (pupil), J- 1 (exchange visitor), and I- 1 (international media) nonimmigrants. The recommended policy would certainly shift existing F- 1 s and J- 1 s on D/S to a maximum four-year admission since the efficient date of the final guideline.
DOS to Require Immigrant Visa Applicants to Interview in Designated Home Country Consular Districts — The Department of State will certainly require immigrant visa candidates to interview in the consular district assigned for their home, or in their country of race if asked for, with minimal exemptions.
USCIS Applies Payment by Electronic Debit; Paper Checks and Cash Orders Will No More Be Accepted — United State Citizenship and Migration Providers has actually carried out a new means to pay charges utilizing digital debits from U.S. bank accounts and will certainly stop approving paper checks and money orders after October 28, 2025
DOJ Expands Qualifications to Employee More Momentary Immigration Judges — The Division of Justice is modifying the Temporary Migration Court (TIJ) stipulations “to permit the Director, with the approval of the Chief law officer, to assign or select any type of attorney to act as a TIJ for a renewable term not to surpass six months.”
OFLC Archives Searchable Frequently Asked Question Data Source — The Department of Labor’s Workplace of Foreign Labor Accreditation’s archived searchable FAQ data source will no more be updated and need to not be counted on for the most recent OFLC advice.
Send Out Service Visa Inquiries With Navigator, Not Via Email, DOS Says — The Visa Navigator, which leads the customer with a series of prompts, can be found on the appropriate united state consular office or consular office’s internet site.
Details:
DHS Suggests Policy to Finish Duration-of-Status Admissions Plan for Pupils, Exchange Visitors, and Foreign Media Agents
On August 27, 2025, the Department of Homeland Security revealed a suggested regulation to end the “period of condition” (D/S) admissions plan for F- 1 (student), J- 1 (exchange site visitor), and I- 1 (foreign media) nonimmigrants. The recommended rule would change present F- 1 s and J- 1 s on D/S to a maximum four-year admission since the effective day of the last policy. Unlike the majority of nonimmigrants, who are confessed for a set duration, F, J, and a lot of I nonimmigrants are presently admitted for D/S as long as they follow the terms of their standing.
Details of the suggested adjustments consist of:
- Repaired days of admission for F- 1 and J- 1 nonimmigrants : F- 1 s and J- 1 s would certainly no longer be confessed for D/S. Instead, they would be confessed for a set day range, not to exceed four years or their program length.
- Shift rules for F- 1 and J- 1 nonimmigrants in the USA : F- 1 s and J- 1 s currently in legitimate condition within the USA would have valid status up through the program end day on their I- 20 or DS- 2019, on the date the final regulation would work, not to go beyond four years from the last guideline’s effective date.
- For those that leave the USA throughout the pendency of a timely submitted extension of standing, upon looking for admission, their details scenarios will certainly identify whether they are limited to the maximum 4 years or a period previously authorized.
- Repaired days of admission for I- 1 foreign media representatives : I- 1 s would be confessed for a maximum of 240 days, or 90 days for Chinese nationals (not including Hong Kong/Macau).
- Expansion of status needed : These nonimmigrants would certainly need to prompt documents an expansion of standing to prolong their remain.
- F- 1 s that prompt file an expansion of standing would be thought about as remaining in standing until united state Citizenship and Immigration Solutions (USCIS) settles the extension. While a prompt submitted extension is pending, Optional Practical Training, Curricular Practical Training, or hardship-based work authorization would be expanded for an optimum of 240 days.
- J- 1 s who prompt documents an expansion of condition would certainly be considered as continuing to be in status for either an optimum of 240 days or up until USCIS adjudicates the expansion, depending upon the conditions.
- Grace period decrease for F- 1 : The “moratorium” for F- 1 s to leave the United States would certainly be reduced from 60 days to 30 days.
- F- 1 program constraints : F- 1 students would certainly face constraints in transforming programs, and graduate students would certainly be prohibited from doing so.
Talk about the proposed policy schedule by October 27, 2025
DOS to Call For Immigrant Visa Applicants to Interview in Designated Home Nation Consular Districts
Effective November 1, 2025, the Division of State (DOS) will certainly require immigrant visa applicants to speak with in the consular district designated for their home, or in their country of citizenship if asked for, with restricted exceptions. The National Visa Facility will certainly begin scheduling visits appropriately. This consists of Diversity Visa 2026 candidates.
DOS also said that locals of nations where regular visa procedures are suspended or stopped should apply at marked immigrant visa processing posts , unless the applicant is a nationwide of another country with ongoing procedures.
