Hi there, I’m Aizada!

I’m an immigrant, attorney, and tech founder.

Here’s my story…

In 2015, I graduated from Harvard Law School.

I couldn’t stay in the US due to visa issues and went to work in London.

Three years later, I moved to California with my husband.

When I moved back to the US, that's when the immigration nightmare began.

As I would with any other service provider, I used Google to find lawyers who could help me with my immigration process.

I found a firm.
I hired them.
I was given the wrong advice.

That advice led me to almost miss out on a job offer that, thankfully, I later secured.

With that frustration in mind, I realized I had to start a company to solve the problem professionals were facing.

Now, I’m building Alma to reimagine immigration legal services. Alma is designed to lead each case with speed, excellence, and care.

Disclaimer: Nothing I share on this platform is legal advice. Opinions are my own and shared for informational purposes only.

For the next 100 applicants, Alma will file the H-1B lottery registration for ZERO legal fee.

USCIS’s lottery registration fee has been $215 per applicant since the last lottery season, and we want to take away some of the financial burden from start-ups hiring talent.

Here's how to enter:

1. Fill out the form at tryalma.com/get-started

2. Use referral code: H1BGIVEAWAY

Remember you need a U.S. employer sponsor to apply for the H-1B lottery. Share this with your colleagues and ask your employer to sign up.

Deadline to apply: January 31st, 2026

Good luck to everyone applying this year!

Aizada Marat

CEO @Alma | Reimagining legal immigration | Harvard Law

These 13 Bay Area companies are actively hiring and sponsor visas for international talent:

Delve - AI compliance for fast-growing startups
Hiring: Customer Success Manager, Account Executive, growth and engineering roles

Sybill - AI-powered sales intelligence platform
Hiring: Head of Sales, Staff AI Research Engineer

Exa - AI search and retrieval platform
Hiring: AI researchers, ML engineers, GTM and operations roles

Mercor - AI talent marketplace
Hiring: Engineering and operations roles

Kikoff - Credit building made simple
Hiring: Roles across all departments

Mem0 - Memory layer for AI apps and agents
Hiring: Technical Content Manager, product and engineering roles

Parabola - No-code workflow automation
Hiring: Enterprise Account Executive, senior software engineers

Physical Intelligence - Foundation models for embodied AI 
Hiring: AI and engineering roles

Sesame - AI-powered voice agents
Hiring: Product, hardware, and software engineering roles

Tavus - Teaching machines how to be human
Hiring: Head of Marketing, engineering, product, and design roles

San Francisco Compute Company - Infrastructure for AI compute 
Hiring: Various engineering roles

RISA - AI OS for oncology workflows
Hiring: Head of Sales, Head of Business Development

Netlify - Web development platform
Hiring: Staff GTM Engineer

All of these companies have a track record of hiring international talent and sponsoring work visas - adding direct links to their career pages in the comments.

If you’re a founder who’s open to hiring immigrants and sponsoring visas, drop a comment below. 

p.s. Alma is covering the H-1B lottery registration fee for 100 applicants this year.

If you’re planning to apply, you can sign up at the link below and use the code H1BGIVEAWAY by January 31, 2026.

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Cooley LLP

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BIG NEWS! Yesterday, a U.S. District Court in Nebraska issued an important decision affecting EB-1A (Extraordinary Ability) green card applicants.

In Mukherji v. Miller (Jan. 28, 2026), the court threw out USCIS’s denial and ordered the petition approved. The judge ruled that USCIS relied on a standard (“final merits determination”) that was never properly adopted under U.S. law.

This is huge.

Many EB-1A applicants experience the same pattern:

- USCIS agrees you meet the required regulatory criteria,
- But still denies the case at the final stage, concluding (often without clear explanation) that the evidence does not show sustained national or international acclaim.

In this case, the court said that kind of unexplained, subjective denial cannot stand. USCIS must apply lawful standards and clearly explain its decisions.

Does this decision automatically change EB-1A adjudications for everyone?

No, this ruling applies only to this case, and USCIS has not announced any procedural changes yet.

