News

USCIS Hold on Adjudication for Entry Ban Nationals

On December 2, US Citizenship and Immigration Services published internal guidance to (1) place a hold on all asylum applications, (2) place a hold on pending benefits requests by nationals of countries affected by the June 2025 entry ban, and (3) conduct a retrospective review of approved benefits requests for nationals of those countries who entered the U.S. on or after January 20, 2021.

Persons born in or holding citizenship from the following countries are affected:

Afghanistan, Burma, Burundi, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Cuba, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Laos, Libya, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Togo, Turkmenistan, Venezuela, Yemen

This guidance applies to all benefits requests, including petitions processed through ISO (like the I-129 Petition for Temporary Worker used for H-1Bs, E-3s, and TNs, or the I-140 Immigrant Petition for Alien Worker used for permanent residence sponsorship), as well as personal applications like the I-485 Application to Adjust Status and the N-400 Application for Naturalization. USCIS processing of H-1Bs and other UW-sponsored visas will be affected. J-1 exchange visitors should be unaffected unless they are applying for other immigration statuses/benefits through USCIS.

ISO has identified all in-process H visa requests that may be affected and reached out to the associated units and scholars directly to discuss possible ramifications for visa processing. Affected scholars who do not have an in-process visa request may reach out to acadvisa@uw.edu for more information.

Travel Advisory: Reports of H-1B Visa Appointments Being Rescheduled

On December 3, the Department of State announced that it would start conducting additional online presence screening for H-1B visa applicants; this screening will start taking place on December 15, 2025.

ISO has received word through our professional networks that some U.S. consulates are cancelling H-1B visa interviews and rescheduling them for several months later to accommodate this additional screening. So far, this practice has occurred mainly at consulates in India, but it may expand to other consulates. Such rescheduling could significantly delay return to the U.S. for any H-1B employees who are already outside the U.S. without a valid H-1B visa stamp.

These changes should only affect persons applying for an H-1B visa stamp; scholars already in the U.S. in H-1B status, or those who have an unexpired H-1B visa stamp, should not be affected unless they engage in international travel. J-1 exchange visitors and other visa types are currently unaffected.

ISO recommends the following:

• For scholars in the U.S. in H-1B status and without a valid H-1B visa stamp, ISO recommends against international travel at this time, with the following exceptions:
  • Travel that qualifies for automatic visa revalidation does not require a visa stamp and should still be feasible.
  • Canadian citizens are visa exempt and do not need a visa stamp to enter the U.S.; they are free to travel as normal.
• Scholars who are in the process of applying for a new H-1B visa stamp should check their Department of State appointment portal regularly to retrieve updated appointment letters and check for message-center notifications.

ISO will continue to provide updates as this situation evolves. Please contact us with any questions.

Effective November 10th, and consistent with recently-released USCIS guidance, UW is ending the “pause” on filing new H-1B petitions related to the $100,000 fee announced on September 19, 2025. International Scholars Operations (ISO) will start moving individual affected H-1B cases forward, as follows:

• According to the latest USCIS guidance, the $100,000 fee is not required for changes of status to H-1B, or for amendments, extensions, or transfers of existing H-1B status, for persons already in the U.S. ISO will therefore move these cases forward for filing where possible.
• For candidates coming from abroad who did not have H-1B petitions filed as of September 21, 2025 and who would therefore presumably be subject to the new fee, ISO will identify other options in consultation with academic unit and school/college/campus leadership. Those options may include, but are not limited to:
  • Sponsorship in other visa types (J-1, TN, E-3, O-1)
  • National interest exemptions to the fee
  • Delaying start dates in cases where the above options aren’t viable
• For new H visa requests for candidates coming from outside the U.S., units may only pay the fee in cases that meet both of the following conditions:
  • No other visa options (change of status inside the U.S., J-1, O-1, TN, E-3) available, or other visa options have already been exhausted, and
  • Positions are deemed essential and considered mission-critical to university academic, administrative, and/or clinical operations.
  • For individuals currently performing or expected to perform critical work, a third condition must be met: interruption through turnover/failed hire could be costly.
• Final approval for payment of the $100,000 fee will sit with:
  • The Dean’s Office of the School of Medicine, for UW Medicine clinical appointments only, or
  • The Provost’s Office for all other school/college/campuses and position types.
• The $100,000 fee may not be paid out of General Operating Funds.

ISO will reach out to school/college/campus leadership over the next two week to identify affected cases and discuss options. Please do not reach out with inquiries on individual cases at this time.