USCIS Applies Settlement by Digital Debit ; Paper Checks and Money Orders Will No Longer Be Accepted
On August 29, 2025, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) revealed that it has actually executed a brand-new method to pay fees using digital debits from united state checking account and will stop accepting paper checks and cash orders after October 28, 2025
Efficient promptly, individuals can pay straight to USCIS by finishing and signing Form G- 1650, Permission for ACH Transactions , and filing it with their applications, applications, or requests. This brand-new settlement option remains in enhancement to the existing choice of paying by charge card using Kind G- 1450, Permission for Charge Card Purchases
USCIS claimed the brand-new repayment method lines up with Executive Order 14247, Modernizing Repayments to and from America’s Savings account , and is “aimed at minimizing the time and manpower called for to refine checks and money orders, as well as decreasing the dangers of fraudulence, shed settlements, and burglary.”
USCIS stated it will remain to approve paper check and cash order payments along with credit and debit settlements until October 28, 2025 After October 28, USCIS will approve just ACH debit deals making use of Type G- 1650 or charge card settlements using Form G- 1450 USCIS stated that those that do not have a united state bank account can not utilize Form G- 1650 however may submit Type G- 1450 and make use of a pre paid credit card to pay declaring costs.
DOJ Increases Qualifications to Recruit Much More Momentary Immigration Juries
To “aid additionally address its caseload and increase the pool of potential candidates” to be Temporary Migration Juries (TIJs), the Division of Justice (DOJ) is” modifying the suitable TIJ law to remove governing restrictions that go beyond the regulatory constraints on irreversible IJ hiring.”
Particularly, DOJ is modifying the TIJ provisions “to allow the Director, with the authorization of the Chief law officer, to assign or select any type of lawyer to function as a TIJ for a sustainable term not to exceed six months, subject to all statutory and regulative limits on momentary service.” Similarly, DOJ claimed it “no more believes the restriction of TIJs to existing [DOJ] staff members with a threshold level of migration regulation experience serves [the Executive Office for Immigration Review’s (EOIR)] passions. Migration law experience is not constantly a strong predictor of success as an IJ, and EOIR has actually hired individuals from various other Federal firms and Division parts without prior immigration experience that have become effective and excellent IJs,” DOJ explained. Further, the agency claimed, “there is no clear reason to prohibit individuals at various other Federal agencies with outstanding credentials– e.g., Supreme Court clerkships or substantial experience in high-salience, intricate lawsuits” who are “or else professional” from working as TIJs “entirely because they do not have a certain degree of migration experience or are not presently offering in the Division, neither of which is also a requirement to work as a permanent IJ.”
In selecting TIJs, DOJ claimed it “will certainly continue to seek the most qualified people overall with primary weight provided to an applicant’s education and work history. More variables might lug additional weight, such as prior judicial or quasi-judicial service of any type of kind, solution in State or Federal government, including trial or litigation experience, and immigration legislation experience.” The Supervisor and Attorney General will “retain discernment to think about any kind of other variables regarded appropriate and to make options.”
According to reports , the Trump management is considering reassigning some army courts to become TIJs.
OFLC Archives Searchable FAQ Data Source
Reliable August 30, 2025, the Department of Labor’s (DOL) Workplace of Foreign Labor Certification (OFLC) has actually archived the searchable Regularly Asked Questions (FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTION) data source. It will just be available at its brand-new location
OFLC said the data source is “being kept at a website [Wayback] that is not controlled by DOL. Stakeholders are suggested to update their bookmarks and links if they wish to continue to access the archived FAQs.” OFLC noted that “the archive may take time to tons, but once it does, it is completely practical.” OFLC kept in mind that “the archived searchable frequently asked question data source will certainly no more be upgraded once it is archived and need to not be relied upon to supply the most current OFLC guidance. It is a good idea to just count on the searchable FAQ database for historical advice.”
To learn more, see the OFLC’s news web page (scroll to August 27 and OFLC’s FAQ page
Send Out Company Visa Inquiries With Navigator, Not Via Email, DOS States
According to records, organization visa queries to the Department of State (DOS) need to currently be sent with the Visa Navigator system as opposed to via email.
The Visa Navigator, which leads the individual through a collection of triggers, can be located on the appropriate U.S. consular office or consulate’s web site. For example, the Visa Navigator for the United State Embassy and Consular Office in Nigeria is right here The Navigator keeps in mind that it “is not an online application. Completing the navigator does not entitle you to an U.S. key or any kind of various other citizenship or migration advantage. The united state consulate might need you to supply additional info or sustaining records prior to acting on your request.”