Government Shutdown and Visa Processing - (09/28/23)
With the deadline to pass a U.S. federal budget just days away, visa petitioners may be anxious about the impact on visa processing. Because U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services is largely fee-based, many services, including processing O and P artist visas, should continue as usual. Consular visa issuance by the U.S. Department of State, which is also fee-based, should also continue; however, both agencies could experience delays depending on the duration of a shutdown. Petitioners and artists should brace for delays and build in extra time as much as possible, with the reminder that O and P petitions can be filed up to one year in advance.
On the payment side, E-Verify and E-Verify Services will be unavailable during a government shutdown, but U.S. employers must still complete Form I-9 no later than the third business day after an employee starts work for pay, and comply with all other Form I-9 requirements. Please find more information about E-Verify here.