The goal of the lawsuit is to challenge the U.S. Department of State’s 75-country immigrant visa pause on the visa processing for our plaintiffs from the 52 countries listed above. We are asking for a court order requiring the embassy/consulate to resume lawful immigrant visa processing and issuance.

This policy is illegal because the U.S. Department of State does not have authority to impose an indefinite, across-the-board pause on immigrant visa issuance without congressional approval. By effectively halting visa processing for entire countries, the policy violates the Immigration and Nationality Act, the Administrative Procedure Act, and constitutional due process protections.

Individuals from the above 52 countries who are directly affected by the U.S. Department of State’s immigrant visa pause may be eligible to join the lawsuit. This generally includes immigrant visa applicants from the impacted countries whose case is Documentarily Qualified, and they have (1) an embassy or consulate interview notice, or (2) notification that their visa interview has been scheduled, or (3) a visa refusal letter issued after January 21, 2026, or (4) a visa refusal letter based on 221g administrative processing that was given to them at any time. 

Our lawsuit will compel the government to act on cases that have, at a minimum, reached the Documentarily Qualified stage at the National Visa Center (NVC). Further, for strategic purposes, we will not challenge the Travel Ban from Presidential Proclamation 10998 based on 221f national security and foreign policy grounds. The U.S. Supreme Court has granted the Executive branch broad authority to govern national security and foreign policy. However, McBean Law will advance, on a case-by-case basis, national interest waivers for individuals seeking entry to the United States who are subject to the travel ban under PP 10998.

Yes, if you are physically present in the United States and seeking to consular process but this visa pause is preventing you from leaving the country, you may join this lawsuit. However, your NVC case must have already reached the Documentarily Qualified stage.

No, we will protect both your name and confidential information from the public when we file our lawsuit.

It is illegal for the government to retaliate against you for exercising your right to sue in federal court. In fact, for many, litigation is the only way to move a case out of the “black hole” of an indefinite administrative hold. Further, the court (i.e., the judge) will provide oversight of the process to ensure that our laws are upheld. 

Our fee to join as a named plaintiff in this multi-plaintiff action is $1,500. This is a flat fee that covers your representation within this multi-plaintiff lawsuit. 

The fee to join ($1,500) includes derivative beneficiary family members’ (only spouse or unmarried children under 21) with a DS-260 application.

Joining a multi-plaintiff lawsuit is a strategic move that transforms an individual struggle into a collective challenge against systemic government policy.  

When one person sues, the government may argue their specific background justifies a delay. However, when hundreds of plaintiffs from 75 different countries sue together, it becomes much harder for the government to justify a blanket freeze. It highlights to the judge that the problem isn’t the individuals—it’s a systemic, illegal policy. 

Federal litigation is also expensive. An individual “Writ of Mandamus” lawsuit typically costs between $5,000 and $10,000 in legal fees. By joining a multi-plaintiff action, you benefit from a shared legal strategy. The $1,500 fee allows you to access high-level federal litigation—including APA and Constitutional challenges—at a fraction of the cost. 

No, this is a lawsuit that will only impact the named plaintiffs in the case.

The lawsuit will be filed within 30 days after onboarding ends. The onboarding deadline may be extended to allow additional plaintiffs to join the lawsuit to achieve a minimum of 100 plaintiffs. 

Litigation is unpredictable and it is difficult to estimate how long the process will take. 

McBean Law is currently onboarding new plaintiffs. Because the government is moving quickly, we encourage you to act fast.