News and Announcements

On October 12, 2021, the U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security announced that, beginning in November 2021, non-essential travelers (for example, tourists, friends and family visitors) who have been fully vaccinated for COVID-19, will be permitted to enter the U.S. from Canada and Mexico via land border and ferry crossings by showing appropriate documentation. No official […]

The ISO, and most MIT offices, will be closed on Monday, October 11, 2021 in observance of Indigenous Peoples’ Day.The ISO will re-open on Tuesday, October 12, 2021. ISO Staff will be checking phone messages and the ISO email (iso-help@mit.edu), and will respond as soon as possible.

UPDATED 09/22/2021: USDHS/USCBP has posted to the Federal Register that the Non-Essential travel restriction at land ports of entry between Canada, the U.S. and Mexico has been extended for an additional period (to October 21, 2021). This travel restriction has been in place since March 21, 2020. A copy of the Federal Register Notice on […]

On September 14, 2021, the U.S. Department of State announced an expansion of the ability for consular officers to waive in-person interviews, under certain criteria, for F, M, or J academic visas through December 31, 2021.  There is no guarantee, however, that an in-person interview will be waived.  To view the USDOS guidance, please view […]

MIT Medical has posted a Vaccine Information FAQ, including specific questions received from international students. Please be sure to return to this site for continuous updates throughout the summer and into the Fall 2021 semester. Additional details about accessing the MIT Campus during the COVID-19 pandemic is available here.

UPDATED 08/23/2021: USDHS/USCBP has posted to the Federal Register that the Non-Essential travel restriction at land ports of entry between Canada, the U.S. and Mexico has been extended for an additional period (to September 21, 2021). This travel restriction has been in place since March 21, 2020. A copy of the Federal Register Notice on […]

If you encounter issues at your U.S. Port-of-Entry with U.S. Customs and Border Protection, where additional information is requested, please contact the ISO Emergency Phone Number: 617-258-5480. This number is NOT to be used to report a successful entry to the U.S., only if you encounter problems at the port-of-entry. For non-Port-of-Entry or non-emergency inquiries, […]

On August 12, 2021, the U.S Department of State has updated their website posting on National Interest Exemptions (NIE) with some additional frequently asked questions (FAQ). Of specific interest is an FAQ that states that a student would not need to get an NIE issued by the US Embassy/Consulate for each travel restricted country visited […]

On August 6, 2021, a group of U.S. Senators, led by Senator Alex Padilla of California, sent a letter to Secretary Anthony Blinken at the U.S. Department of State to expand resources to the U.S. Embassies/Consulates to increase capacity to speed up the processing of student visas so students can arrive in time for the […]

On July 26, 2021, the U.S. Department of State and U.S. Department of Education released a “Joint Statement of Principles in Support of International Education” at the 2021 EducationUSA Forum. The announcement appeared on the EducationUSA website, with recorded announcements from U.S. Department of State Secretary Anthony Blinken and U.S. Department of Education Secretary Dr. […]