The US Department of State has begun a pilot programme allowing 20,000 non-immigrant H1-B Visa holders to renew their visas in the USA without returning to their native countries for stamping. If successful, the programme would be extended to other categories. Marking a significant shift in the policy after two decades, the Department of State decided to allow in-country renewal of visas in certain petition-based temporary working Visas, particularly the most sought-after H-1B visa.

In a huge relief for H-1B visa holders, a White House-backed bipartisan deal has been unveiled under which automatic work authorisation would be granted to about 100,000 H-4 visa holders, who are spouses and children of a certain category of H-1B visa holders. The National Security Agreement that was announced after long negotiations between the Republican and the Democratic leadership in the U.S. Senate also provides a solution to about 250,000 aged-out children of H-1B visa holders.

In FY 2023, USCIS achieved record-breaking numbers, receiving 10.9 million filings and completing over 10 million pending cases. The agency reduced overall backlogs by 15%, administering the Oath of Allegiance to more than 878,500 new U.S. citizens, including 12,000 military members, effectively eliminating the backlog of naturalization applications.

The US State Department, led by Secretary of State Antony Blinken, has announced a new visa policy targeting individuals involved in the misuse of commercial spyware. This move is part of the Biden administration’s broader efforts to address concerns regarding the proliferation of spyware globally.

During the first quarter of 2024, immigration judges completed twice as many cases compared to the same period last year, as per data from the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse at Syracuse University. Nearly 200,000 cases were resolved from October to December 2023, up from 132,000 cases during the corresponding period in the previous year. This increase is crucial given the immigration courts’ backlog, which has grown by a million cases over the past year. By December 2023, there were 3,287,058 active pending cases in immigration courts. Despite accelerated hiring of new immigration judges during the first three years of the Biden administration, judges still grapple with an average caseload of 4,500 cases per judge.

USCIS announced an update to its Policy Manual providing that at its discretion and under certain conditions, it may excuse a nonimmigrant’s failure to timely file an extension of stay or change of status request if the delay was due to extraordinary circumstances beyond the control of the applicant or petitioner.

The USCIS is starting a new process for most applicants, petitioners, and requestors, and their attorneys and accredited representatives to pay for certain benefit request forms by mail or remotely instead of in person at a field office. Under the new process, applicants may mail either a check or Form G-1450, Authorization for Credit Card Transactions, to the field office with their benefit request.

The Clears White House Review casts its impact beyond temporary work visas, extending to those pursuing permanent residency or U.S. citizenship. Proposed adjustment anticipates a 19% increase in the naturalization application fee, rising from $640 to $760. The EB-5 Investor Visa Program could undergo a substantial revision, potentially doubling initial I-526 petition fees from the current $5,450 to $11,160. I-829 petition fees, crucial for eliminating residency conditions, may see an almost 150% increase from $3,825 to $9,535.

According to recent government data, there are now 3 million pending cases in immigration courts around the U.S. The backlog has tripled since 2019, growing by more than one million cases in the last year alone. The uptick in cases is largely driven by unprecedented surges in the number of migrants seeking asylum after being apprehended for crossing the border illegally. Immigration attorneys and advocates say the case backlog and subsequent long wait times for court dates are damaging to an already strained asylum system.

DOS released guidance and FAQs on the pilot program to resume domestic visa renewals for qualified H-1B non-immigrant visa applicants who meet certain requirements. Applications will be accepted between January 29 and April 1, 2024, or when all application slots are filled, whichever comes first.

The US is mulling granting India “treaty country status” under which the new E1 and E2 visa options will open for Indian traders and businessmen travelling to American cities. The two countries are also discussing a proposal to allow H-1B visa holders and their family members to renew their visas in America only, without having to travel to India

Some 1,029 New York companies signed up to express interest in hiring immigrants and asylum seekers with work authorization. But how many jobs have been filled through the Department of Labor initiative is less clear.