U.S. State Department Updates Travel Advisory for Belgium to Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution Due to Crime, Terrorism, and Unrest

What changed

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has initiated a proposed rulemaking to introduce substantial new fees for Optional Practical Training (OPT) for F-1 nonimmigrant students. This measure, announced on 8 October 2026, aims to enhance the integrity of the immigration system by deterring fraud and protecting the interests of U.S. workers. Under the proposal, an initial OPT application would incur a fee of $70,000, while any subsequent OPT would cost $30,000. Stakeholders have until 9 November 2026 to submit comments on these proposed changes.

What changed

On 26 October 2026, the US Department of Homeland Security issued an official notice confirming certain immigration fines that had been imposed under an earlier government procedure. The fines were issued between 27 June 2025 and 13 October 2026. They concern people who were fined for failing to leave the United States after being ordered to do so, failing to leave within the time allowed under a voluntary departure order, or entering or attempting to enter the country unlawfully in certain circumstances. The notice does not introduce a new type of fine. The fines already existed under US immigration law. What changed in June 2025 was the process the government used to issue and review them. DHS has now formally confirmed the earlier decisions made under that process. In simple terms, the department is saying that it stands by those decisions and wants to remove doubts about how they were made.

What changed

On 21 October 2026, the United States Department of State announced new security agreements between the United States and Paraguay. Paraguayan Foreign Minister Rubén Ramírez Lezcano and US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau signed the agreements two days earlier, on 19 October 2026, at Paraguay's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The agreements cover two distinct areas: border security and the interception of civilian aircraft. The migration measure is a Memorandum of Intent on border-security cooperation. Under this arrangement, the United States will provide Paraguay with the Personal Identification Secure Comparison and Evaluation System (PISCES), alongside training and technical knowledge transfer. Paraguay's Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that the system is designed to strengthen immigration controls and help officials monitor passenger movements at points of entry across the country.

What changed

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has implemented an inflation-based increase for certain immigration-related fees, effective from 16 October 2026. This adjustment, mandated by H.R. 1, impacts specific application fees, including those for asylum applications, travel documents, employment authorisation, and Temporary Protected Status. Requests postmarked on or after this date must include the new, higher fee, otherwise they will be rejected. This ensures ongoing alignment with inflationary costs as specified in the legislation.