U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has received enough petitions to reach the congressionally mandated 65,000 H-1B visa regular cap and the 20,000 H-1B visa U.S. advanced degree exemption, known as the master’s cap, for fiscal year (FY) 2027 (https://www.uscis.gov/newsroom/alerts/uscis-reaches-fiscal-year-2027-h-1b-cap). Thus, they will not be running a second H-1B lottery that had occurred in some prior years. New, cap-subject H-1B’s will be available next year for th

The Department of State has released the August 2026 Visa Bulletin, with modest advancement in several family-sponsored preference categories and limited movement in most employment-based categories. View the August Visa Bulletin: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/legal/visa-law0/visa-bulletin/2026/visa-bulletin-for-august-2026.html USCIS will announce which filing chart applicants should use for Adjustment of Status filings: https://www.uscis.gov/visabulletininfo If

The Department of State has announced the availability of immigrant numbers in its monthly bulletin. We note that USCIS has confirmed that applicants filing adjustment of status applications in July must continue to use the Dates for Filing chart for family-based cases and the Final Action Dates chart for employment-based cases. As a result, many employment-based applicants who may be current under the Filing Dates chart will still be unable to submit adjustment applications

On Friday May 22, 2026, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) issued a policy concerning adjustment of status applications filed by individuals seeking lawful permanent residence from within the United States. The new guidance reiterates that adjustment of status is a discretionary benefit and instructs USCIS officers to evaluate all relevant factors—both favorable and unfavorable—when deciding whether to approve an application. USCIS officers are reminded that ap

The Department of State has announced the availability of immigrant numbers in its monthly bulletin. Click the link below for the full announcement: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/legal/visa-law0/visa-bulletin/2026/visa-bulletin-for-june-2026.html

The Department of State has announced the availability of immigrant numbers in its monthly bulletin. Click the link below for a PDF of the announcement: https://travel.state.gov/content/dam/visas/Bulletins/visabulletin_May2026.pdf

GG&W hopes this bulletin should provide welcome relief for many foreign nationals being sponsored under the employment-based (EB) immigrant visa categories, most notably those being sponsored under the EB-3 category that are subject to the worldwide immigrant visa numbers and are applying for adjustment of status. As USCIS has indicated that the Dates for Filing Chart can be used in accordance with the April 2026 Visa Bulletin, the EB-3 category (at least for adjustment of

We want to remind all clients and followers the H-1B FY2027 e-Registration period will end on March 19, 2026 at 12:00 EST. Therefore, this will likely be your last chance to register any candidates in the FY2027 H-1B lottery. As we remind all, the USCIS announced changes to the H-1B lottery process several years ago, including how the lottery is conducted. Pursuant to this new process, USCIS will first continue to conduct the lottery electronically, followed by the submissio

The Department of State has announced the availability of immigrant numbers in its monthly bulletin. Click the link below for the announcement: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/legal/visa-law0/visa-bulletin/2026/visa-bulletin-for-march-2026.html

GG&W is reminding its clients that the H-1B FY2027 e-Registration period will be opening in less than 2 months (at the beginning of March 2026) like years past. As most are likely aware, the USCIS announced changes to the H-1B lottery process several years ago, including how the lottery is conducted. Pursuant to this new process, USCIS will first continue to conduct the lottery electronically, followed by the submission of an H-1B petition for only lottery winners. To be eli

The Department of State has announced the availability of immigrant numbers in its monthly bulletin. Click the link below for the announcement: https://travel.state.gov/content/dam/visas/Bulletins/visabulletin_February2026.pdf

The Department of State has announced the availability of immigrant numbers in its monthly bulletin. Click the link below for the announcement: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/legal/visa-law0/visa-bulletin/2026/visa-bulletin-for-january-2026.html

The U.S. Department of State has announced that starting December 15, 2025 , H-1B and H-4 visa applicants will be subject to an additional review of their online presence as part of their nonimmigrant visa application process at U.S. consulates and embassies abroad. This type of heightened review has already been in place for F, M, and J visa applicants since June 2025. Included in this enhanced review is a requirement that all social media accounts be set to “public” so t

The Department of State has announced the availability of immigrant numbers in its monthly bulletin. Click the link below for the announcement: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/legal/visa-law0/visa-bulletin/2026/visa-bulletin-for-december-2025.html

On October 20, 2025, the USCIS announced additional information and guidance on its website regarding the Trump Executive Order (EO) issued last month. When announced, this EO caused much chaos and confusion, mostly because it appeared very broad and unclear in its intent. We have posted the Service’s new guidance below, but to summarize, the additional $100,000 payment should only impact H1B’s for foreign national (FN) beneficiaries located abroad or those FN’s requesting c

The Department of State has announced the availability of immigrant numbers in its monthly bulletin. Click the link below for the announcement: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/legal/visa-law0/visa-bulletin/2026/visa-bulletin-for-november-2025.html

As you are likely aware from the news and GG&W updates, on September 19, 2025, President Trump issued an Executive Order (EO)...

On September 19, 2025, President Trump issued a proclamation restricting the entry of anyone seeking to enter or reenter the U.S. in H-1B...

The Department of State has announced the availability of immigrant numbers in its monthly bulletin. Click the link below for the...

The Department of State has announced the availability of immigrant numbers in its monthly bulletin. Click the link below for the...