But it's still important - because it shows that EB-1A denials are not beyond challenge, and courts will intervene when the government applies standards that were never lawfully adopted.

At Alma, we believe extraordinary people deserve fair and transparent adjudications. We help founders, researchers, leaders and other professionals build strong EB-1A petitions with quality, speed, and care.

If you’re considering an EB-1A green card, we’re here to help - a link to request a free assessment is in the comments.

H-1B selection odds are likely to go up this year

Here's why.

Last year's numbers already showed a reset.

FY2026 H-1B lottery - 120,141 selected out of 343,000+ registrations

Selection rate: 34.93% — a real rebound after years of chaos

Trend over the last three cycles:

FY2024: 758,994 registrations → 24.82% selected
FY2025: 470,342 registrations → 28.73% selected
FY2026: 343,981 registrations → 34.93% selected

What drove the rebound last year?

This wasn't random.

USCIS cracked down on duplicate filings
Lottery registration fees increased from $10 to $215
High-volume, low-quality consultancies were filtered out

Result: Fewer fake entries. More serious applicants. A cleaner pool.

What's changing this year?

The government introduced a new $100,000 supplemental H-1B fee.

A Presidential Proclamation issued in September 2025 requires a $100,000 payment for new H-1B petitions filed on or after September 21, 2025 that require consular processing.

This matters because ~45% of H-1B cases are not change of status applications.

That's nearly half the pipeline now carrying a six-figure marginal cost.

What happens next?

- Employers pre-filter before registering candidates
- Offshore hires are registered far more selectively
- Some lottery-selected cases never convert to filings

Net effect: Fewer total registrations resulting in higher selection odds.

p.s. Alma is covering the H-1B lottery registration fee for 100 applicants this year.
If you’re planning to apply, you can sign up at the link in the comments and use the code H1BGIVEAWAY by January 31, 2026.

The recent CBS News investigation into EB-1A visa fraud exposes something we’ve heard about for years.

As EB-1A filings have tripled over the past four years and approval rates have dropped to ~50%, some applicants are turning to "profile building" services that charge thousands of dollars for fake research authorship, inflated citations, and vanity awards.

Here's what EB-1A candidates need to know:

USCIS has expanded fraud detection and is actively reviewing past approvals. If fraud is uncovered, EB-1A approvals can be revoked. This can result in the revocation of lawful permanent residence (Green Card), and denaturalization if a naturalized U.S. citizen - even years after these benefits have been granted.

What’s most concerning is that many legitimately qualified candidates are being convinced they need to buy credentials, even when their real, verifiable achievements would already qualify them for EB-1A classification. 

There’s no question the EB-1A path is getting more challenging. But no shortcut is worth permanently damaging your immigration record and future in the United States, especially in an environment of increased government scrutiny.

The only durable strategy is to build on real extraordinary ability, document it correctly, and work with immigration counsel who understand how EB-1A petitions are actually being adjudicated today.

If you're considering EB-1A and aren’t sure whether your existing achievements are enough, feel free to reach out to Alma. We'll give you an honest assessment of what's possible.

Had an amazing time speaking with founders at The Residency hacker house in SF last week. I absolutely loved the energy of all the founders there - grateful to Mian Irtiza A. for hosting!

Here's what I shared with the room:

Most founders only start thinking about immigration once they have product-market fit or are about to raise Series A.

That’s often too late, because early decisions (and behavior) can eliminate options later.

Immigration planning should start on day one of building your company.

Because the type of visa you'll need depends on how you structure your business, your day to day operations, and your long-term personal goals.

Each visa category has different requirements and timelines. Some need years of prep. Others require specific company or funding structures.

The founders who get this right tend to build an immigration strategy into their business strategy.

At Alma, we see this pattern constantly. Entrepreneurs who come to us well before they need their visa have more flexibility (and materially better outcomes).

If you're building something meaningful, don't let immigration slow you down.

The best time to plan was yesterday. The second best time is today.

Alma is growing, and we’re looking for Immigration Attorneys and Legal Writers who want to make a real impact!

You will handle employment-based immigration cases, but this role is not only about moving cases forward.

