Articles Posted in Consular Processing

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Are you applying for an immigrant visa and want to know when your priority date will become current? Then you won’t want to miss our analysis of the March 2026 Visa Bulletin.

In this video, attorney Jacob Sapochnick explains what you can expect to see in terms of the movement of the family-sponsored and employment-based visa categories in the new year.

USCIS Adjustment of Status

For adjustment of status filings to permanent residence in the month of March, USCIS will continue using the Dates for Filing Chart for the employment-based and family-sponsored categories.

Highlights of the March 2026 Visa Bulletin

At a Glance

What can we expect to see in the month of March?

Employment-Based Categories

Final Action Advancements

  • EB-1 India and China will advance one month to March 1, 2023

EB-2 Members of the Professions and Aliens of Exceptional Ability

  • EB-2 India will advance 2 months to September 15, 2013
  • EB-2 Except China, all other countries will advance 6.5 months to October 15, 2024

EB-3 Professionals and Skilled Workers

  • EB-3 Philippines will advance 2 months to August 1, 2023
  • EB-3 Mexico and Worldwide will advance 4 months to October 1, 2023

EB-3 Other Workers

  • EB-3 Mexico, Philippines, and Worldwide will advance 2 months to November 1, 2021

EB-4 Special Immigrants

  • All countries will advance 6.4 months to July 15, 2021

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If you’re a U.S. citizen hoping to sponsor your brother or sister for a green card in 2026, patience is essential. Unlike spouses or parents, siblings fall into a backlogged family preference category that can take many years (sometimes decades) to move forward.

Here’s what actually controls the timeline, how long you should realistically expect to wait, what you can do to speed up the process, and other alternatives.

The Harsh Reality

As of 2026, the reality for U.S. citizens sponsoring a sibling is that processing times move very slowly. After you file Form I-130 to establish your sibling relationship, it can take years for USCIS to approve the petition, but the longest delay comes after approval.

Because siblings fall under the Family Fourth Preference (F4) category with strict annual limits, most applicants face backlogs that push total wait times from 8 to 14 years, before a visa becomes available. For countries with especially high demand, such as Mexico and the Philippines, the wait can approach or exceed two decades.

The harsh reality is that major life milestones for both you and your sibling may pass before they are finally able to immigrate to the United States.

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On January 14, 2026, the State Department announced it is pausing the issuance of immigrant visas for nationals of 75 countries, effective January 21, 2026, while it develops a new process to assess whether applicants may become a “public charge” (financially dependent on the U.S. government).

Applicants can still apply and attend interviews, but no immigrant visas will not be issued during the pause. The policy affects family-sponsored and employment-based green cards, though dual nationals applying with a passport from a country not on the list are exempt from the suspension.

The policy change focuses on the statutory “public charge” ground of inadmissibility, which allows visa refusal in the event an applicant is found likely to depend on the U.S. government for financial assistance. Consular officers are permitted to consider factors such as an applicant’s health, age, education, employment prospects, and financial stability when evaluating if they are a public charge risk.

It is unclear how long the suspension will last or how the public charge review process will ultimately change.

Immigrant visa applicants from the affected countries should monitor communications from the State Department and prepare for potential delays in visa issuance.

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Are you applying for an immigrant visa and want to know when your priority date will become current? Then you won’t want to miss our analysis of the February 2026 Visa Bulletin.

In this video, attorney Jacob Sapochnick explains what you can expect to see in terms of the movement of the family-sponsored and employment-based visa categories in the new year.

USCIS Adjustment of Status

For adjustment of status filings to permanent residence in the month of February, USCIS will be using the Dates for Filing Chart for the employment-based and family-sponsored categories.

Highlights of the February 2026 Visa Bulletin

At a Glance

What can we expect to see in the month of February?

Employment-Based Categories

Final Action Advancements

EB-3 Professionals and Skilled Workers

  • Except India and China, all countries will advance by 5.7 weeks to June 1, 2023

Dates for Filing Advancements

EB-3 Professionals and Skilled Workers

  • Except India and China, all other countries will advance by 3 months to October 1, 2023

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In the wake of a deadly shooting at Brown University, the Trump administration has suspended the U.S. Diversity Immigrant Visa program — better known as the Green Card Lottery — after learning the suspected shooter entered the country using the program.

