Policy Updates

CORONAVIRUS UPDATE: Effective Monday, March 2nd at 5 p.m. eastern standard time, the U.S. government will deny the entry into the U.S. of any foreign national (except immediate family of U.S. citizens and permanent residents) who were physically present within the Islamic Republic of Iran within the last 14 days. This proclamation does not apply to persons aboard a flight scheduled to arrive in the United States that departed prior to 5:00 p.m. eastern standard time on March 2, 2020.

BIO is closely monitoring the current...

In response to significant worldwide challenges related to the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. Department of State is temporarily suspending routine visa services at all U.S. Embassies and Consulates. Embassies and consulates will cancel all routine immigrant and nonimmigrant visa appointments as of March 20, 2020. They will resume routine visa services as soon as possible but are unable to provide a specific date at this...

Effective at 11:59 p.m. eastern daylight time on May 26, 2020, the entry into the United States of any foreign national (except immediate family members of U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents and others excluded in section 2 of the Presidential Proclamation who was physically present within Brazil during the 14-day period preceding their entry or...

On Friday September 25, 2020 the Department of Homeland Security published a proposed rule that seeks to eliminate the practice of Duration Of Status and replace it with a date certain I-94 end date among other changes. What this means is that instead of being admitted for the duration of the program of study (D/S), individuals applying for admission in either F or J status would be admitted for the length of time...