Immigration Policy Updates

Please be advised that the information provided on this page was accurate and current at the time of publication. Due to the evolving nature of immigration policy, the content or linked resources may have changed over time. Users are encouraged to independently verify the accuracy and relevance of the information.

Latest Updates

SEVIS Terminations & Visa Revocations

April 15, 2025

There are confirmed cases of SEVIS record terminations and visa revocations for international students at institutions nationwide, including within the UC system and at UC Berkeley. We understand that this may be causing stress and anxiety, and encourage you to reach out to support, including the Berkeley International Office, for guidance and resources.

A visa revocation is the cancellation of the visa stamp in your passport by a Department of State or a DHS official. A SEVIS record termination...

Brief Summary of actions around Executive Orders, Policies, and Legislation as of March 17, 2025 that could potentially impact non-immigrants who are on F-1, J-1, H-1B or other non-immigrant visas

March 17, 2025

This page shares information and resources related to recent executive orders, policies, and legislation, as well as their potential impact to our international students, scholars and employees. While we try to ensure our information is timely and accurate, new updates can come unexpectedly. We recommend referring to verified government sources for official information, or to NAFSA's webpage on Executive and Regulatory Actions for detailed information and analysis of current executive and...

Revised Visa Interview Waiver Policy

February 20, 2025

The U.S. Department of State announced a revision to its visa interview waiver policy on February 18, 2025, reversing the prior policy update made on December 21, 2023, which allowed for more applicants to bypass in-person interviews. Specifically, the policy makes the...

Brief Summary of actions around Executive Orders, Policies, and Legislation as of January 20, 2025 that could potentially impact non-immigrants who are on F-1, J-1, H-1B or other non-immigrant visas

January 28, 2025

This page shares information and resources related to recent executive orders, policies, and legislation, as well as their potential impact to our international students, scholars and employees. While we try to ensure our information is timely and accurate, new updates can come unexpectedly. We recommend referring to verified government sources for official information, or to NAFSA's webpage on Executive and Regulatory Actions for detailed information and analysis of current executive and...

U.S. Department of State Publishes Revised J Exchange Visitor Skills List

December 17, 2024

The U.S. Department of State (DOS) has published a new J Exchange Visitor Skills List (“Skills List”) effective December 9, 2024. The revised list removes 37 countries from the Skills list, and does not add any additional countries to the list. You can find a list of the countries that remain on the 2024 list ...