News Items

SCAM ALERT: SSN status, Calls from Government, Courier companies
The ISO has received new reports of some common scam phonecalls that are targeting international students (though some of these calls have also been received by ISO Staff).This includes a…
U.S. Federal Tax Filing Deadline Changed to July 15, 2020
To follow up on our posting yesterday, the U.S. Department of Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced today that they are officially changing the income tax filing deadline…
Updating Address Information if Moving in the U.S. or Abroad
International students in F-1 or J-1 status are required to continually update SEVIS about any address changes within 10 days of any move.  The following guidance will assist the ISO…
U.S. State Department Suspends Routine Visa Services in Most Countries
The U.S. Department of State has announced that, effective March 18, 2020, it is suspending routine visa services “in most countries”.  The official announcement is available on the State Department…
USDHS Announces Restriction on “Non-Essential” Travel Between Canada-U.S.-Mexico
On March 20, 2020, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security issued joint statements with the Governments of Canada and Mexico that “Non-Essential” travel between the countries will be temporarily restricted…
USCIS Temporarily Suspends In-Person Services at Field Offices; No Change to USCIS Service Centers and Mail Lockbox Centers.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced the temporary closure of in-person services at its field offices, asylum offices, and Application Support Centers (ASCs) to combat the spread of…
U.S Tax Payment Deadline Changed to July 15, 2020; Tax Return Filing Deadline Still April 15, 2020
The U.S. Department of Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced that individuals who owe tax as part of the income tax filing process this year can defer payment…
MIT International Scholars Office posts Q&A on COVID-19 Guidance Impact on International Scholars/Researchers
The MIT International Scholars Office (ISchO) issued this Q&A on the COVID-19.  This information was shared directly with MIT international scholars as well as Department, Lab, and Center HR administrators.…
ISO Office Hours
The ISO will be OPEN today, Thursday, March 19, from 10:00am-3:00pm for document pickup/dropoff only. As of Friday, March 20, the ISO will operate virtually (no staff physically in the…
USCIS Announces Temporary Suspension of Premium Processing for FY21 Cap-Subject H-1B Petitions
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services today announced the temporary suspension of premium processing service for fiscal year (FY) 2021 cap-subject H-1B petitions. Petitioners filing FY 2021 cap-subject H-1B petitions will…
United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland added to Europe Travel Restriction to U.S.
As a further extension of Presidential Proclamation 9984, the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland have been added to the list of European countries from which travel to the U.S.…
ISO Resources related to MIT Spring 2020 Semester/COVID-19
Dear International Students, We all read President Reif’s letter yesterday, March 10, announcing the transition of course instruction from on-campus to online, with both the understanding of the health concerns…
Entry to U.S. from Most European Countries Suspended for 30 Days
The United States Government announced that it is suspending entry into the United States for certain foreign nationals who have been physically present in the Schengen area (which includes most…
MIT Coronavirus Resources
MIT Medical Resources on CoronavirusMIT Medical has a dedicated webpage on resources and links for guidance on Coronavirus, including a helpful FAQ.  This webpage will continue to be updated so…
MIT Medical Resources on Coronavirus
MIT Medical has a dedicated webpage on resources and links for guidance on Coronavirus, including a helpful FAQ.  This webpage will continue to be updated so it is recommended you check back regularly.Continued…
USCIS Proposes to Adjust Fees to Meet Operational Needs
The US Department of Homeland Security (USDHS) will publish a notice of proposed rulemaking to adjust the fees charged by US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) for certain benefit applications.
USDHS Guidance on Additional Scrutiny of F-1 OPT/STEM OPT and Relationship to Degree Field
On September 30, 2019, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security issued new Policy Guidance to schools indicating that additional scrutiny is being placed on determination of the “direct relationship between…
MIT Joins Peer Institutions in Filing an Amicus Curaie Brief in US Supreme Court in Support of the DACA Program
The MIT Office of the General Counsel issued a statement on its webpage outlining that MIT joined the "friend of the court" brief with 18 peer institutions issued on October…
SCAM ALERT: SSN status, Calls from Government, Courier companies
There are recent reports of new scams targeting international students: 1) scammers posing as an officer from their home country Consulate or police through social media or phone; 2) Calls…
Update on OPT Processing Delays
The ISO continues to monitor F-1 Optional Practical Training processing times as approval timelines have been delayed as compared to previous years. These processing delays are affecting all OPT applications…