US House of Representatives Passes Reconciliation Bill
The House passed its reconciliation package, entitled H.R. 1, the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” which includes $150 billion in additional funding over five years
Read More »USCIS Updates SAVE Program
On May 22, 2025, USCIS announced it is partnering with the Social Security Administration to verify citizenship using Social Security numbers through the Systematic Alien
Read More »Judge Blocks Trump Administration From Terminating Foreign Student Immigration Status
On May 22, US District Court Judge Jeffrey White of the Northern District of California blocked the Trump administration from terminating the immigration status of
Read More »U.S. State Department Pauses Student Visa Interviews Amid Social Media Vetting Expansion
According to media reports, a State Department cable dated May 27, 2025, which has not been released publicly, instructs U.S. embassies and consulates to pause the scheduling
Read More »Trump Administration Announces Gold Card Will Be Available in the Coming Weeks
According to US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, foreign nationals will soon be able to register for the new “Gold Card” visa program and that additional
Read More »France Publishes 2025 Shortage Occupation List for Foreign Worker Recruitment
On May 22, 2025, France’s Ministry of Labour, Health, Solidarity and Families published a decree establishing a new list of “métiers en tension” (shortage
Read More »UAE Expands Golden Visa Eligibility
The United Arab Emirates has expanded the eligibility categories for the Golden Visa program. On May 12, 2025, the UAE announced a 10-year Golden Visa for nurses who have
Read More »EU Commission Announces Shared Biometric Matching Service
The European Commission has announced the launch of the shared biometric matching service (sBMS) from May 19, 2025. The matching service features a powerful search engine
Read More »Japan to Facilitate Deportations for “Undocumented” Foreigners
The Japanese government will review applications for refugee status, screening out those that do not clearly meet the definition of refugee under the U.N. Convention of the
Read More »Visa-Free Entry for Hong Kong Passport Holders visiting Qatar, UAE and Oman
The Hong Kong government has announced that it has received notifications from the Consulate General of Qatar in Hong Kong, the Consulate General of the United Arab Emirates
Read More »Finland Amedments to Family Reunification Provisions Forthcoming
The Finnish parliament has approved a set of amendments to the Aliens Act that will enter into force on June 16, 2025. The amendments tighten the requirements that must be
Read More »EU’s Entry/Exit System to have a Progressive Start
On May 19, 2025, the European Parliament and the European Council reached political agreement on the European Commission’s proposal for a progressive start of
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