Immigration Calendar

A final rule raises the Form I-526 fee from $3,675 to $7,615 and the Form I-526E fee to $7,850, and creates a new Form I-527. Filings postmarked on or after this date need the new amounts.

Lebanon's Temporary Protected Status designation was automatically extended through this date after DHS did not decide on it before the statutory deadline.

Public comments on DHS's proposal to end the discretionary 60-day grace period are due. The proposal is not in effect.

Six USCIS fees rise by $3 to $30 under an inflation notice, including the I-131 parole fee ($1,020 to $1,050) and the initial I-765 for asylum, parole and TPS ($560 to $570). Requests postmarked on or after this date without the correct fee are rejected.

The court in Medani v. Trump set a status conference for October 15 after the 10-day extension order.

Public comments on the USCIS mandatory e-filing interim final rule are due. The rule took effect August 11, and no form is online-only yet.

A federal judge ordered the State Department to keep processing fiscal year 2026 Diversity Visa cases for 10 days past September 30. The order does not guarantee any applicant a visa.

USCIS accepted the 10/17/24 edition of Forms I-864, I-864A and I-864EZ through September 30. Since October 1 it accepts only the 08/24/26 edition.

A Justice Department final rule adjusted immigration-related fees for filings with the Executive Office for Immigration Review for inflation, effective October 1. Common appeals, motions and applications now cost $20 to $50 more.

Fiscal year 2026 visa numbers expired September 30, including Diversity Visa numbers. The October 2026 Visa Bulletin, the first for fiscal year 2027, was released September 29.

A federal judge in Oakland barred USCIS and the State Department from implementing the $100,000 H-1B fee while a lawsuit continues, finding required rulemaking steps were skipped. The order is separate from the June Boston ruling.

The State Department released the first bulletin of fiscal year 2027. EB-2 for most countries moved back from current to March 15, 2026, while India EB-2 and unreserved EB-5 reopened. USCIS said applicants use the Dates for Filing chart.

A September 18 proclamation renews the $100,000 payment requirement for covered H-1B workers outside the United States through September 21, 2027. A June court order vacating the policy that carried out the earlier proclamation is on appeal.

USCIS requires the 09/18/26 edition of Form I-485 and applies broader public charge guidance to filings on or after this date. Lawsuits challenging the rule are pending.

The rule did not take effect. Under the court order, USCIS continues to accept the 08/21/25 edition of Form I-765 and the 08/28/24 edition of Form I-539.

A federal court in Massachusetts preliminarily enjoined the DHS rule one day before it was due to take effect. F, J and I admissions stay on duration of status while the case continues.