It’s also about building an immigration experience clients actually love - clear, predictable, and modern. 

If you are passionate about law, technology, and improving client experiences at scale, we would love to hear from you. Let’s build the future of immigration together!

 Application link in the comments.

The H-1B Cap lottery registration period opens in March 2026.

If you're thinking about applying, now is the time to have a conversation with your employer.

Many companies turn away strong candidates simply because they don't want to deal with extra paperwork, often without actually understanding the process.

With the new $100,000 fee and the proposed wage-level lottery system, the H-1B Cap process can feel even more confusing for employers.

If your company has never sponsored a visa before, or they have but don't understand the implications of these policy changes, you can help educate them.

That’s why we wrote a 4,000 word guide that breaks it all down. It covers:

- The new fee structure and what it actually means
- Key timeline requirements that employers need to know
- Common misconceptions that derail sponsorship opportunities
- What documentation is needed for the H-1B Cap lottery registration
- How the wage-level lottery system works

Share it with your employer, or better yet, connect them directly with us. We guide companies through every step so they don’t have to figure it out alone.

If you're a hiring manager, startup founder, or recruiter looking to sponsor H-1B or other employment-based visas, let's talk.

If you’re an immigrant, pass this guide along to anyone who needs it. Let's make visa sponsorship less intimidating for everyone.

Link to the guide in the comments.

P.S. Alma is also covering the H-1B lottery registration fee for 100 applicants this year.

If you’re planning to apply, you can sign up at the link in the comments and use the code H1BGIVEAWAY by January 31, 2026.

We’re growing at Alma - and that means we’re looking for Immigration Attorneys and Legal Writers to join us 🚀 

Yes, you’ll work on employment-based immigration cases. But more importantly, you’ll help design an experience that feels transparent, thoughtful, and actually human - while also helping make legal workflows smarter, faster, and more efficient.

If you care deeply about your craft, love technology, and want to improve immigration at scale, this will be your place.

Let’s build something meaningful together. Application link in the comments 👇

There’s a lot of confusion around H-1B costs right now - especially after recent headlines about a new $100,000 fee.

Let me break down what it actually costs in 2026:

First, the lottery stage. The only cost here is the $215 USCIS registration fee per applicant, plus an attorney fee that varies by firm (often a small flat fee).

If your registration is selected, you move into the petition stage. This is where most of the cost of a H-1B comes in:

- Form I-129 base filing fee: $780 (regular); $460 (small employer or nonprofit)
- ACWIA training fee: $750 (25 or fewer full-time equivalent employees); $1,500 (more than 25 full-time equivalent employees)
- Asylum Program Fee: $600 (regular); $300 (small employer)
- Fraud Prevention Fee: $500
- Premium processing (optional): $2,965 (effective March 1, 2026)
- Attorney fees for preparing the petition (varies)

Now, the part everyone is talking about:

There is a new $100,000 supplemental fee for certain H-1B petitions filed on or after 12:01 a.m. EDT on September 21, 2025.

This fee is triggered only in specific situations. Most commonly, it applies when a petition requires consular notification, port-of-entry notification, or pre-flight inspection.

It can also apply if the beneficiary is not eligible for a change of status or extension of stay, or if they depart the U.S. before a pending change of status request is adjudicated.

Importantly, it does NOT apply to most H-1B change-of-status filings where the beneficiary remains in the U.S. at the time of filing and through USCIS approval.
For H-1B Cap lottery petitions the beneficiary must also be physically present in the U.S. when the H-1B status activates on October 1.

Here’s a practical example:

Let’s take a software engineer who is currently working in the U.S. in F-1 status on OPT. Their employer wants to sponsor them in the H-1B cap and the engineer is eligible to change status inside the U.S. 

In this scenario, the employer pays only the standard H-1B filing fees - the $100,000 supplemental fee does NOT apply.

If that same engineer were outside the U.S. or otherwise not eligible for a change of status and had to apply for the H-1B visa at a U.S. consulate, the employer would have to pay the $100,000 fee in addition to the standard filing fees.

