October 2026 was a heavy month for U.S. immigration rules. A new fiscal year began, DHS published five immigration-related rules and proposals in a single week, a court ordered the green card lottery back to life, and a proposed $70,000 fee put the future of OPT in question. This roundup covers what happened between October 1 and October 18, 2026, why each item matters, and the deadlines coming up in November and December. Every item is drawn from the Federal Register, USCIS, the State Department or a court order.
The month at a glance
| Date | What happened | Who it affects | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 1 | Fiscal year 2027 begins; October Visa Bulletin in force | All green card applicants | In force |
| Oct 8 | DHS proposes $70,000 initial and $30,000 subsequent OPT fees | F-1 students, universities, employers | Proposed; comments to Nov 9 |
| Oct 14 | Final rule confirms the end of automatic EAD extensions | Work permit holders renewing their EAD | Final; in effect |
| Oct 14 | Proposal to remove “deference” to prior approvals in extensions | H-1B, L-1, O-1, E, TN and other I-129 workers | Proposed; comments to Nov 13 |
| Oct 14 | Refugee termination notice period cut from 30 to 10 days | Refugees | Interim final rule |
| Oct 14 | Civil penalty rule for failure to depart finalized | People with removal orders or voluntary departure | Final |
| Oct 14 | Court orders DV-2027 lottery registration to reopen | Diversity visa applicants | Registration to open by Nov 1 |
| Oct 16 | New USCIS fee schedule edition; FY 2027 H.R. 1 fees take effect | Asylum, parole, TPS and EAD filers | In effect |
| Oct 23 | New USCIS policy on deadlines that fall on weekends or holidays | Anyone with a filing deadline | Effective Oct 23 |
1. The October Visa Bulletin opened fiscal year 2027
The first bulletin of the new fiscal year moved F2A forward by a month, to September 22, 2026. It retrogressed EB-2 for All Chargeability countries to January 1, 2025 and EB-3 to May 15, 2024, and USCIS accepted the Dates for Filing chart for every category. Applicants born in Turkey use the All Chargeability column. Our full analysis: October 2026 Visa Bulletin explained. The November bulletin had not been published as of October 18.
2. DHS proposes a $70,000 fee for OPT
On October 8, 2026, DHS published a proposed rule titled “Optional Practical Training Fees” (91 FR 64566). It would charge $70,000 for a student's initial OPT and $30,000 for any subsequent OPT recommendation for the same student, which appears to include a STEM OPT extension. Under the proposal, the school must pay the fee before its designated school official can recommend OPT in SEVIS, although DHS acknowledges schools may pass the cost on to students or employers. The fee would apply only to OPT recommendations dated on or after the final rule's effective date, which DHS proposes to set 60 days after publication.
Why it matters: OPT is the main bridge from a U.S. degree to an H-1B job for Turkish students. Nothing changes yet, but students graduating in 2027 should plan for the possibility that OPT becomes far more expensive or harder to obtain. Comments are open until November 9, 2026.
3. Automatic EAD extensions are gone for good
On October 14, DHS finalized its October 2025 interim rule (91 FR 65306). EAD renewal applications filed on or after October 30, 2025 no longer receive the up-to-540-day automatic extension in most categories, including pending adjustment of status applicants and H-4 spouses. Extensions provided by law or by TPS Federal Register notices are not affected. EADs that were automatically extended before October 30, 2025 remain valid for that extension.
What to do: file renewals as early as USCIS allows (up to 180 days before expiry) and plan for a possible gap. Employers should calendar every EAD expiration date.
Not sure how October's changes affect your case? Yellow Law Group reviews your status, deadlines and options in English or Turkish. Book a free case evaluation.
4. Extensions may lose “deference” to prior approvals
Also on October 14, DHS proposed removing 8 CFR 214.1(c)(5) (91 FR 65119). Today, when an employer files to extend a worker's H-1B, L-1, O-1, E, TN or similar status with the same facts, officers generally defer to the earlier approval. Without that rule, every extension could be re-examined from scratch. That likely means more requests for evidence and longer processing. Comments close November 13, 2026. Workers and employers planning 2027 extensions should prepare full evidence packages rather than relying on the previous approval.
5. Other DHS rules published on October 14
- Refugee terminations: an interim final rule (91 FR 65077) cuts the time to respond to a notice of intent to terminate refugee status from 30 days to 10 days.
- Civil penalties: a final rule (91 FR 65390) confirms the June 2025 interim rule on fines for people who fail to depart after voluntary departure or a final removal order, with one change allowing late appeals caused by documented mail delays.
