DHS Announces the Termination of Temporary Protected Status for Ethiopia

After careful consideration and deliberation of country conditions, the secretary is terminating Ethiopia's designation for TPS. 

WASHINGTON – Today, Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem announced her decision to terminate the Temporary Protected Status designation of Ethiopia. 

"Temporary Protected Status designations are time-limited and were never meant to be a ticket to permanent residency," said a USCIS spokesperson. "Conditions in Ethiopia no longer pose a serious threat to the personal safety of returning Ethiopian nationals. Since the situation no longer

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Establishes New Center to Strengthen Immigration Screening and Target Bad Actors

New vetting center will focus on powerful screening resources to keep America safe

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced the establishment of a specialized unit to strengthen the ability of America's immigration system to screen out terrorists, criminal aliens, and other foreign nationals who pose potential threats to public safety or who have committed fraud or other crimes. Once fully operationalized, the USCIS Vetting Center, headquartered in Atlanta, will centralize the enhanced vetting of aliens and allow the agency to respond more nimbly to changes in a shifting threat landscape.

"USCIS' role in the nation's immigration system has never been more critical. In the wake of several recent incidents of violence, including a foreign national attacking National Guard service members on U.

USCIS Updates Policy on Biometrics for Detainees

We are updating USCIS Policy Manual Volume 1, Part C to deter the filing of frivolous claims and provide operational consistency. This update clarifies that the Department of Homeland Security generally will not take biometrics of detained aliens unless they are in removal proceedings and have a pending application or petition filed with the Executive Office for Immigration Review. This guidance is effective immediately and applies to requests pending or filed on or after the publication date.

The policy guidance:

• Reiterates that USCIS does not approve requests to collect biometrics from aliens or other persons who are detained or incarcerated in any jail, prison, or simil

Visa Bulletin February 2026 Predictions

For official January 2026 Visa Bulletin & Analysis, please click here: https://www.mygcvisa.com/visa-bulletin/2026/visa-bulletin-january-2026.aspx

Please see February 2026 Visa Bulletin Predictions below (for both Family Based and Employment Based categories for all countries):

Family Based:

Final Action Dates

Dates For Filing Applications

"Final Action Date" is the date when when USCIS/DOS may render their final decision on submitted applications. Your priority date should be before this date.

Family- Sponsored	All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed	CHINA-mainland born	INDIA	MEXICO	PHILIPPINES
F1	08DEC16	08DEC16	08DEC16	01NOV06	01APR13
F2A	08APR24	08APR24	08APR24	01APR23	08APR24
F2B	15DEC16	15DEC16	15DEC16	08MAR09	01FEB13
F3	15OCT11	15OCT11	15OCT11	15MAY01	15MAY05
F4	22JAN08	22JAN08	22NOV06	01MAY01	01OCT06

"Date for Filing Application" is the date when you can submit I-485/NVC applications to USCIS/DOS. Your priority date should be before this date.

Family- Sponsored	All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed	CHINA-mainland born	INDIA	MEXICO	PHILIPPINES
F1	01NOV17	01NOV17	01NOV17	01NOV07	08JUN15
F2A	C	C	C	C	C
F2B	01MAY17	01MAY17	01MAY17	01MAR10	08NOV13
F3	08AUG12	08AUG12	08AUG12	08JUL01	01APR06
F4	01APR09	01APR09	01JAN07	22MAY01	15FEB08

USCIS Increases Screening, Vetting of Aliens Working in U.S.

Maximum validity periods of some Employment Authorization Documents will be reduced

WASHINGTON – U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services updated its Policy Manual to reduce the maximum validity period for Employment Authorization Documents (EAD) for certain categories of aliens. This update also incorporates changes to EAD validity periods made by recent legislation to ensure proper vetting and screening of aliens.

The reduced maximum validity periods for certain categories will result in more frequent vetting of aliens who apply for authorization to work in the United States. Vetting an alien more often will enable USCIS to deter fraud and detect aliens with potentially harmful intent so they can be processed for removal from the United States.

