On October 1, 2025, a federal government shutdown began, due to Congress failing to pass legislation to fund the government for the new fiscal year (FY 2026). A U.S. government shutdown can have a range of impacts on international students, scholars, and employees at UC Berkeley, primarily by disrupting the operations of key federal agencies responsible for immigration. The severity of the impact generally depends on the duration of the shutdown, as well as how those agencies are funded. Some of these impacts may include the following:
- Visa Issuance: During the lapse in government funding, consular operations domestically and abroad will remain operational, including visa issuance. It is possible that delays or backlogs could occur.
- U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS): USCIS is primarily a fee-funded agency, and will continue processing applications, at least in the short-term. It is possible that there may be processing delays if the government shutdown continues for an extended period of time.
- Department of Labor (DOL): The DOL is not a fee-funded organization, and has been impacted by the shutdown. Labor Condition Applications (LCA’s) are a mandatory prerequisite for H-1B filings. Therefore, the processing of LCA’s for H-1B visas has been suspended until a resolution can be reached. This will delay the filing and adjudication of all related petitions.
- Social Security Administration: During past shutdowns, the SSA has temporarily ceased processing applications for SSNs. New international students and employees may not be able to obtain an SSN until operations resume.
- Customs and Border Protection (CBP): Border inspections and operations at ports of entry are generally deemed essential and are expected to continue as usual.
- J-1 Waiver Processing: If the Department of State's Waiver Review Division is affected, the processing of J-1 two-year home residency requirement waivers will be delayed.
- E-Verify: The electronic employment eligibility verification system, E-Verify, which is used by employers, was shutdown temporarily, but has been restored since October 7th.
Besides these direct impacts, a government shutdown significantly impacts federal funding, which can affect many international and domestic members of the UC Berkeley community, particularly those involved in research.