Rule changes, fee decisions, court rulings and processing shifts, logged as they happen with the primary source attached. Written for journalists on deadline.
The rule allows USCIS to require electronic filing for certain immigration forms. Paper filers and applicants without counsel are the population to watch.
Officers can now set response deadlines case by case instead of the standard twelve weeks, and the extra fourteen days for notices mailed abroad is gone, replaced by three days for all mailed notices.
Policy Alert PA-2026-05 lets officers deny benefit requests that lack required initial evidence without a Request for Evidence or Notice of Intent to Deny. It took effect immediately and applies to pending cases too.
The First Circuit declined to block the Massachusetts district court decision vacating the fee, so USCIS is barred from collecting it while the case continues.
Several consular posts stopped offering routine visa services on August 1, consolidating appointments into regional hubs. Expect longer travel and wait times for applicants in the affected countries.
The District of Rhode Island struck down four USCIS policies that had paused processing for people from 39 countries covered by the presidential travel ban. Employment authorization and green card cases can move again.