"Re

January 2026 Visa Bulletin Analysis

For January 2026 Visa Bulletin, please click here: https://www.mygcvisa.com/visa-bulletin/2026/visa-bulletin-january-2026.aspx

Please see below analysis of January 2026 Visa Bulletin:

Family Based:

Final Action Dates

Dates For Filing Applications

"Final Action Date" is the date when when USCIS/DOS may render their final decision on submitted applications. Your priority date should be before this date.

Family- Sponsored	All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed	CHINA-mainland born	INDIA	MEXICO	PHILIPPINES
F1	No Change	No Change	No Change	+6 Months	+1 Month 10 Days
F2A	No Change	No Change	No Change	No Change	No Change
F2B	No Change	No Change	No Change	+6 Months	+2 Months 14 Days
F3	No Change	No Change	No Change	No Change	+4 Months
F4	No Change	No Change	No Change	No Change	+7 Days

"Date for Filing Application" is the date when you can submit I-485/NVC applications to USCIS/DOS. Your priority date should be before this date.

Family- Sponsored	All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed	CHINA-mainland born	INDIA	MEXICO	PHILIPPINES
F1	No Change	No Change	No Change	+6 Months	No Change
F2A	+1 Month	+1 Month	+1 Month	+1 Month	+1 Month
F2B	+7 Days	+7 Days	+7 Days	+6 Months	No Change
F3	No Change	No Change	No Change	No Change	+3 Months
F4	No Change	No Change	No Change	No Change	+14 Days

January 2026 Visa Bulletin

For December 2025 Visa Bulletin, please click here: https://www.mygcvisa.com/visa-bulletin/2025/visa-bulletin-december-2025.aspx

For analysis of January 2026 Visa Bulletin, please click here: https://www.mygcvisa.com/visa-bulletin/2026/visa-bulletin-analysis-january-2026.aspx

January 2026 Visa Bulletin has been officially released (valid from January 1 to January 31 only). Please see below for more details.

Family Based:

Final Action Dates

Dates For Filing Applications

"Final Action Date" is the date when when USCIS/DOS may render their final decision on submitted applications. Your priority date should be before this date.

Family- Sponsored	All Chargeability  Areas Except Those Listed	CHINA-mainland  born	INDIA	MEXICO	PHILIPPINES
F1	08NOV16	08NOV16	08NOV16	01SEP06	01MAR13
F2A	01FEB24	01FEB24	01FEB24	01FEB23	01FEB24
F2B	01DEC16	01DEC16	01DEC16	15NOV08	22DEC12
F3	08SEP11	08SEP11	08SEP11	01MAY01	01MAR05
F4	08JAN08	08JAN08	01NOV06	08APR01	22JUL06

"Date for Filing Application" is the date when you can submit I-485/NVC applications to USCIS/DOS. Your priority date should be before this date.

Family- Sponsored	All Chargeability  Areas Except Those Listed	CHINA- mainland  born	INDIA	MEXICO	PHILIPPINES
F1	01SEP17	01SEP17	01SEP17	01SEP07	22APR15
F2A	22DEC25	22DEC25	22DEC25	22DEC25	22DEC25
F2B	15MAR17	15MAR17	15MAR17	15NOV09	01OCT13
F3	22JUL12	22JUL12	22JUL12	01JUL01	01FEB06
F4	01MAR09	01MAR09	15DEC06	30APR01	15JAN08

USCIS Implements Additional National Security Measures in the Wake of National Guard Shooting by Afghan National

USCIS will consider relevant country-specific factors when using its broad discretionary authorities regarding aliens from 19 high-risk countries after halting refugee resettlement from Afghanistan and the entry of Afghan nationals in the first year of the Trump administration.

WASHINGTON— In the wake of the shooting of two National Guard service members in Washington, D.C., Wednesday by an Afghan national, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services issued new guidance allowing for negative, country-specific factors to be considered when vetting aliens from 19 high-risk countries. This guidance c

DHS Terminates Temporary Protected Status for Haiti

The Department of Homeland Security today posted a Federal Register notice on the termination of Temporary Protected Status for Haiti. After consulting with interagency partners, Secretary Noem concluded that Haiti no longer meets the statutory requirements for TPS. This decision was based on a review conducted by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, input from relevant U.S. government agencies, and an analysis indicating that allowing Haitian nationals to remain temporarily in the United States is inconsistent with U.S. national interests.

