Policy Updates

Used for immigration and visa policy changes as well as Executive Order updates. 

DHS Dismisses Unlawful Presence Policy

July 31, 2020

On July 31, 2020 DHS filed a motion to dismiss its own appeal of a decision about Unlawful Presence for Fs and Js. For now, USCIS has returned to applying prior policy guidance based on its unlawful presence memo issued on May 6, 2009. Under...

COVID Travel Ban Updates for South Africa, UK, Ireland, Brazil, Schengen Area

January 25, 2021

On January 25, 2021, President Biden signed a new proclamation suspending indefinitely the entry into the U.S. of immigrants and non-immigrants who pose a risk of transmitting the coronavirus disease.

Except for immediate family members of U.S. citizens and lawful permanent...

Presidential Proclamation Extends Suspension of Certain New Immigrant Entries- NO IMPACT to F/J Students & Scholars, Current Faculty/Staff

January 6, 2021

On Thursday, December 31, 2020, President Trump extended through March 31, 2021 the “Proclamation on Suspension of Entry of Immigrants and Nonimmigrants Who Continue to Present a Risk to the U.S. Labor...

Proclamation On Ending Discriminatory Bans On Entry To The United States

January 22, 2021

On Wednesday, January 20, 2021, President Biden signed an Executive Order entitled, “Ending Discriminatory Bans on Entry to The United States," which revoked previous Executive Orders that prevented certain individuals from entering the United States. These previous Executive Orders that have now been revoked applied certain conditions of entry for individuals from different countries. ...

Presidential Proclamation 10014 Revoked - NO IMPACT to F/J Students & Scholars, Current Faculty/Staff

February 24, 2021

On Wednesday, February 24, 2021, President Biden issued a proclamation revoking Proclamation 10014, "Suspension of Entry of Immigrants Who Present a Risk to the United States Labor Market During the Economic Recovery Following the 2019 Novel...

COVID Testing Requirements for Entry to the U.S. Effective January 26, 2021

January 28, 2021

On January 21, 2021 President Biden issued an Executive Order on Promoting COVID-19 Safety in Domestic and International Travel, which directs relevant agencies to assess a prior January 12, 2021 CDC order requiring a negative COVID-19 test result for airline passengers traveling into the United States, and, based on that...

USCIS Processing Updates for 12-Month OPT Applications and STEM OPT Extension Applications

March 2, 2021

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has recently been experiencing serious delays in processing and receipting OPT. USCIS announced on 2/26/2021 flexibilities for OPT applicants who may be affected by delayed receipt notices for the Form I-765, which is used for filing OPT/STEM OPT. These flexibilities apply only to applications received on or after October 1, 2020, through May 1,...

August 2019 Public Charge Rule no longer in effect

March 11, 2021

As a result of ongoing litigation around the Department of Homeland Security (DHS)'s August 14, 2019 final rule on public charge grounds of inadmissibility, DHS announced on March 9, 2021 through a press release that "the government will no longer defend the 2019 public charge rule as doing so is neither in the public interest nor an efficient use of limited government resources." It goes on to state that, “As a result, the ...

USCIS Processing Flexibilities for OPT/STEM OPT Applications

July 30, 2021

USCIS announced on 7/29/2021 and 2/26/2021 flexibilities for OPT/STEM OPT Extension applicants affected by delayed receipt notices for the Form I-765. These flexibilities apply only to applications received on or after October 1, 2020, through October 31, 2021. See more information on our...

National Interest Exceptions for China, Iran, Brazil, the U.K., Ireland, and the European Schengen area

April 27, 2021

On April 26, 2021, the U.S. Department of State extended the National Interest Exceptions to include additional countries. The NIE list now includes China, Iran, Brazil, the U.K., Ireland, and the European Schengen area.

Students with valid F-1 visas intending to begin or continue their academic program commencing...