The decision, announced by the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, pauses the annual green card lottery which offered up to 50,000 visas to applicants from countries with historically low rates of immigration to the United States.

What does this mean for people who planned to apply for the Green Card Lottery this year?

Electronic registrations for the fiscal year 2027 Green Card lottery are suspended until further notice.

During the pause, the government will enhance security vetting of applicants including conducting national security checks against terrorism databases, assessing public safety risks, and verifying each applicant’s identity.

Why was the Green Card lottery created?

The Green Card lottery was established by Congress in 1990 and officially began in 1995. Its purpose was to diversify the immigrant population by providing a legal pathway to permanent residency for individuals from countries with historically low rates of immigration to the U.S.

Each year, the program made up to 50,000 immigrant visas available through a randomized selection process, aiming to promote broader geographic representation and reinforce America’s long-standing identity as a nation shaped by immigrants from around the world.

For many, the program represented a once-in-a-lifetime chance to pursue the American dream. Last year alone, more than 20 million people entered the lottery, highlighting the intense demand for these visas.

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Are you applying for an immigrant visa and want to know when your priority date will become current? Then you won’t want to miss our analysis of the January 2026 Visa Bulletin.

In this video, attorney Jacob Sapochnick explains what you can expect to see in terms of the movement of the family-sponsored and employment-based visa categories in the new year.

USCIS Adjustment of Status

For adjustment of status filings to permanent residence in the month of January, USCIS will be using the Dates for Filing Chart for the employment-based and family-sponsored categories.

Highlights of the January 2026 Visa Bulletin

At a Glance

What can we expect to see in the month of January?

Employment-Based Categories

Final Action Advancements

EB-1 Aliens of extraordinary ability, Outstanding Professors and Researchers, and Certain Multinational Managers or Executives

  • EB-1 India will advance by 10 months to February 1, 2023
  • EB-1 China will advance by 10 days to February 1, 2023

EB-2 Members of the Professions and Aliens of Exceptional Ability

  • EB-2 India will advance by 2 months to July 15, 2013
  • EB-2 China will advance by 3 months to September 1, 2021
  • All other countries will advance by 2 months to April 1, 2024

EB-3 Professionals and Skilled Workers

  • EB-3 India will advance by 1.8 months to November 15, 2013
  • EB-3 China will advance by 1 month to May 1, 2021
  • All other countries will advance by 1 week to April 22, 2023

EB-3 Other Workers

  • EB-3 India will advance by 1.8 months to November 15, 2013
  • EB-3 China will advance by 1 year to December 8, 2018
  • All other countries will advance by 1 month to September 1, 2021

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The Gold Card permanent residence program is now open. Under this initiative, foreign nationals—or their employers—may apply for lawful permanent residence by:

  • Paying a non-refundable $15,000 processing fee for each applicant and dependent, and
  • Making a gift donation of $1 million for individual applicants, or $2 million for corporate-sponsored applicants to the U.S. Treasury.

These contributions are not investments— they are treated as unconditional gifts.

The program, established by presidential executive order 14351, allows eligibility for a green card under the existing EB-1 (extraordinary ability) or EB-2 (National Interest Waiver) categories based on the qualifying donation.

Application Process

Applicants start with by submitting their initial information, along with payment of the $15,000 processing fee (per applicant) on the Gold Card website.

USCIS then notifies applicants when they can file Form I-140G on the USCIS website to verify lawful source of funds. Once the applicant demonstrates the lawful source of funds and passes security vetting, the applicant or sponsor will receive instructions to submit the required $1 million (individual) or $2 million (corporate) donation to the Department of Treasury via ACH debit or SWIFT wire.

Once approved and a visa number is available, applicants proceed with consular processing for their immigrant visa.

Corporate Sponsorship

Employer Gold Card sponsors will be subject to a 1% annual maintenance fee – presumably, 1% of the employer’s $2 million donation ($20,000). If the employer decides to transfer its donation to a different foreign national, a 5% transfer fee would apply ($100,000).