A few points employers often miss:

- There are no recurring annual visa fees, however fees must be paid whenever a H-1B petition is filed with USCIS. This could include H-1B petitions requesting extensions, amendments, and change of employer.
- H-1B sponsorship does not obligate the H-1B employer to sponsor a Green Card.

The headlines make this sound scarier than it is for most cases.

Understanding the actual costs (and when they apply) helps everyone make better hiring decisions.

p.s. Alma is covering the H-1B Cap lottery registration fee for 100 applicants this year.

If you’re planning to apply, you can sign up at the link in the comments and use the code H1BGIVEAWAY by January 31, 2026.

A proposed rule that could reshape employment-based green cards is moving through the regulatory process.

It’s called “Petition for Immigrant Worker Reforms” (RIN 1615-AC85) and was announced last year as part of DHS’s Spring 2025 Regulatory Agenda. The planned publication date is 01/00/2026 - meaning an update may be imminent.

Before the proposed rule text becomes public, it must go through White House (OIRA) review. If that review begins this month, the proposed rule text will likely not be published until several weeks later following White House review.

This could be the most significant regulatory update to employment-based petitions in years.

Based on the government’s summary, we’re expecting clarified evidentiary requirements for:

- EB-1 Extraordinary Ability (EB-1A)
- EB-2 National Interest Waiver (NIW)
- Other key employment-based pathways

Plus program integrity reforms including clearer standards for what qualifies as a bona fide job offer, additional guidance on “ability to pay,” and more formalized compliance tools like site visit authority in the I-140 process.

If you're considering EB-1A or NIW, this is a good time to start evaluating eligibility. The overall direction is toward more structure, more documentation, and higher scrutiny.

We’re tracking this closely and will share a practical summary once the proposal is published.

What does the H-1B Cap lottery process really look like between now and October 1?

Most people think March is when H-1B Cap lottery season starts - which isn’t quite right. March is just the registration window, so January is when preparation matters most.

Here's what the timeline looks like:

January - February: 

- Your employer confirms intent to sponsor
- Job title, duties, and proposed salary are aligned
- Attorney begins preparing registration details and assessing key risk factors

March

- Lottery registration window opens
- USCIS runs the lottery
- Selection notices are released (sometimes periodically into April)

April - June

- LCA is submitted and certified
- Full H-1B petition is filed
- Can work via Cap Gap, if applicable, as long as petition is filed before expiration of OPT/STEM OPT EAD and verified by DSO

April onward

- USCIS reviews petitions
- Approvals, RFEs, or denials are issued

October 1

- H-1B status officially begins for approved cases

That’s how the process is generally supposed to run. In practice, many denials are avoidable with earlier, more deliberate preparation.

I see the same pattern every year. Companies finalize job descriptions in February, realize salaries don’t align with prevailing wage expectations, and bring attorneys in at the last minute - leaving very little room for proper case prep.

Once March hits, correcting these issues becomes much harder, especially if the case is selected and timelines tighten.

The lottery is just one step. Most of the real work happens months before registration and during petition filing. It’s best to start your conversations with employers early.

p.s. Alma is covering the H-1B lottery registration fee for 100 applicants this year.

If you’re planning to apply, you can sign up at the link in the comments and use the code H1BGIVEAWAY by January 31, 2026.

This news is very personal to me - Kyrgyzstan is on the list. 

There is a lot of uncertainty right now, but please check if your country is on the list and follow Jihan Merlin for further updates!

Immigration Attorney - Head of Immigration Strategy at Alma

UPDATE: The U.S. is planning to suspend immigrant visa processing for 75 countries, according to a yet-unreleased Department of State memo that has been reported on by multiple outlets, including Fox News, Bloomberg Law, and Reuters.

According to media reports, the State Department memo indicates that immigrant visa processing would be paused indefinitely for 75 countries, including Russia, Egypt, Nigeria, Thailand, Iran, Afghanistan, Cuba, Venezuela, Syria, Sudan, Iraq, Somalia, and Yemen, among others. The news was first reported by Fox News early Wednesday morning.

The underlying State Department memo has not been posted on any .gov site, and the Department of State has not issued a formal press release or public guidance.

