Tagged #family-based
Every article we've published on this topic, sorted by the agency's own announcement date.
September 2026 Visa Bulletin Released: Employment-Based Categories Face Pressure
The State Department released the September 2026 Visa Bulletin setting final action dates and filing dates for family-based and employment-based green card applicants. EB-1 India, EB-2, and EB-5 face potential restrictions as fiscal year 2026 ends.
What you need to know about Biden's \"parole in place\" executive order on immigration
The Biden administration's June 2024 parole-in-place program offers legal protections to some undocumented spouses of U.S. citizens. Learn eligibility, timelines, and next steps for applicants.
New USCIS Public Charge Rule Takes Effect September 18—Here's What Changes
DHS finalizes broad public charge rules for green card applicants. Starting Sept. 18, 2026, officers can weigh more benefits when evaluating family and employment-based cases.
Trump Administration Restricts All Legal Immigration Categories
USCIS and State Department officials are freezing family-based sponsorships, diversity visas, employment-based petitions, and humanitarian programs to reduce legal immigration by an estimated 33%–50%.
USCIS Policy Alert: Officers Must Suggest DNA Testing in Family-Based Cases
USCIS requires adjudicators to suggest DNA testing when primary evidence of genetic relationships is unavailable, unreliable, or insufficient. Understand the new mandatory guidance and how it affects RFEs.
Two Major Final Rules Reshape Legal Immigration: Duration of Status & Public Charge
DHS finalized two rules on July 17, 2026: eliminating 'duration of status' for F/J/I visas (effective Sept. 15) and rescinding the 2022 public charge regulation (effective Sept. 18), expanding discretion on family-based green card adjudications.
State Department Eyes $100,000 Green Card Bond for Overseas Applicants
The Trump administration is evaluating a proposal to require certain green card applicants abroad to post a refundable $100,000 bond. Here's what practitioners need to know.
July 2026 Visa Bulletin – Mixed Movement in Employment, Gains for Family-Based
State Department released July 2026 Visa Bulletin with advancement in EB-1 China, EB-3 categories, and family-sponsored visas, but EB-2 India becomes unavailable and EB-1 India retrogresses further.
USCIS Limits Green Card Adjustment of Status to Extraordinary Circumstances
USCIS policy memo requires most visa holders to pursue green cards through consular processing abroad, not adjustment of status in the US. Major shift affects employment, family-based, and humanitarian applications.
Reading the DOS Visa Bulletin: Family vs Employment Charts and the Country Columns
A working guide to the State Department's monthly Visa Bulletin — the family and employment charts, the country columns, and how to translate priority dates into wait estimates.