Doctors from Countries Under Travel Ban Now Allowed to Stay in U.S.
On April 30, 2026, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) quietly added language to the March 30, 2026 update on Screening and Vetting. Under the Internal Review Process subheading, USCIS has added medical physicians to the group cases for which there is an internal process to lift holds for, as seen below.
Internal Review Process
USCIS established an internal process for lifting holds on individual or group cases, requiring comprehensive review by multiple offices. Holds have been lifted for aliens vetted through Operation PARRIS, certain petitions filed by U.S. citizens, intercountry adoption forms, certain rescheduled oath ceremonies, statutory and regulatory decision issuance, refugee registrations for South African citizens/nationals, certain special immigrant visa petitions, certain employment authorization documents, and asylum applications from non high-risk countries, and applications associated with medical physicians. We continue to review all application types and lift holds for both individual and group cases as appropriate.
USCIS established an internal process for lifting holds on individual or group cases, requiring comprehensive review by multiple offices. Holds have been lifted for aliens vetted through Operation PARRIS, certain petitions filed by U.S. citizens, intercountry adoption forms, certain rescheduled oath ceremonies, statutory and regulatory decision issuance, refugee registrations for South African citizens/nationals, certain special immigrant visa petitions, certain employment authorization documents, and asylum applications from non high-risk countries, and applications associated with medical physicians. We continue to review all application types and lift holds for both individual and group cases as appropriate.
While the date of the announcement and the review/update date remain the same (03/30/2026) on the USCIS page, the welcomed updated language has been included.
AILA will continue to monitor this page for future updates to individuals or group cases that may be added. In the meantime, AILA recommends that members also keep a close eye on the Internal Review Process subheading, in case further added or edited language.