We also do not have a confirmed or complete country list from a direct government source.

We are closely monitoring developments and will provide updates once additional information becomes available, including confirmation of scope, country coverage, and implementation details.

CORRECTION: An earlier version of the post implied that all visa processing from impacted countries would be paused, but according to the State Department’s post on X, this applies to IMMIGRANT (green card based) visa processing. Alma has not yet obtained a copy of the government memo to confirm, but will provide updates once this point is clarified.

1/14/2026 4:45 pm ET UPDATE: NBC News is reporting that a U.S. official confirmed the full list of countries will include Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Antigua and Barbuda, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belize, Bhutan, Bosnia, Brazil, Burma, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Colombia, Cote d’Ivoire, Cuba, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Dominica, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gambia, Georgia, Ghana, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Haiti, Iran, Iraq, Jamaica, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lebanon, Liberia, Libya, Macedonia, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Nepal, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Pakistan, Republic of the Congo, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Uruguay, Uzbekistan and Yemen.

#immigrationlaw #globalmobility #visaprocessing #USimmigration #consularprocessing #mobilityleaders #immigrationpolicy #workvisas

There’s a lot of confusion right now around travel bans, USCIS holds, and the new immigrant visa (IV) issuance pause. 

Here’s a clear breakdown:

1) Travel bans + USCIS holds (effective Jan 1, 2026)

The U.S. has suspended entry for nationals of certain countries (listed below) and directed USCIS to place holds on pending immigration benefit applications. These fall into two buckets:

Full ban + USCIS hold

- Entry suspended for immigrants and for holders of all nonimmigrant categories (subject to limited statutory and categorical exceptions).
- USCIS places holds on pending benefit requests for foreign nationals who are citizens of or were born in these countries.

Partial ban + USCIS hold

- Entry suspended for all immigrant visas and specific nonimmigrant categories (B-1/B-2, F, M, J).
- USCIS places holds on pending benefit requests for foreign nationals who are citizens of or were born in these countries.
- Turkmenistan exception - only immigrant visa issuance and immigrant entry are suspended; nonimmigrant travel is not restricted.

These bans affect both travel and the adjudication of immigration benefits inside the U.S.

2) Immigrant Visa (IV) issuance pause (effective Jan 21, 2026)

Separately, the Department of State announced an indefinite pause on issuing immigrant visas at U.S. embassies and consulates for nationals of 75 countries (also listed below).

What this means:

- This pause only affects immigrant visa (IV) consular processing - eligibility is not revoked, but the immigrant visa will not be issued (i.e. printed and released).
- It applies only outside the U.S. and does not affect nonimmigrant visas.
- It generally does not affect adjustment of status inside the U.S.
- Dual nationals are exempt if applying with a passport from a non-listed country.

If you are a national of one of the 75 IV-pause countries and are otherwise eligible to be physically present in the U.S., adjustment of status (AOS) may be an alternative to consular processing.

However, separate USCIS hold policies tied to travel-ban countries may still delay or prevent final adjudication.

Travel suspensions and IV issuance pause

H-1B petitions have a 3% denial rate. it's usually for one of these reasons.

Most H-1B issues have nothing to do with talent or credentials. They're almost always process problems.

Here are the most common ones we see:

1. Specialty occupation challenges
2. The job description is too generic or doesn't clearly require a bachelor's degree in a specific field.
3. Wage level mismatch
4. The salary doesn't align with the role's responsibilities or complexity.
5. Inconsistent documentation
6. Job duties don't match across the offer letter, LCA, and petition.
7. Employer–employee relationship issues
8. Common for startups or founder-led roles if reporting structure isn't clearly documented.
9. Company credibility questions
10. New companies without clear revenue, funding, or role justification.

and finally - weak RFE responses.
The RFE itself isn't the problem - how it's handled is. 
An RFE is not a rejection.

A denial usually means the strategy or execution failed.

Most of these issues are preventable with early planning and clean documentation.

p.s. Alma is covering the H-1B lottery registration fee for 100 applicants this year.
If you’re planning to apply, you can sign up at the link in the comments and use the code H1BGIVEAWAY by January 31, 2026.

