USCIS & Immigration News
Curated USCIS and U.S. immigration news for people tracking a case: form updates, fee changes, premium processing, visa bulletin movement, online-account changes, and processing-time shifts. Each item links to the official source so you can read the full announcement directly.
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- CasePredictor EditorialProcessing times
USCIS adjudication pace slowed sharply in 2026; cases pending over six months near 5.4 million
Analysis of USCIS data shows the agency completed far fewer cases in early 2026 than a year earlier, pushing the number of cases pending more than six months to roughly 5.4 million — up from about 3.6 million a year prior. For a processing-time site, this is the trend that widens predicted decision windows across most form types.
Read summary & sources ->3 sources (incl. official) - CasePredictor EditorialFeesPolicyForm update
Court vacates the $100,000 H-1B fee — but a stay keeps it in effect pending appeal
On June 8, 2026, a federal judge in Massachusetts vacated the $100,000 fee on certain new H-1B petitions as unlawful. Days later the court stayed its own ruling, and the government appealed to the First Circuit. As of early July 2026 the fee still applies to initial H-1B petitions that require consular processing — the outcome now turns on the appeal.
Read summary & sources ->4 sources (incl. official) - CasePredictor EditorialVisa BulletinPolicy
July 2026 Visa Bulletin: USCIS keeps Final Action Dates for EB filings; EB-2 and EB-5 India go unavailable for the rest of FY2026
The State Department published the July 2026 Visa Bulletin on June 2, and USCIS is again requiring the Final Action Dates chart for all employment-based adjustment-of-status filings — the third month in a row. EB-2 India and EB-5 (Unreserved) India are now Unavailable for the remainder of FY2026 after India reached its pro-rated limits. EB-1 India retrogresses about two months while EB-1 China and EB-3 China advance.
Read summary & sources ->4 sources (incl. official) - CasePredictor EditorialPolicyForm update
USCIS reframes adjustment of status as discretionary "administrative grace" (Policy Memo PM-602-0199)
On May 21, 2026, USCIS issued Policy Memorandum PM-602-0199 instructing officers to treat adjustment of status under INA §245 as a discretionary act of administrative grace rather than an entitlement. Meeting the statutory eligibility criteria is no longer treated as sufficient on its own — adjudicators must weigh discretionary factors and can deny an otherwise-eligible application.
Read summary & sources ->4 sources (incl. official) - CasePredictor EditorialVisa BulletinPolicy
June 2026 Visa Bulletin: USCIS uses Final Action Dates chart for all employment-based filings
USCIS will require employment-based adjustment-of-status filers to use the Final Action Dates chart in June 2026. EB-2 India retrogresses by more than 10 months and EB-1 India retrogresses by about 3.5 months; EB-3 China and EB-3 India advance modestly.
Read summary & sources ->4 sources (incl. official) - CasePredictor EditorialForm updateFees
USCIS publishes new Form G-1055 fee schedule with online filing fees for I-129 and I-907
The new edition of Form G-1055 (Fee Schedule) explicitly lists the online filing fee for Form I-129 and the online filing fee for Form I-907 when used to request premium processing for I-129 in certain classifications.
Read summary & sources ->2 sources (incl. official) - CasePredictor EditorialProcessing times
N-400 naturalization processing times remain among the fastest since 2016
USCIS's May 2026 processing-time data shows naturalization continuing as one of the fastest-moving form types: a national median of roughly 5.5 months and a 93rd-percentile band in the 10–14 month range — the lowest sustained levels since 2016.
Read summary & sources ->3 sources (incl. official) - CasePredictor EditorialProcessing timesOnline tools
USCIS now reports certain processing times under "SCOPS" instead of named service centers
On the public processing-times page, USCIS has begun listing certain form types under "Service Center Operations (SCOPS)" rather than naming specific service centers (e.g., Vermont, Nebraska). Filers should treat the SCOPS line as the national reporting bucket for those forms.
Read summary & sources ->2 sources (incl. official) - CasePredictor EditorialOnline tools
USCIS Case Status Online consolidated into MyAccount with mandatory two-factor authentication
USCIS has rerouted Case Status Online lookups through the unified MyAccount platform. Every login now requires a one-time verification code (MFA), aligning the case-status experience with the rest of USCIS's online services.
Read summary & sources ->3 sources (incl. official) - CasePredictor EditorialOnline toolsForm update
USCIS Organizational Accounts let multiple staff collaborate on H-1B registrations and petitions
USCIS continues to expand Organizational Account functionality so that multiple people inside a company or law firm can collaboratively prepare H-1B electronic registrations, H-1B petitions, and the associated I-907 premium-processing requests inside one shared account.
Read summary & sources ->2 sources (incl. official) - CasePredictor EditorialFeesForm update
USCIS premium processing fees increased March 1, 2026 (I-129 and I-140 now $2,965)
USCIS's adjustment to premium processing fees took effect March 1, 2026. The headline change: I-129 and I-140 premium processing rose to $2,965. I-765 went to $1,780 and I-539 to $2,075. Postmark date — not received date — determines which fee applies.
Read summary & sources ->4 sources (incl. official) - CasePredictor EditorialForm updatePolicy
EAD auto-extension ended October 30, 2025 — file I-765 renewals at least 180 days before expiration
USCIS ended the temporary 540-day automatic extension of expiring Employment Authorization Documents on October 30, 2025. With I-765 processing currently 3–12 months, USCIS guidance is to file renewals at least 180 days before the EAD expiration date.
Read summary & sources ->2 sources (incl. official) - CasePredictor EditorialForm updatePolicy
I-485 filings must include the medical exam (Form I-693) up front; June 2025 update tied each I-693 to a specific application
Since December 2, 2024, most adjustment-of-status applicants must include a completed Form I-693 (medical exam) with their initial I-485 submission. A June 11, 2025 USCIS policy update further tied each I-693 to the specific application it was filed with — submissions for prior or future I-485s are no longer reusable.
Read summary & sources ->2 sources (incl. official) - CasePredictor EditorialForm updatePolicy
USCIS waived the COVID-19 vaccination requirement for adjustment-of-status applicants
Effective January 22, 2025, USCIS waived the COVID-19 vaccination requirement for all adjustment-of-status applicants. Civil surgeons no longer need to document COVID-19 vaccination status on Form I-693, and USCIS will not issue an RFE or NOID based on missing COVID-19 vaccination documentation.
Read summary & sources ->2 sources (incl. official)
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