TSA Security Wait Times – What You Can Do
Travelers across the United States are experiencing highly variable TSA security wait times. At major airports, including Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH), wait times have fluctuated significantly in recent days, ranging from minimal delays during off-peak hours to extended waits exceeding four hours.
Travelers may reduce wait times by enrolling in programs such as TSA PreCheck, which provides access to expedited security screening lanes, and CLEAR, which offers accelerated identity verification and may be used in conjunction with TSA PreCheck. In addition, select airports now offer TSA PreCheck Touchless ID, a newer screening feature that allows eligible travelers to proceed through security without presenting a physical identification or boarding pass.
For international travel, U.S. Customs and Border Protection preclearance, available at select airports in Canada and a few other select locations, allows travelers to complete U.S. immigration inspection prior to departure and arrive in the United States as domestic passengers. While preclearance operations remain in place, travelers should still anticipate potential delays and allow additional time for processing.
FY 2027 H-1B Cap Lottery Completed: Next Steps for Employers
The FY 2027 H-1B cap registration period officially closed as of 5:00 PM Eastern on March 19, 2026. United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”) plans to notify registrants of their selection by March 31, 2026. This year marks the first time that USCIS is using a weighted selection process for the lottery.
USCIS is expected to open the H-1B cap filing window on April 1, 2026, with a minimum 90-day period for submission of selected petitions. Employers should begin preparing filings immediately upon selection to ensure timely submission.
Employers whose registrations are not selected should discuss alternative visa strategies, including O-1 and TN petitions, or other nonimmigrant classifications with their immigration legal counsel.
Department of State Expanding “Online Presence Review” to More NIV Immigration Categories
Previously, the “online presence review” policy applied only to students and exchange visitors and certain professionals in the F, H, M and J nonimmigrant visa classifications. However, the State Department recently announced that effective March 30, 2026, it will expand the requirement for online presence reviews to include the following nonimmigrant visa (“NIV”) categories: A-3, C-3 (if a domestic worker), G-5, H-3, H-4 (for dependents of H-3 principals), K-1, K-2, K-3, Q, R-1, R-2, S, T and U.
This means that all visa applicants in the identified NIV classifications will be instructed to adjust the privacy settings on all of their social media profiles to “public” or “open” prior to their visa appointments.
April 2026 Visa Bulletin: Advancements for India in EB-2 and EB-3 Categories
The U.S. Department of State released the April 2026 Visa Bulletin, and USCIS confirmed that applicants in employment-based preference categories must rely on the Dates for Filing chart for adjustment of status submissions.
The most notable progress is seen in the EB-2 and EB-3 categories: in the EB-2 category, India advances by approximately two months, to January 15, 2015. In the EB-3 category, India advances significantly by five months, to January 15, 2015.
These forward movements may provide increased opportunities for eligible applicants to initiate the adjustment of status process in the coming months. We recommend discussing adjustment of status planning with your immigration specialist.
Did You Know?
Munsch Hardt’s Immigration Practice Group recently assisted a nonprofit organization in securing initial cap-exempt designation and obtaining approval of an H-1B cap-exempt petition.
This represents a significant milestone for the organization, as cap-exempt status removes one of the primary constraints of the H-1B program: the annual lottery. While most employers are subject to a numerical cap and randomized selection process, cap-exempt organizations, including certain nonprofit entities, institutions of higher education, and affiliated organizations, can bypass the lottery and file H-1B petitions year-round.