In That Case: Department of State v. Muñoz
Episode 315 - Boeing Pays $51 Million for ITAR Violations
Matt Silverman on Export Compliance
In the past three months, the Trump administration has implemented a series of stringent immigration policies that have significantly impacted visa applicants and their sponsors. These measures include enhanced security...more
On April 5, 2025, the U.S. Department of State announced it was taking immediate action to revoke all existing visas and ban the issuance of any new visas for all South Sudanese passport holders....more
As international travel regulations and immigration enforcement policies continue to evolve, it is critical that non-citizen employees entering the United States—including visa holders and lawful permanent residents—are...more
In recent weeks the Department of State (DOS) has taken steps to revoke visas and terminate the status of international students who have criminal infractions and/or who have engaged in activism. In light of this intense...more
WHAT: The Trump Administration released an Executive Order (EO) seeking to reform the U.S. systems for selling and transferring defense articles to ally and partner nations. The EO lists five policy objectives: (1) improving...more
The Department of State (DOS) has recently increased scrutiny of existing student visa holders and those requesting new student visas at U.S. consulates abroad. Some F-1 visas and SEVIS records have been rescinded or...more
The U.S. State Department’s “Catch and Revoke” program uses artificial intelligence (AI) to monitor foreign nationals, particularly student visa holders. The program aims to identify individuals who express support for Hamas,...more
The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will use the Final Action Dates for Employment-Based Adjustment of Status Applications chart in April 2025. The Final Action Dates chart reflects advancement in several...more
The Department of State announced it is restricting the eligibility for visa interview waiver appointments (commonly known as dropbox). To remain eligible for dropbox, applicants must be applying for a visa in the same...more
An article published by The New York Times on March 14, 2025, details a travel ban proposal under review by the Trump administration affecting 43 countries, categorized using a color-coded triage system (the “Article”). The...more
The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has turned its attention to U.S. consulates and embassies abroad, resulting in a pared-down Visa Appointment Wait Times website and plans to close at least a dozen, mostly...more
On February 18, 2025, the US Department of State announced a new policy requiring more foreign nationals to attend in-person interviews to apply for nonimmigrant visas....more
The Department of State unexpectedly updated the requirements for nonimmigrant visa interview waiver eligibility, effective February 18, 2025. The interview waiver program (also referred to as Dropbox) allows qualified visa...more
On January 20, 2025, President Donald Trump signed an executive order (EO) titled “Protecting the United States from Foreign Terrorists and Other National Security and Public Safety Threats.” This order launched a 60-day...more
On February 18, 2025, the U.S. Department of State superseded and updated its previously issued December 2023 post-COVID guidance on non-immigrant interview waiver applications. Under the revised guidance, Important Update on...more
International travelers seeking to renew their U.S. visas must meet stricter requirements and may see longer wait times. Effective February 18, 2025, DOS has officially reverted the special pandemic-era eligibility criteria...more
The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will use the Final Action Dates for Employment-Based Adjustment of Status Applications chart in March 2025. The Final Action Dates chart reflects slight advancement across...more
On February 24, 2025, Secretary of State Marco Rubio directed the State Department to deny visas to transgender athletes if their sex marker does not align with their sex assigned at birth. His directive, 25 STATE 15576,...more
On February 18, 2025, the U.S. Department of State updated visa interview waiver (“drop box”) eligibility criteria for individuals renewing their visa stamps, resulting in sudden drop box appointment cancellations and...more
After quietly updating consular websites, signaling a significant change to Visa Interview Waiver (“dropbox”) eligibility requirements, on Feb. 18, 2025, the Department of State (DOS) officially announced the reversion to...more
The U.S. Department of State has announced updated guidance restricting eligibility for nonimmigrant visa interview waivers at U.S. Consulates. Under the revised guidance, nonimmigrant visa applicants may be eligible for an...more
The Department of State released the March 2025 Visa Bulletin and USCIS has confirmed they will continue to utilize the Final Action Dates chart for employment-based Adjustment of Status applications. The Final Action Dates...more
The U.S. Embassy and Consulates in India recently announced updates to nonimmigrant visa processing that took effect last week, including changes to interview waiver (drop box) eligibility and the centralization of visa...more
The Department of State recently changed the eligibility requirements for the Visa Interview Waiver appointments, or Dropbox appointments, for Indian nationals. Previously, it allowed Indian nonimmigrant visa applicants...more
The U.S. Department of State has unexpectedly updated Consular websites with revised eligibility requirements for Visa Interview Waiver (“dropbox”) appointments. Effective immediately, dropbox eligibility is limited to...more