Recently, our office has received numerous inquiries regarding the Annual Asylum Fee (AAF), including whether payment is currently required, how timelines are calculated, and how to pay if no formal notification has been received. Below is an overview of the statutory basis for the fee, the impact of recent federal court litigation, and practical guidance for affirmative and defensive asylum applicants. Background: What Is the Annual Asylum Fee? Enacted under H.R. 1 (commonly

Executive Summary: On July 20, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) published a final rule revoking the 2022 public charge framework and establishing a new policy framework. Taking effect on September 18, 2026, the updated regulation expands the scope of review and grants immigration officers enhanced discretionary authority when evaluating public charge inadmissibility. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will issue an updated Form I-485 (Application to Re

On July 17, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) published a final rule eliminating the long-standing "Duration of Status" (D/S) policy for international students (F visa), exchange visitors (J visa), foreign news media representatives (I visa), and their dependents, replacing it with a fixed, explicit expiration date for authorized stay. Compared to the proposed rule published in August 2025, the overall changes in this final rule are minimal. 1. Elimination of D/S: Ext

Below is the August US Visa Bulletin update: Currently, USCIS has not yet announced whether Chart B will be open for filing for family-based and employment-based immigration. We will continue to monitor and update on further developments. Visa Category July 2026 August 2026 Change F1 (Unmarried Sons & Daughters of U.S. Citizens) 2018-02-01 2018-12-15 Advanced 317 days F2A (Spouses & Unmarried Children under 21 of LPRs) 2025-01-01 2026-07-22 Advanced 567 days F2B (Unmarried So

Latest Supreme Court Decision: Green Card Holders May Face Greater Scrutiny When Re-entering the United States On June 23, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a 6–3 decision in Blanche v. Lau, holding that border officials are not required to possess a high level of criminal evidence before treating a lawful permanent resident, commonly known as a green card holder, as “seeking admission” into the United States. The government may also rely on evidence obtained after the individual