1. The fee for your category
Check the current USCIS fee schedule and the instructions for the benefit you are requesting. The form number alone may not determine the total required payment. Do not assume a fee waiver or exemption is available.
Barchiesi Law PLLC • Updated October 23, 2026
Immigration Filing Updates: Fees, Forms and Visa Availability
Preparing an immigration application? Confirm the current fee, form edition and filing requirements before you submit.
NOVEMBER2026Family immigration planning
Check your category and priority date.
Check your category and priority date.
Reviewed October 23, 2026 • November planning
Could your family immigration case move forward in November?
The November 2026 Visa Bulletin is available. Some family-preference cutoffs advance. A later cutoff may make a next step possible for an otherwise eligible applicant; it does not guarantee approval or a shorter remaining wait.
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What changed for family-preference cases?
For example, the F1 Final Action Date in the general country column advances from January 22, 2020 in October to January 22, 2021 in November. F1 concerns unmarried adult sons and daughters of U.S. citizens. Mexico and the Philippines have different cutoffs. A one-year movement in a chart is not a promise that an individual's wait becomes one year shorter.
Which of the two charts matters?
Dates for Filing and Final Action Dates serve different purposes. USCIS currently designates Dates for Filing for November family-preference adjustment filings. A priority date must be earlier than the applicable cutoff, unless the category is current; all other adjustment requirements still apply. Final Action Dates concern visa availability for final approval. Recheck USCIS's monthly selection before filing.
Can I use November's dates to file in October?
No. November's charts apply during November. Continue to use the instructions for the month in which you file. Publication of a future bulletin does not authorize an early filing.
Does an approved I-130 mean I can file for a green card?
Not by itself. An approved family petition and a filing opportunity do not establish every eligibility requirement. Adjustment in the United States and consular processing abroad follow different procedures. Immediate relatives of U.S. citizens generally are not subject to the family-preference numerical queue discussed here. Ask which process and classification apply to your circumstances.
What records should I gather for a consultation?
Gather petition receipt and approval notices, your priority date and category, birth-country information, identity and immigration records, and any National Visa Center correspondence. Country of chargeability is usually based on birth, with exceptions. Tell counsel about entry history, prior orders, status concerns and upcoming deadlines. Do not post these records on social media.
Official sources: Department of State: November 2026 Visa Bulletin · October comparison · USCIS monthly filing-chart selection. Reviewed October 23, 2026; dates, instructions and availability may change.
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October 9, 2026 update • Student immigration
Proposed $70,000 OPT fee: what students should know
PROPOSED—NOT IN EFFECT
On October 8, 2026, DHS published a proposed rule for new Optional Practical Training (OPT) fees. It would require SEVP-certified schools to pay $70,000 before an initial OPT recommendation and $30,000 for a subsequent recommendation after the initial proposed fee has been paid. These proposed fees are not a current payment requirement.
Is the proposal final, and must I pay $70,000 now?
No. This is a notice of proposed rulemaking, not a final rule. The proposal does not itself require payment of the new fees. Public comments on the rule are due November 9, 2026. DHS proposes an effective date 60 days after publication of a final rule; that is not a current effective date. Continue to verify the existing filing fees and requirements for your application.
Who would pay: the school, the student or the employer?
The proposed obligation is on SEVP-certified schools. DHS explicitly acknowledges that schools may pass costs to F-1 students, other students or employers. Students should therefore not assume that a school-payment requirement would shield them from the expense.
Would $30,000 apply to every STEM OPT extension?
Not necessarily. Under the proposal, the $30,000 amount is for a later OPT recommendation after the initial $70,000 fee has been paid for the student. The proposed transition provision could require the initial $70,000 for an OPT or STEM OPT recommendation dated on or after a future effective date if that initial fee had not previously been paid. Ask your school's designated school official (DSO) how any final rule would affect your particular timeline.
Does this proposal cancel my existing employment authorization?
The proposal alone does not cancel an existing employment authorization document (EAD). Continue to follow the conditions and dates of your authorization and maintain the applicable status and reporting requirements. Future applications or extensions would need to be reviewed under any rule actually in effect at that time.
What should I verify now?
With your DSO, confirm your OPT category, recommendation and application dates, I-20 information, EAD expiration, reporting duties and any pending extension. Check current USCIS instructions and fees. Seek individual immigration guidance before changing work or study plans; do not miss an existing deadline while waiting for this proposal.
Primary source: DHS/ICE, Optional Practical Training Fees, October 8, 2026 (91 FR 64566), Docket ICEB-2026-0100. The notice explains the proposed fees, transition provisions and comment process.
Follow Barchiesi Law for clear immigration updates. Contact the firm to request a consultation.
General information, not legal advice. Individual circumstances matter. Status verified October 9, 2026.
October 22, 2026 reminder • Effective October 23, 2026
Does an immigration deadline move to Monday?
