News and Announcements

January 2026

U.S. Department of State to “Pause” Immigrant Visa Processing for Nationals of 75 Countries at High Risk of Public Benefits Usage
January 21, 2026

Effective January 21, 2026, the U.S. Department of State will pause issuance of immigrant visas to nationals of 75 countries.* Please see the U.S. State Department website on this topic. […]

USCIS Places “Hold” on Processing of Benefit Applications From or On Behalf of Foreign Nationals from 39 “High Risk” Countries, for Increased Vetting
January 21, 2026

On January 1, 2026, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) issued a policy memorandum relating to vetting of benefit applications* filed by, or on behalf of, foreign nationals born in […]

USCIS Announces Premium Processing Fee Increase Effective March 1, 2026
January 15, 2026

On January 9, 2026, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that Premium Processing Fees will increase, effective March 1, 2026.  Per the announcement, the following are examples of the […]

USCIS Publishes Final Rule on Weighted Selection of H-1B Cap-Subject Registrants and Petitioners — May Impact MIT Graduates and Others Leaving MIT
January 15, 2026

USCIS published a final rule in the Federal Register: 90 FR 60864 (December 29, 2025), modifying how H-1B work visa petitions will be selected for processing, as submitted by cap-subject […]

ISO EMERGENCY CONTACT PHONE NUMBER for PORT-OF-ENTRY ISSUES
January 2, 2026

If you encounter issues while traveling, and specifically at your U.S. Port-of-Entry with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) where additional information is requested by CBP officials, please contact the […]

December 2025

ISO, most MIT offices, CLOSED December 23, 2025-January 4, 2026; ISO Hours/Contact Information over Winter Break
December 21, 2025

The ISO, and most MIT offices, will be CLOSED from Tuesday, December 23, 2025 through Friday, January 2, 2026.

Travel Ban Expansion Effective January 1, 2026
December 17, 2025

On December 16, 2025, the White House released the Presidential Proclamation Restricting and Limiting The Entry of Foreign Nationals to Protect the Security of the United States.This Proclamation extends and […]

Travel Warning: H-1B and H-4 Travel and Visa Appointments at U.S. Consulates
December 12, 2025

In recent days, U.S. Consulates in India informed H-1B and H-4 visa applicants that their visa interviews, originally scheduled for December 15, 2025 or later, had been rescheduled for March or April […]

USCIS Policy Memo Relating to Increased Vetting of Applications from 19 “high-risk” countries
December 5, 2025

On December 2, 2025, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) issued an updated policy memorandum pertaining to 19 “high-risk” countries, effective immediately. As a result, USCIS is:   Placing a “hold” […]

Expanded Screening of H-1B and H-4 Visa Applicants Starting December 15, 2025
December 4, 2025

On December 3, 2025, the U.S. Department of State announced that starting December 15, 2025, H-1B and H-4 visa applicants will be subject to a review of their online presence as part […]