The 60-day grace period after an H-1B layoff isn’t guaranteed - and many are finding that out the hard way.

Here’s what’s actually happening:

H-1B workers generally have 60 calendar days from their termination date to find a new employer, change status, or leave the US. 

But this grace period is discretionary and not automatically honored.

Some H-1B holders are receiving Notices to Appear (NTA), which can initiate removal proceedings, within what they believed to be their 60-day grace period - even after a change of status petition has already been filed.

In some cases, NTAs are being issued as early as two weeks after termination and can lead to long-term immigration consequences if mishandled.

This appears to be driven by employer withdrawal notices, automated status enforcement, and timing gaps before any grace period is recognized - which means “60 days” is no longer something you can safely assume.

A few things you can do:

If you're currently employed on an H-1B, build contingency options now (not after a layoff).

This means understanding whether you qualify for other visa categories, whether a dependent immigration status is possible through a spouse, or whether an Adjustment of Status (Green Card) strategy is realistic.

If you’ve been laid off, start exploring your options immediately. Once an H-1B sponsor notifies USCIS that employment has ended, that notification alone can trigger enforcement before you have time to react.

If you’ve received an NTA, treat it urgently. Remember that your H-4 dependent spouses and children are on the same clock. If the H-1B holder falls out of status, so do they.

P.S. If you're exploring alternative work visa options like the E-2, E-3, H-1B1, O-1, or TN, feel free to reach out to Alma. We’ll do our best to help you understand your options and act quickly.

Major Immigration Update: Texas just froze new H-1B hiring at covered state agencies and public universities through May 31, 2027.

This follows Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’ October 2025 directive urging the state Board of Governors to curb H-1B hiring at public universities, and a January 2026 proposal now under consideration to pause new H-1B hiring at Florida public universities through early 2027.

The Texas freeze is intended to:

- Prioritize employment for U.S. workers
- Prevent perceived H-1B abuse

Some of the nation’s leading research facilities and medical centers could be impacted - institutions that rely heavily on H-1B visas to hire professors, medical specialists, and researchers with highly specialized expertise.

These roles are often hard to fill domestically, and universities may lose access to top global talent as a result of this policy. Researchers and entire projects may relocate to private universities or other states where H-1B hiring remains an option.

How you might be affected:

The freeze applies only to new H-1B petitions - current visa holders are not automatically impacted.

Exceptions can be granted with written approval from the Texas Workforce Commission, though the availability and timeline for such approvals remain unclear.

If you had a pending offer or were in negotiations with institutions in these states, you may need to explore alternatives - whether private institutions, positions in other states, or different visa categories altogether.

p.s. If you’re in this position and considering alternative work visa options like O-1, EB-1A, or EB-2 NIW, Alma can help. We’ll give you an honest assessment of what’s possible.

Update on yesterday's news: The restriction on 75 countries applies only to consular immigrant (green card) visa processing. 

It does not apply to nonimmigrant visas, nor does it apply to adjustments of status or other applications being pursued with USCIS in the U.S. 

Read more below!

The State Department has released updated guidance and FAQs confirming a pause on immigrant visa issuances for nationals of 75 countries, effective Jan 21, 2026.

The announcement confirms the pause applies only to consular immigrant (green card) visa processing. It does not apply to nonimmigrant visas, nor does it apply to adjustments of status or other applications being pursued with USCIS in the U.S. 

What this means in practice:
	•	Consulates will continue to accept applications and conduct interviews, but no immigrant visas will be issued to affected nationals during the pause.
	•	Dual nationals applying with a passport from a non-listed country are exempt.
	•	Existing immigrant visas are not being revoked.
	•	Nonimmigrant visas (i.e. temporary work visas and tourist visas) are not affected.

Countries subject to the pause:

Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Antigua and Barbuda, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belize, Bhutan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Burma, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Colombia, Cote d’Ivoire, Cuba, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Dominica, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji, The Gambia, Georgia, Ghana, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Haiti, Iran, Iraq, Jamaica, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kuwait, Kyrgyz Republic, Laos, Lebanon, Liberia, Libya, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Nepal, Nicaragua, Nigeria, North Macedonia, Pakistan, Republic of the Congo, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, and Yemen.