Effective October 23: check your deadline before waiting. October 23 is the policy’s effective date, not a deadline for everyone to apply. If a birthday or other eligibility cutoff is approaching, request an individual review before relying on a weekend extension. Confirm whether USCIS must receive your filing by the deadline; allow time for delivery and keep proof of submission.
A weekend does not automatically give you more filing time. USCIS Policy Alert PA-2026-15, issued September 23, changes how certain paper-filing deadlines are treated beginning October 23, 2026. That date is the policy's effective date, not a universal application deadline.
- Deadlines measured in days: For covered paper filings, when the last day falls on a Saturday, Sunday or federal holiday, receipt by the next business day may be timely.
- Age-based eligibility cutoffs: A requirement to file before a particular birthday does not receive that extension. USCIS gives Special Immigrant Juvenile petitions filed before age 21 as an example.
- Online filings: Electronic submissions do not receive a next-business-day extension merely because the date falls on a weekend or holiday.
Check the applicable statute, notice, form instructions and submission method. These USCIS rules should not be applied automatically to immigration-court or asylum deadlines, which may follow different procedures. Allow time for delivery and retain proof of submission.
Sources: USCIS Policy Alert PA-2026-15 • Accessible policy-alert copy through AILA
October update: certain USCIS fees change
On September 30, 2026, USCIS announced inflation adjustments to certain immigration-related fees established under H.R. 1 for fiscal year 2027. The adjusted fees take effect October 16, 2026. This is a change to specified fees, not an increase to every USCIS filing fee.
USCIS states that a benefit request postmarked on or after October 16 that requires an adjusted filing fee must include the correct fee. A request submitted with an incorrect required filing fee may be rejected.
Some fees are assessed separately from an application filing fee. Review the instructions for your exact benefit, category and payment obligation rather than assuming the same rule applies to every payment.
Do not rush an incomplete application solely to avoid a fee adjustment. Eligibility, deadlines, required evidence and the correct form edition remain important.
Sources: USCIS FY 2027 fee announcement • USCIS Form G-1055 fee schedule
Before filing: check these three things
2. The accepted form edition
Download forms from USCIS and check the accepted edition date and filing instructions. An older copy saved on your device may no longer be accepted.
Current Form I-485 page • Our I-485 and public-charge resource
3. Visa availability, when applicable
The October 2026 Visa Bulletin is available. It contains separate Final Action Dates and Dates for Filing charts. For adjustment of status, also confirm which chart USCIS permits for the month you plan to file. A published bulletin does not by itself establish your eligibility to file or guarantee approval.
October 2026 Visa Bulletin • USCIS monthly chart instructions
Student or exchange-visitor questions?
Keep your I-94, I-20 or DS-2019, notices and travel records together. Check current official guidance before relying on earlier reports about proposed rules or litigation. Different documents and requirements can apply to different categories.
Frequently asked questions
What if my USCIS deadline falls on a weekend or holiday?
Do not assume Monday is timely. Under guidance effective October 23, 2026, certain paper-filing periods counted in days may extend to the next business day. Age-based eligibility cutoffs do not receive that extension, and online filings follow a different rule. Confirm the requirements for your exact matter and filing method.
Is October 23 a deadline for everyone to apply?
No. It is the effective date of the updated USCIS guidance for paper filings received on or after that date. It does not create a universal application deadline or extend your individual eligibility.
Does every immigration filing fee increase on October 16?
No. The announcement covers certain H.R. 1 immigration-related fees. Check the fee for your specific benefit and category, including any separate payment requirements.
Is October 16 the last day to apply?
No. It is the effective date for specified fee adjustments. Your eligibility and any filing deadline must be evaluated separately.
What happens if I send the wrong fee?
USCIS may reject a benefit request that does not include the correct required filing fee. A rejection can create delays and may affect a time-sensitive matter. Keep the complete rejection notice and seek individual advice if a deadline is involved.
Should I file early just to save money?
A fee change alone is not a reason to submit an incomplete or ineligible application. Review the complete filing requirements, evidence and relevant dates before deciding when to submit.
Does the October Visa Bulletin mean I can file Form I-485?
Not necessarily. Filing depends on your category, priority date, applicable country of chargeability, USCIS chart instructions and other eligibility requirements. Visa availability is only one part of the analysis.
Can I send case documents through Facebook?
Please do not send confidential documents through social media. You may message the firm to request a consultation and ask how to provide records through an appropriate intake process.
Get clear answers before you file
Barchiesi Law PLLC can review your circumstances and explain which filing requirements may apply. Serving clients in Pennsylvania, including Hazleton, Philadelphia and the Poconos.
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General information only; not legal advice. Requirements, fee schedules and court decisions may change. Each case depends on its facts. Contacting the firm or submitting an inquiry does not by itself create an attorney-client relationship. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Updated October 23, 2026.