Your Guide to the Most Important 2025-2026 Immigration Policy Changes - Fees and payment rules have changed across the board, including new asylum fees, a cashless USCIS payment system, and a $250 consular visa fee that makes every visa stamping trip more expensive. - Work permit and green card timelines are shifting, with the end of 540-day EAD extensions, stricter CSPA protection rules for older teens, and new interview and travel rules that can make planning much harder. - Citizenship and identity requirements are being updated, from a longer civics test to new “good moral character” guidance and stricter rules for gender markers on immigration documents.

- 2025 introduced several changes that directly affect how employers sponsor foreign workers, manage compliance, and budget for immigration needs. The most important shifts fall into three categories: - Higher costs for H-1B sponsorship, visa stamping, and work authorization - Tighter processing rules affecting EAD renewals, I-9 compliance, and visa interviews - New restrictions and opportunities in green card planning, family-based protections, and H-1B strategy

- The updated 2025 U.S. citizenship civics test applies to naturalization applications filed on or after October 20, 2025. - The test now includes 20 questions from a pool of 128, and applicants must answer 12 correctly to pass. - New USCIS study materials are available, and applicants should confirm which version of the test applies before submitting Form N-400.

- The $100,000 fee applies to new H-1B petitions filed on or after September 21, 2025, primarily for beneficiaries outside the United States. - Extensions, amendments, and most filings within the U.S. are currently exempt while lawsuits challenging the rule are pending. - Employers should budget conservatively, as other H-1B employer costs, including higher registration, base, and asylum program fees, are already in effect.

The International Entrepreneur Rule (IER) was introduced by the Obama administration in 2017 to provide an immigration pathway for foreign-born entrepreneurs to launch and grow businesses in the United States. However, the future of the IER has been uncertain due to changes in administration, shifting immigration policies, and regulatory reviews. In this article, we will explore the potential future of the IER, its impact on international entrepreneurs, and how working with an immigration lawyer can help navigate any changes.