The termination of the Haiti Temporary Protected Status designation is effective February 3, 2026. If you are an alien who is currently a beneficiary of TPS for Haiti, you should prepare to depart if you have no other lawful basis for remaining in the United Stat

DHS Terminating Temporary Protected Status for Burma

Burma has made notable progress in governance and stability 

WASHINGTON – Today, Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem announced the termination of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Burma (Myanmar). The termination will be effective on Jan 26, 2026. 

At least 60 days before a TPS designation expires, the secretary, after consultation with appropriate U.S. government agencies, is required to review the conditions in a country designated for TPS to determine whether the conditions supporting the designation continue to be met, and, if so, how long to extend the des

USCIS Announces FY 2026 Inflation Increase for Certain Immigration-Related Fees

We have issued a Federal Register notice that will increase certain H.R. 1 immigration-related fees for fiscal year (FY) 2026. These fee adjustments reflect the amount of inflation from July 2024 through July 2025.   

On July 22, we published a Federal Register notice announcing the implementation of these H.R. 1 immigration-related fe

Court Order on Partial Stay of DHS 2024 USCIS Fee Rule

On Nov. 12, 2025, the United States District Court for the District of Colorado issued a decision in Moody v. Noem, No. 24-cv-00762-CNS (D. Colo.), staying certain EB-5 related fees that were codified by DHS in the 2024 Fee Rule, which became effective April 1, 2024. The court determined that the EB-5 Reform and Integrity Act of 2022 precluded DHS from adjusting EB-5 program fees in the 2024 Fee Rule. DHS and USCIS believe the Court's decision is incorrect but are working to implement it.

In accordance with the Nov. 12 order, and effective immediately, USCIS will accept the fees that were in effect until March 31, 2024, which are listed in the "Current

DHS Strengthens Integrity in Nation’s Immigration System, Returns to Commonsense Legal Immigration Levels

WASHINGTON — Under the leadership of President Donald J. Trump, Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, and Director Joseph Edlow, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has taken critical steps to restore sanity and integrity to our immigration system. Since Jan. 20, 2025, USCIS has closed loopholes and implemented critically needed changes to better protect American communities and workers.

"The distinction between legal and illegal immigration becomes meaningless when both can destroy a country at its foundation, "said USCIS Spokesman Matthew Tragesser. "Unchecked mass migration floods the American labor market, depressing wages and taking jobs away from hardworking Americans, while straining healthcare, education, and housing systems. The Trump administration continues to execute policies to ensure legal immigration advances American interest

Court Order on Annual Asylum Fee Notices

On Oct. 30, 2025, the United States District Court for the District of Maryland issued an order in Asylum Seeker Advocacy Project v. United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, et al., SAG-25-03299 (D. Md.), temporarily staying the Annual Asylum Fee (AAF) implementation provisions by USCIS as provided in the notice titled "USCIS Immigration Fees Required by HR-1 Reconciliation Bill" and published in the Federal Register (90 FR 34511 (FRN)) on July 22, 2025. USCIS strongly disagrees with the Court's order but will follow its terms pending possible further judicial review.

The FRN provided information about how DHS would effectuate the mandatory AAF for fiscal year 2025 and subsequent years. It specified that an

USCIS Received 35,000 Applications for Homeland Defenders, Most for Any Job in Agency History

USCIS has made hundreds of job offers and is recruiting even more Homeland Defenders

WASHINGTON – U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services today announced that since starting its hiring campaign for Homeland Defenders on Sept. 30, the agency has received an overwhelming 35,000-plus applications—the most for any position in agency history. The agency says its aggressive social media campaign is attracting Americans to join USCIS and restore integrity to the nation's immigration system after four years of Biden's border chaos.

USCIS is cutting bureaucratic red tape to hire fiercely dedicated, America-first patriots to serve on the frontlines and hold the line against terrorists, criminal aliens, and bad actors intent on infiltrating our