US Immigration Updates: O-1 Visa Rise, Infosys Clarification, R-1 Visa Change, India Exclusion

Recent US immigration developments include a rise in O-1 visa approvals, reaching 39,000 in 2025 as H-1B filings from major IT firms declined, reflecting a shift toward visas for individuals with extraordinary abilities. Infosys clarified that no employees were deported despite social media claims, confirming one was denied entry but not detained. The US also removed the one-year waiting period for R-1 religious worker visa returnees, easing re-entry. Meanwhile, India was excluded from a US immigrant visa pause affecting 75 countries, attributed to low welfare use among Indian migrants.