The US State Department failed to convince a federal magistrate judge to toss a lawsuit accusing it of unreasonably delaying an H-1B visa decision for an Iranian postdoctoral scholar hired by UCLA.
Ania Khodabakhshian plausibly alleged the agency violated federal law by keeping her visa application in “administrative processing” without explanation since April 2024, Magistrate Judge Matthew Sharbaugh said Monday.
The decision adds to case law in the US District Court for the District of Columbia finding that a final visa application decision is a “discrete agency action” required by the Administrative Procedure Act and federal rules.
Placing an application ...