The government has not yet indicated whether the “annual” maintenance fee must be paid until the foreign national obtains their green card.

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Are you applying for an immigrant visa and want to know when your priority date will become current? Then you won’t want to miss our analysis of the December 2025 Visa Bulletin.

In this video, attorney Jacob Sapochnick explains what you can expect to see in terms of the movement of the family-sponsored and employment-based visa categories in the month of December.

USCIS Adjustment of Status

For adjustment of status filings to permanent residence in the month of December, USCIS will be using the Dates for Filing Chart for the employment-based and family-sponsored categories.

Highlights of the December 2025 Visa Bulletin

At a Glance

What can we expect to see in the month of December?

Employment-Based Categories

Final Action Advancements

EB-1 Aliens of extraordinary ability, Outstanding Professors and Researchers, and Certain Multinational Managers or Executives

  • India will advance by one month to March 15, 2022
  • China will advance by one month to January 22, 2023
  • All other countries remain current

EB-2 Members of the Professions and Aliens of Exceptional Ability

  • India will advance by six weeks to May 15, 2013
  • China will advance by two months to June 1, 2021
  • All other countries will advance by 2 months to February 1, 2024

EB-3 Professionals and Skilled Workers

  • India will advance by one month to September 22, 2013
  • China will advance by one month to April 1, 2021
  • All other countries will advance by two weeks to April 15, 2023

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The U.S. visa landscape is undergoing major changes in 2025, with embassy operations varying widely across the globe. New federal policies have made the visa process more challenging. From enhanced social media scrutiny to removing the option for third-country nationals to apply for visas outside their country of nationality or residence—things have been constantly changing at U.S. embassies and consulates worldwide.

In this video, you’ll learn about:

  • New Limits on Third-Country National Visa Applications
  • Enhanced Social Media Vetting Policies
  • Visa Limitations for Certain Countries under Travel Ban
  • Health Conditions, Including Obesity, May Affect Visa Approval
  • Operational Status at Consulates and Embassies Worldwide: Is your Embassy fully open?

New Limits on Third-Country National Visa Applications

Immigrant Visa Applicants Must Apply in Country of Nationality or Residence

Effective November 1, 2025, the State Department will require all immigrant visa applicants—including Diversity Visa applicants—to interview at a U.S. consulate or embassy in their country of residence or nationality. Exceptions will be rare and limited to urgent humanitarian, medical, or foreign-policy–driven cases.

Same Policy Extends to Nonimmigrants

The State Department announced a similar policy for nonimmigrant visa applicants. Effective September 2025, applicants must apply in their country of residence or nationality, meaning they can no longer choose a more convenient embassy—such as those in Mexico or Canada—unless they live there or hold that nationality. Limited exceptions apply for certain categories, including A and G visas, and for urgent humanitarian or medical emergencies.

For applicants from countries with limited or no U.S. consular presence—such as Afghanistan, Belarus, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Russia, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Venezuela, Yemen, and Zimbabwe—designated embassies will continue to serve as regional processing hubs.

Tip: Booking a visa interview outside your country of nationality or residence may lead to rejection and could negatively affect future applications. ESTAs can be cancelled for those with visa denials on record. Avoid this by applying at the proper Consulate in your country of nationality or residence.

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Are you applying for an immigrant visa and want to know when your priority date will become current? Then you won’t want to miss our analysis of the November 2025 Visa Bulletin.

In this video, attorney Jacob Sapochnick explains what you can expect to see in terms of the movement of the family-sponsored and employment-based visa categories in the month of November.

USCIS Adjustment of Status

For adjustment of status filings to permanent residence in the month of November, USCIS will be using the Dates for Filing Chart for the employment-based and family-sponsored categories.

Highlights of the November 2025 Visa Bulletin

At a Glance

What can we expect to see in the month of November?

Employment-Based Categories

There are no changes to the Dates for Filing and Final Action charts for the employment-based categories when compared to the October Visa Bulletin.

Family-Sponsored Categories

Final Action Advancements

  • F2B Worldwide, China, and India will advance by 9 days to December 1, 2016
  • F3 Mexico will advance by 16 days to May 1, 2001

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