Federal court blocks policies that put immigration applications on hold for restricted countries

• Directives restricting or holding certain asylum application decisions are currently set aside.
• Official agency instructions on how officers should handle these cases are pending further court actions.
• Asylum cases previously placed on hold under the struck-down memos should return to normal review procedures.
• Officers cannot use the blocked policy memos to justify ongoing processing holds.

What you could do — Gather your case documentation, monitor USCIS announcements for pending instructions, and reach out to a trusted legal service provider or accredited advocate for support.

What you could do — Maintain up-to-date contact information with the asylum office or immigration court, gather your case receipts, and consult a qualified legal advocate to track how ongoing litigation affects your claim.

• Agency-wide holds delaying green card decisions under the named policies are no longer in effect.
• Immigration officers may proceed with pending applications under standard processing guidelines.
• Officers may no longer freeze green card decisions using the vacated hold rules.
• Applications previously delayed under these specific memos are expected to resume standard processing.

What you could do — Check your USCIS online account and receipt notices for status updates, keep your current address up to date with the agency, and consult a qualified immigration attorney or accredited representative about your specific case.

What you could do — Check your USCIS online account for status updates, keep your address current with the agency, and reach out to an accredited legal representative to understand how this ruling impacts your timeline.

• Selection does not guarantee issuance
• Diversity visa issuance blocked for covered nationalities

What you could do — Confirm your country status before spending on the process.

What you could do — Check whether your country is covered before paying fees.

• Interviews held, visas refused
• Family immigrant visas blocked for some nationalities
• Some exceptions for immediate relatives with strong evidence of relationship

What you could do — Ask your consulate about exception requests before your relative travels to the interview.

What you could do — Ask about the exception categories in the proclamation before booking an interview.

• Refusal at the consulate stage
• Fees are generally not refunded
• Full block for some countries, partial for others
• People holding a valid visa on the effective date are generally not covered

What you could do — Confirm you are not covered before paying fees or booking travel. Fees are generally not refunded.

What you could do — Check whether your country is fully or partially restricted, and whether any exception applies to you, before you spend on the process.

• Refusal at the consulate stage
• Fees are generally not refunded
• Full block for some countries, partial for others
• People holding a valid visa on the effective date are generally not covered

What you could do — Confirm you are not covered before paying fees or booking travel. Fees are generally not refunded.

What you could do — Check whether your country is fully or partially restricted, and whether any exception applies to you, before you spend on the process.

• Refusal rather than pending status
• New student visas unavailable for some nationalities
• Existing valid visas generally unaffected

What you could do — Talk to your school about deferring enrollment, and ask whether any exception applies to you before you spend on travel or fees.

What you could do — If you already hold a valid visa, try not to let it lapse. If you cannot get one, ask your school about deferring.

• Interviews held, visas refused
• Family immigrant visas blocked for some nationalities
• Some exceptions for immediate relatives with strong evidence of relationship

What you could do — Ask your consulate about exception requests before your relative travels to the interview.

What you could do — Ask about the exception categories in the proclamation before booking an interview.

• New J-1 visas unavailable for some countries

What you could do — Check your country status before making travel or program arrangements.

• Travel authorisation refused for covered nationals

What you could do — Check your eligibility before booking travel.

• New work visas blocked for some nationalities
• Renewing abroad carries real risk of being stranded

What you could do — If you hold a valid visa, think carefully before travelling out to renew it, because getting back may be difficult. Talk to a lawyer before you go.