Change in Options for Consular Processing

The Department of State (DOS) has reduced the options on where an immigrant visa applicant can consular process. Applicants must now select the U.S. consulate located either in their current place of residence or in their country of nationality. Effective Nov. 1, 2025, the National Visa Center (NVC) will schedule immigrant visa applicants in one of those places. Existing immigrant visa appointments will generally not be rescheduled or cancelled. Applicants residing in the United States will no longer be able to select a U.S. consulate in the country where they last resided. Under the new policy, these applicants would need to ask NVC to transfer their case there and provide a hardship justification.

Immigrant and Refugee Children: A Guide

Tools and resources to help protect and prepare youth and families in case of an ICE raid.

IRAP Practice Advisory on Preparing Afghan SIV Holders for Travel to the US

My Community Member Was Arrested by ICE - What Do I Do?

The checklist is meant to be used in the aftermath of an ICE arrest to determine the next steps to find the person who was detained and identify what assistance and support they and their family need. Available in English and Spanish.

Naturalization Alert: Memos on Good Moral Character (GMC) and Neighborhood Visits

This practice alert covers recent U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) policy statements announced in August 2025 that could affect naturalization applicants. On August 15, 2025, USCIS issued a memo which states an intent to change how the agency will assess whether applicants meet the good moral character (“GMC”) requirements for naturalization. On August 22, 2025, USCIS issued a memo that prescribes neighborhood visits to investigate naturalization applicants for scrutiny of the applicant’s residency, GMC, and attachment to the U.S. Constitution. As with the GMC memo, this memo does not exist in the official repository of USCIS policy, the USCIS Policy Manual. At this time there are no instructions on how these memos will be implemented by USCIS.

Naturalization Update: Policy Manual Revisions to the Disability Waiver

This practice advisory provides background on the disability waiver of the English and civics requirement for naturalization and describes the June 2025 revisions to the USCIS Policy Manual (PM) on the submission and review of disability waivers. The revised guidance in the PM applies to applications filed on or after the publication date of June 13, 2025. Overall, the PM revisions signal a change in tone that assumes fraud in the disability waiver process is frequent and encourages increased scrutiny by USCIS adjudicators.

New Data Shows Immigrant Visa Interview Backlogs at US Consular Offices

How long will an immigrant visa applicant have to wait for an interview at a U.S. consular office after their visa application is complete? From the State Department’s internal data, we know that as of December 2024, some consular offices had no backlogs at all, while other offices expect to take over two years to schedule an interview. Frustratingly, the State Department provides no public data for immigrant visa applicants broken down by consular office, even though the State Department tracks this data internally and provides non-immigrant visa interview wait times on its website.

Rescreening for Relief

Given the Trump administration’s attempts to terminate the Parole Process for Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans (CHNV), and the uncertain futures of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) and Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), it’s critical to rescreen beneficiaries of these protections for all other forms of immigration relief. This advisory reviews some of the most common forms of relief that may be available to TPS, DACA, and parole beneficiaries. It also provides tips on screening for inadmissibility, which is a prerequisite to many types of relief.

Screening for Immigration Relief: Client Intake Form and Notes

This resource is a comprehensive client intake form meant to assist practitioners in screening for immigration relief options and assessing red flags. Accompanying the intake form are notes to assist practitioners in spotting issues and relief options as well as a summary of common forms of relief. This sample client intake form is generic, to screen for general relief since the goal at the screening stage is not to make a final determination of eligibility but to assess pathways for relief.

Special Immigrant Visas for Afghans and Iraqis

SIV Practice Guide: IRAP Updates Resource for Practitioners Representing SIV Applicants

Step-By-Step Family Preparedness Plan

Every family should have a Family Preparedness Plan in case of an emergency. It is critical for immigrant families to think ahead and set more concrete plans for immigration emergencies that can arise. For example, this Resource Toolkit goes into detail about different childcare options available in case of an absent parent, where to find trusted immigration services in your community, and how to prepare to assert your constitutional rights in the presence of an immigration officer.

Ten Red Flags of a Sham Marriage

This article will examine the factors or evidence that give rise to heightened scrutiny and the documentary proof you should include to increase the odds that the marriage-based petition or application will be approved.

USCIS Changes Date of CSPA Age Calculation

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has revised Vol 7, Part A, Chapter 7, of the Policy Manual regarding the date of age calculation under the Child Status Protection Act (CSPA). Beginning on Aug. 15, 2025, the agency will calculate the child’s age when the priority date becomes current using the Visa Bulletin’s Chart A, Final Action Dates, or when the petition is approved, whichever is later. This resource discusses the implications of this change for clients and legal practitioners.

USCIS Child Status Protection Act Policy Update

This practice alert provides an overview of updated USCIS policy on the Child Status Protection Act (CSPA), which affects noncitizens hoping to immigrate through adjustment of status as the “child” of a lawful permanent resident or other derivative “child” beneficiary and who might rely upon CSPA to remain classified as a “child” even if their biological age is 21 or older. On August 8, 2025, USCIS announced that it was reversing a 2023 policy relating to the CSPA. This alert describes the 2023 guidance, current guidance, and CSPA provisions impacted by this change.

When Can the State Department Terminate an Approved Petition?

Section 203(g) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) allows the Department of State (DOS) to terminate an approved immigrant visa petition (technically, the visa “registration”) after the immigrant visa applicant fails to do the following and one year goes by: (1) respond to notices or pay the immigrant visa fee to the National Visa Center (NVC); (2) appear at the consular interview; or (3) provide requested documentary evidence after a consular refusal under INA § 221(g). This article will review the process of termination and the actions the applicant should take to avoid it.