The U.S. Department of State has issued a new policy which will require nonimmigrant visa applicants to schedule visa interview appointments at U.S. embassies or consulates in their country of nationality or residence. This policy is likely to have a dramatic impact on foreign nationals, students and U.S. employers who have long relied on more flexible arrangements which allowed applicants who are temporarily abroad (e.g. studying, working, visiting) to apply in third countries not their home or country of residence to avoid lengthy backlogs at home or to combine visa processing with international travel..

Join Immigration Attorney, Jason Finkelman at the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM®) 2025 Annual Conference & Exposition in San Diego for an in-depth discussion on how employers can find success navigating the current employment immigration landscape, examine potential changes on the horizon, and provide tips for navigating the current employment-immigration landscape, so that employers can continue to recruit and retain talent.

The H-1B lottery results have been announced! If you were selected, congratulations—now it’s time to prepare for the next steps in the petition process. But if you weren’t selected, don’t worry—there are other immigration options available to stay and work in the U.S. From O-1 and L-1 visas to cap-exempt H-1Bs and more, there are alternative pathways to keep your career moving forward.

Check out my latest article where I break down:

✅ What to do if you were selected

✅ Alternative visa options if you weren’t

✅ Strategies to stay in the U.S. legally

How realistic is Trump’s immigration agenda?

The new policy will provide a pathway to lawful permanent residence (otherwise known as a “Green Card”) and eventually U.S. citizenship for foreign nationals currently present in the United States without documentation who are married to U.S. citizens.