Immigration News Roundup: FY2027 H-1B Deadline Passes, DHS Proposes EB-5 Overhaul

Accurate as of June 29, 2026. Immigration rules change quickly, so confirm current details with an immigration attorney before you act.

As June closes and July begins, the H-1B filing season wraps up under a new selection system, a new consular fee goes live, and the investor-visa world gets its biggest proposed shake-up in years. Here is your roundup.

FY2027 H-1B Petition Filing Window Closes June 30

June 30 was the deadline for employers to file complete cap-subject H-1B petitions for workers selected in the FY2027 lottery. This was the first full cycle run under the new weighted, wage-level-based selection process that took effect earlier in 2026, replacing the purely random lottery with a system that gives higher-paid positions more entries.

USCIS has confirmed it received enough registrations to reach both the regular cap and the advanced-degree (master's) exemption. Detailed selection statistics for FY2027 had not yet been publicly released, so we will report those figures when USCIS publishes them.

$750 Expedited Visa Appointment Fee Takes Effect July 1

The State Department's optional $750 expedited-appointment fee for B-1/B-2 visitor visa applicants goes live July 1 and runs through December 31. As a reminder, the fee only speeds up scheduling the interview at participating posts. It is charged on top of the standard visa fee and does not guarantee that a visa will be approved.

DHS Proposes a Major EB-5 Investor Visa Overhaul

On July 2, DHS published a proposed rule to overhaul the EB-5 immigrant investor program and further implement the EB-5 Reform and Integrity Act of 2022. Key proposals include:

• A new High-Employment-Area investment tier with a minimum investment of $1.4 million, compared with the current standard minimum of about $1.05 million.
• Explicit authority for USCIS to deny or revoke petitions for fraud, material misrepresentation, or national-security concerns, and to sanction non-compliant regional centers.
• A range of integrity measures, including annual reporting, audits, recordkeeping, promoter registration, and disclosure requirements, along with protections for good-faith investors.

This is a proposed rule with a comment period open through August 31. Nothing changes immediately, but investors and regional centers should study it closely, as it would reshape the EB-5 landscape.

What Should You Do This Week?

1. H-1B employers: confirm your selected petitions were filed complete by June 30.
2. Visitor visa applicants: the $750 expedited-appointment option is now available, but it is optional and guarantees nothing.
3. Prospective EB-5 investors and regional centers: review the proposed rule and consider commenting before August 31.