In announcing the update, the State Department indicates the change comes following a policy review to ensure certain “high-risk countries do not utilize welfare in the United States or become a public charge.”

This development has significant implications for families and employers, especially for candidates pursuing consular immigrant visa processing rather than adjustment of status in the U.S. 

Practitioners and immigration mobility teams should consider the following steps:

1. Audit your foreign nationals population for open and pending consular immigrant visa processes
2. Consult with immigration counsel to reassess timing and pathway strategy for impacted cases (consular processing vs. AOS where eligible)
3. Be aware that some countries may be subject to both the immigrant visa issuance pause AND the recent USCIS processing holds andtravel bans, which applies to 39 countries.
4. Flag dual-nationality options
5. Communicate impact and options  to employees and stakeholders

We’re monitoring closely and will provide updates as guidance evolves.

#Immigration #GlobalMobility #ImmigrantVisas #ConsularProcessing #PublicCharge #EmployerAdvisory #USImmigration

Another USCIS fee increase is coming March 1st.

This time it's premium processing fees getting the inflation adjustment. For those unfamiliar, premium processing guarantees a 15-day decision on certain immigration petitions. 

Right now, we are seeing processing times stretch from months to sometimes over a year for standard cases. 

Premium processing became less of a luxury and more of a necessity for companies trying to onboard talent or keep their employees in valid status. 

At Alma, we are updating our cost projections for clients and helping them strategize around the March deadline. For mobility teams managing budgets, this means reassessing which cases truly need premium processing versus where you can absorb the timeline risk. 

If you're planning any Q1 filings, it might be worth accelerating to beat the March 1 deadline. Every bit helps when immigration costs keep climbing.

UPDATE: USCIS Premium Processing Fees Increasing March 1, 2026!

These increases reflect an inflationary adjustment authorized under the USCIS Stabilization Act. Premium processing fees are adjusted on a biennial basis and were last updated in February 2024.

What mobility teams should know
- This is an inflation-based adjustment, not a change to eligibility or adjudication standards.
- The new fees apply to any Form I-907 postmarked on or after March 1, 2026.
- As processing times lengthen and adjudicative uncertainty increases, premium processing remains critical to reduce status risk and obtain timely decisions.

Recommended next steps for employers and mobility teams:
(1) Update 2026 budgets to reflect higher premium processing costs.
(2) Identify populations where premium processing is effectively required to manage start dates and employment authorization continuity.
(3) For early-2026 filings, assess whether advancing timelines ahead of March 1 is feasible.

USCIS link in comments.

#GlobalMobility #USCIS #PremiumProcessing #ImmigrationPlanning #WorkforcePlanning

Last day - Alma’s free H-1B Cap lottery registration ends tonight.

We’ve already helped dozens of applicants through this giveaway, and there are still a few spots left.

If you’ve been meaning to apply, today is the day.

For the final applicants before midnight tonight, Alma will file your H-1B lottery registration with ZERO legal fee (saving $215+ per applicant).

Here’s how to apply:

- Fill out the form at tryalma.com/get-started
- Use referral code: H1BGIVEAWAY

Deadline is January 31st, 2026 at 11:59 PM PST

Remember you need a U.S. employer sponsor to apply for the H-1B lottery. Share this with your colleagues and ask your employer to sign up if you haven’t already.

Good luck to everyone applying this year!

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.css-6ytdur{background-image:linear-gradient(284deg, rgba(39, 43, 72, 1) 0%, rgba(33, 47, 183, 1) 100%);color:transparent;-webkit-background-clip:text;background-clip:text;}Aizada Marat's Linkedin Analytics

Aizada Marat

Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}Aizada Marat's LinkedIn Performance

Aizada Marat's Best Posts .css-1emoo84{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:400;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);}(last 30 days)

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

Aizada Marat's Linkedin Analytics

Performance ScoreAizada Marat's LinkedIn Performance

Aizada Marat's Best Posts (last 30 days)