Trump’s Executive Order Restricting Work Visa Allowed to Expire.

This morning, the nonimmigrant visa restrictions imposed by Donald Trump in June 2020 expired. This executive order applied to certain H1B, H-4, H2B, L-1, L-2, and J-1 visa applicants.

While the expiration of this executive order is a positive development, it is unlikely to provide much relief to foreign nationals seeking to apply for nonimmigrant visas. In practice, the biggest obstacle many nonimmigrants have faced in getting a visa to enter the United States has been the closure and/or limited operation of U.S. embassies and consulates across the globe.

Still, there are some encouraging signs. Some consulates, such as those in India, have resumed processing all nonimmigrant visa categories, albeit with fewer appointment slots available than normal. And, in a few areas where COVID-19 has largely been eradicated, such as New Zealand, consular services continue unabated. Other U.S. consulates are expected to follow suit, as the pandemic slowly comes to a much-anticipated end.