August 2026 » ImmigrationUSA

Department of State

Worldwide Pause for Visa Appointments

On July 23, the State Department (DOS) announced a suspension of immigrant visa appointments at U.S. embassies and consulates worldwide. Interviewees got notifications of their interviews being rescheduled, with new interview dates to be determined. According to a press statement, the reason for the suspension is to allow the DOS

August 26, 2026

immigration scams

Immigration Scams Alert

How Immigration Scams Work The imposters claim to be from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), Department of Homeland Security (DHS) or Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). They may say something like: • Your immigration status is about to be revoked. • You failed to pay a required fee.

August 26, 2026

F visa

Visa Bulletin for September 2026

The U.S. Department of State (DOS) released the September 2026 visa bulletin. The Visa Bulletin provides an update on the availability of immigrant visas for both consular processing and adjustment of status applications for the month of September 2026. The bulletin includes both the Final Action Dates and the Dates for Filing for employment-based

August 26, 2026

Board of Immigration Appeals

Immigrant Children Face Reduced Entry Pathways

The U.S. government narrowed the options available for undocumented immigrant children to remain in the United States. A new administrative decision, part of the policy changes, stops immigration courts from delaying cases for immigrant children whose visa applications are still in process. Details On The Board Ruling One of the

August 18, 2026

DHS

Electronic Filing for USCIS Forms Required

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released a interim final rule letting U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) mandate electronic filling for certain immigration benefit requests. The rule became effective August 11, 2026 but DHS will continue to accept comments until October 13, 2026. This rule doesn’t immediately make any

August 18, 2026

Advance Parole

Advance Parole Travel Protections Overturned

The Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) ruled traveling abroad on advance parole now triggers the three year or ten year unlawful presence bar. The actual length depends on how many days of unlawful presence a person accrued before leaving. As of August 13, 2026, this decision overrules the Board’s 2012

August 18, 2026

asylum claim

Limits to Asylum Claims Clarified by BIA

The Board of Immigration Appeals rendered a precedential decision establishing new limits on when military conscription-related fears may form the basis of an asylum claim. In Matter of R-A-N, 29 I&N Dec. 739 (BIA 2026), issued July 7, 2026, the Board held that absent connection to one of the five

August 13, 2026

B-1

Visa Bond Program Made Permanent

The Department of State (DOS) published a final rule on August 3, 2026, making the visa bond program a permanent part of the B-1 and B-2 visa process. The rule implements Executive Order 14159, “Protecting the American People Against Invasion,” which directed DOS to coordinate with the Department of Homeland

August 13, 2026

Birthright Citizenship

U.S. Government Issues New Executive Orders on Birthright Citizenship

The United States government signed two executive orders on August 6, 2026. The executive orders deal with birthright citizenship and birth tourism respectively. The move comes weeks after the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) struck down a previous presidential order limiting birthright citizenship in Trump v. Barbara. The

August 7, 2026

ICE

Uptake of ICE Arrests at U.S. Airports

The New York Times reported twenty-five arrests by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) at more than a dozen U.S. airports. This is part of new ICE strategy targeting foreign nationals with expired visas at airports specifically. Initially, ICE operations at airports targeted individuals with court-approved removal orders. This new plan

August 7, 2026