6. The DV-2027 lottery is back, by court order
On October 14, U.S. District Judge Jinsook Ohta of the Southern District of California issued a preliminary injunction in Red Eagle Law, L.C. v. Rubio. It orders the State Department to open registration for the delayed 2027 Diversity Visa program. Under a revised schedule reported by the plaintiffs' counsel, the Department must announce the registration period by October 29, open registration by November 1, keep it open for 30 days, and notify selectees by early December. Turkish nationals are eligible for the DV program. Background and eligibility: DV-2027 current status.
Warning: enter only through the official State Department website (dvprogram.state.gov). The entry is free, and no agent can improve your chances.
7. New USCIS fee schedule edition and H.R. 1 fees
USCIS released a new edition of its fee schedule (Form G-1055) dated October 16, 2026. The annually adjusted fees created by H.R. 1 (Pub. L. 119-21) took effect that day for Forms I-131, I-589, I-765, I-821 and I-941. Filings postmarked on or after October 16 without the correct fee will be rejected. These fees are separate from the ordinary filing fees and cannot be waived.
8. A new rule for weekend and holiday deadlines (from October 23)
USCIS Policy Alert PA-2026-15, issued September 23 and effective October 23, 2026, changes how “day” is read for filing deadlines. For paper filings, a deadline measured as a number of days can still roll to the next business day if it ends on a weekend or holiday. But eligibility cutoffs tied to a person's age or another substantive condition, such as filing before a child turns 21, no longer roll forward. Online filings are due on the actual date. If a deadline falls on a weekend, file early.
Carried over from September
- H-1B 60-day grace period: DHS proposed eliminating it on September 11; comments close November 10. See our H-1B layoff guide.
- H-1B $100,000 payment: the entry restriction was extended on September 18, 2026 to September 21, 2027.
- F-1 and J-1 fixed admission periods: since September 15, 2026, new students receive an I-94 with a fixed end date instead of “duration of status.”
- Public charge: the broader 2026 public charge framework has applied since September 18. See our public charge guide.
- EB-5 fees: a final EB-5 fee rule published September 30 takes effect November 30, 2026.
Deadlines to watch
| Date | Deadline |
|---|---|
| October 23, 2026 | New USCIS deadline-day policy takes effect |
| October 29, 2026 | State Department must announce DV-2027 registration dates |
| November 1, 2026 | DV-2027 registration must open (30-day window) |
| November 9, 2026 | Comments close on the OPT fee proposal |
| November 10, 2026 | Comments close on eliminating the 60-day grace period |
| November 13, 2026 | Comments close on removing deference and on the refugee termination rule |
| November 30, 2026 | EB-5 fee rule takes effect |
| December 11, 2026 | EB-4 non-minister religious worker category expires unless extended |
What this means for Turkish applicants
None of October's measures names Turkey, and Turkey remains outside the 2026 travel ban. The changes that matter most to our Turkish clients are practical ones. EAD renewals must be filed early. Students and employers need to plan around the OPT fee proposal. H-1B, L-1 and E-2 employees should prepare stronger extension filings. Families should not miss the DV-2027 registration window. Immigrant visa interviews at the U.S. Embassy in Ankara are still catching up after the worldwide pause from August 26 to September 10. See our travel ban and visa pause overview.
When to talk to a lawyer
- Your EAD expires in the next six months and you depend on it to work.
- You are an F-1 student planning OPT in 2027.
- Your H-1B, L-1, O-1 or E-2 extension is due in 2027.
- You have an age-sensitive filing, such as a child approaching 21.
- You plan to enter the DV-2027 lottery and have questions about eligibility.
Talk to Yellow Law Group. We publish this roundup every month and help clients act on the changes in English and Turkish. Book a free case evaluation or see our EAD application and renewal services.
Sources
- DHS, Optional Practical Training Fees (proposed rule), 91 FR 64566 (October 8, 2026)
- DHS, Removal of Automatic Extensions for Certain Employment Authorization Documents, 91 FR 65306 (October 14, 2026)
- DHS, Removing Deference to Prior USCIS Determinations of Eligibility (proposed rule), 91 FR 65119
- DHS, Removing 30-Day Refugee Termination Notice, 91 FR 65077
- DHS and DOJ, Civil Penalties for Certain Immigration-Related Violations, 91 FR 65390
- U.S. Department of State, Visa Bulletin for October 2026
- USCIS, Fee Schedule (Form G-1055), edition 10/16/26
- USCIS Policy Manual updates, including the September 23, 2026 alert on the definition of “day”
- Red Eagle Law, L.C. v. Rubio (S.D. Cal.), order granting preliminary injunction, October 14, 2026
This article is general information, not legal advice, and covers developments through October 18, 2026.
