United States immigration rule changes

United States EB-1A Visa for Individuals with Extraordinary Ability: USCIS increased the Form I-907 premium processing fee for Form I-140 petitions (including EB-1A) from $2,805 to $2,965, citing CPI-U inflation adjustment.

United States EB-2 National Interest Waiver: USCIS increased the Form I-907 premium processing fee for Form I-140 petitions (including EB-2 NIW, 45-calendar-day service) from $2,805 to $2,965, citing CPI-U inflation adjustment.

US H-1B Specialty Occupation Visa: Trump administration's January 2025 executive orders restored prior immigration-enforcement priorities; H-1B programme rules unchanged at the regulation level but enforcement and Request-for-Evidence (RFE) rates expected to increase.

United States EB-1A Visa for Individuals with Extraordinary Ability: USCIS increased the automatic Green Card validity extension shown on Form I-90 receipt notices from 24 months to 36 months for permanent residents with a pending renewal application, reducing disruption from processing delays.

United States EB-2 National Interest Waiver: USCIS increased the automatic Green Card validity extension shown on Form I-90 receipt notices from 24 months to 36 months for permanent residents with a pending renewal application, reducing disruption from processing delays.

US F-1 Student Visa: USCIS clarified that STEM OPT is available to graduates of designated STEM CIP-code programmes; updated STEM CIP code list publicly maintained.

United States EB-1A Visa for Individuals with Extraordinary Ability: USCIS raised the Form I-140 base filing fee from $700 to $715 and introduced a new Asylum Program Fee for employment-based petitions -- reduced to $300 for EB-1A/EB-2 NIW self-petitioners (vs. $600 for employer-filed petitions, $0 for nonprofits), per the agency's first major fee overhaul since 2016.

United States EB-2 National Interest Waiver: USCIS raised the Form I-140 base filing fee from $700 to $715 and introduced a new Asylum Program Fee for employment-based petitions -- reduced to $300 for EB-1A/EB-2 NIW self-petitioners (vs. $600 for employer-filed petitions, $0 for nonprofits), per the agency's first major fee overhaul since 2016.

US J-1 Exchange Visitor Visa: State Department updated J-1 sponsor regulations including expanded health-insurance minimums for participants.

US H-1B Specialty Occupation Visa: USCIS implemented the per-beneficiary H-1B selection process, reducing the multiple-registration gaming that inflated the lottery pool in prior years.

O-1 Extraordinary Ability Visa: USCIS clarified O-1A STEM criteria, making evidence standard more accessible for STEM researchers.

E-2 Treaty Investor Visa: EB-5 reform indirectly affected E-2: Grenada CBI route to E-2 remained, and some E-2-to-EB-5 upgrade paths clarified.

EB-5 Immigrant Investor Visa: EB-5 Reform and Integrity Act: reauthorised Regional Center program through 2027; raised TEA to $800k, non-TEA to $1.05M; reserved categories for rural (20%), high-unemployment (10%), infrastructure (2%); enhanced fraud protection.

US L-1 Intracompany Transferee Visa: USCIS confirmed L-2 spouses are automatically authorised to work without separate EAD application — major practical improvement for transferring families.

Puerto Rico Act 60 (Individual Resident Investor & Export Services): Annual charitable-contribution requirement for Individual Resident Investor decree holders increased from USD 5,000 to a total of roughly USD 10,000/year, with a portion earmarked for Puerto Rico nonprofits addressing child poverty, amid criticism that the original programme extracted too little local benefit relative to the tax savings granted to newcomers.

US TN Visa (Trade NAFTA / USMCA Professional): USMCA replaced NAFTA, continuing the TN professional-worker category essentially unchanged in occupation list and structure (now Appendix 2 to USMCA Chapter 16, previously NAFTA Annex 1603).

Puerto Rico Act 60 (Individual Resident Investor & Export Services): Act 60-2019 (the Puerto Rico Incentives Code) consolidated dozens of prior incentive laws — including Act 20 (Export Services) and Act 22 (Individual Investors) — into a single unified code, effective January 1, 2020. Decrees issued under the earlier Acts 20/22 remain grandfathered under their original terms.