5 big immigration changes taking effect across the US

Numerous migration argumentation changes were rolled retired successful 2025, impacting the mode radical travel, get visas and go citizens successful the United States. 

Here are 5 of the biggest changes taking effect: 

Trump medication launches H-1B visa overhaul 

The Trump medication unveiled a connection successful September to alteration however H-1B visas are awarded, a programme that has go a cornerstone of the tech manufacture by allowing U.S. companies to prosecute highly skilled workers from abroad, including bundle engineers and information scientists. 

Issued by the Department of Homeland Security, H-1B visas are impermanent enactment permits that person go a captious pathway for U.S. tech companies to enlistee planetary talent.  

The connection was designed to nudge employers toward offering higher salaries oregon reserving H-1B petitions for jobs that necessitate precocious skills. The regularisation change, formally published successful the Federal Register, came aft President Donald Trump signed a proclamation introducing a $100,000 interest for H-1B visa applications. 

Trump signs an enforcement bid successful the Oval Office astatine the White House connected Sept. 19, 2025, successful Washington, D.C. Trump signed 2 enforcement orders, establishing the "Trump Gold Card" and introducing a $100,000 interest for H-1B visas. The "Trump Gold Card" is simply a visa programme that allows overseas nationals imperishable residency and a pathway to U.S. citizenship for a $1 cardinal concern successful the United States.  (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

DHS said the changes volition spell into effect successful February and are meant to "better support the wages, moving conditions, and occupation opportunities for American workers.   

"The existing random enactment process of H-1B registrations was exploited and abused by U.S. employers who were chiefly seeking to import overseas workers astatine little wages than they would wage American workers," U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services spokesperson Matthew Tragesser said successful a statement. 

Expanded facial designation for non-citizens looking to participate and exit the US 

The Department of Homeland Security implemented a caller regularisation connected Dec. 26, 2025, that expands facial designation for non-citizens who are entering and leaving the United States. 

The DHS said connected its website that the regularisation "amends existing DHS regulations to authorize U.S. Customs and Border Protection, an operational constituent wrong DHS, to cod facial biometrics from each noncitizens upon introduction and exit astatine airports, onshore ports, seaports, and different authorized points of departure." 

The regularisation applies to greenish paper holders and different non-U.S. citizens surviving legally successful the country. 

"Although U.S. citizens are not covered by this rule, they whitethorn proceed to voluntarily enactment successful the facial biometrics process astatine introduction and exit," the DHS added. 

Passengers hold successful enactment to usage the Automated Passport Control Kiosks acceptable up for planetary travelers arriving astatine Miami International Airport connected March 4, 2015, successful Miami.  (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

Homeland Security moves toward scrutinizing overseas tourists' societal media accounts earlier entry 

The Department of Homeland Security is moving toward scrutinizing the caller societal media histories of overseas travelers earlier allowing them to participate the United States.   

In a notice filed successful December successful the Federal Register, U.S. Customs and Border Protection wrote, "In bid to comply with the January 2025 Executive Order 14161 (Protecting the United States From Foreign Terrorists and Other National Security and Public Safety Threats), CBP is adding societal media arsenic a mandatory information constituent for an Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) application."  

"The information constituent volition necessitate ESTA applicants to supply their societal media from the past 5 years," it added.  

Homeland Security describes ESTA arsenic "an automated strategy utilized to find the eligibility of visitors to question to the United States nether the Visa Waiver Program and whether specified question poses immoderate instrumentality enforcement oregon information risk." 

Trump launches $1M Gold Card for US residency status

Trump successful December announced the motorboat of the much-anticipated "Trump Gold Card," an migration inaugural designed to supply a new, streamlined way to U.S. citizenship. 

The card, which has a starting terms of $1 million, features a representation of the president, the Statue of Liberty and the American emblem underneath a golden background, with "Trump Gold Card" stamped connected the near side.

President Donald Trump announced the "Trump Gold Card" successful 2025. (@realDonaldTrump via Truth Social)

"We expect THE TRUMP GOLD CARD volition make good implicit $100 Billion Dollars precise quickly," Trump wrote successful a station connected Truth Social. "This wealth volition beryllium utilized for reducing Taxes, Pro Growth Projects, and paying down our Debt."

Interested parties tin use for the "exclusive privileges" connected the authoritative website, trumpcard.gov. According to the site, applicants volition taxable their documents and wage a nonrefundable processing fee, triggering an accelerated probe by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

Once an applicant is approved, a Trump Gold Card volition beryllium disposable for usage passim each 50 states and territories. They volition beryllium fixed lawful imperishable nonmigratory presumption arsenic an EB-1 oregon EB-2 visa holder.

Revamped US citizenship trial adds questions, goes into effect 

A caller mentation of the U.S. citizenship trial is requiring applicants to reply doubly arsenic galore questions arsenic the aged one. 

"The 2025 naturalization civics trial is an oral trial consisting of 20 questions from the database of 128 civics trial questions. You indispensable reply 12 questions correctly [60%] to walk the 2025 test. You volition neglect the trial if you reply 9 of the 20 questions incorrectly," U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services said connected its website. 

The caller trial foregoes geographical questions and test-takers volition beryllium required to sanction each 3 branches of authorities alternatively of conscionable one.

An representation of a U.S. citizenship test. (Getty Images )

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"American citizenship is the astir ineffable citizenship successful the satellite and should lone beryllium reserved for aliens who volition afloat clasp our values and principles arsenic a nation. By ensuring lone those aliens who conscionable each eligibility requirements, including the quality to read, write, and talk English and recognize U.S. authorities and civics, are capable to naturalize, the American radical tin beryllium assured that those joining america arsenic chap citizens are afloat assimilated and volition lend to America’s greatness. These captious changes are the archetypal of many," USCIS Spokesperson Matthew Tragesser said. 

Fox News Digital’s Landon Mion, Amanda Macias, Alexandra Koch, Emma Bussey, Brie Stimson and The Associated Press contributed to this report.