News Items

U.S.-Canada-Mexico “Non-Essential” Travel Restrictions Extended to 09/21/2020
UPDATED 09/18/2020: USCBP announces that Non-Essential travel restriction between Canada, the U.S. and Mexico has been extended to October 21, 2020.* * * * On August 14, 2020, USDHS Acting…
USCIS Announces Final Fee Rule Effective 10/02/2020
On July 31, 2020, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), announced a final fee rule that will adjust fee amounts for certain applications filed with USCIS. The new fee levels…
USDOS Publishes National Interest Exceptions To Presidential Proclamations Limiting Entry to U.S. by Immigrant and Certain Nonimmigrant Employment Statuses (H, L, and certain J categories)
On July 30, 2020, the U.S. Department of State (USDOS) published a list of National Interest Exceptions to the Presidential Proclamations that suspended visa issuance and travel to the U.S.…
USDHS/USICE Continues March Guidance for Fall 2020 Term
On July 24, 2020, the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP), a division of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (USICE), issued a Broadcast Message and FAQ confirming that their March…
USDHS Rescinds July 6 Guidance; Review Of March 2020 Guidance Impact on Fall 2020
On July 14, 2020, following a legal challenge by MIT and Harvard, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (USDHS) rescinded its July 6 directive and July 7 FAQ on F-1 students…
U.S. Travel Restriction from Schengen Area, United Kingdom, and Ireland Lifted for Certain Visa Types
On July 16, the U.S. Department of State Bureau of Consular Affairs officially announced that individuals traveling to the U.S. from the Schengen area, United Kingdom, and Ireland in certain…
USDOS Provides Details on Phased Resumption of Routine Visa Services
On July 14, 2020, the U.S. Department of State Bureau of Consular Affairs has posted on its website more detailed information, and an FAQ, on the phased resumption of routine…
USICE Rescinds July 6 Guidance on International Students and Online Learning
On July 14, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (USICE), a division of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (USDHS) rescinded its guidance issued on July 6, 2020 on international students…
MIT President Op-Ed: I’m the President of MIT. America Needs Foreign Students
Following the lawsuit filed by MIT and Harvard University, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (USICE) rescinded their July 6 guidance that would have dramatically impacted international students in the U.S.…
Presidential Proclamation Eliminating U.S. Differential Treatment of Hong Kong
On July 14, 2020, the White House published “The President’s Executive Order on Hong Kong Normalization”, which eliminates differential treatment of Hong Kong in relation to U.S. law as it…
U.S. Department of State Twitter Indicates Embassies/Consulates Begin Phased Reopening July 15, 2020
While we do not see an official posting on the U.S. Department of State (USDOS) webpage, the official Twitter page for the USDOS Bureau of Consular Affairs posted this morning…
USDHS Guidance for Fall 2020 – Current Updates – Awaiting Court Decision
We are all anxious about the recent USDHS guidance, and, as I indicated on Friday, we had hoped to be able to provide you with some answers to your questions…
MIT Reviewing USDHS Guidance/FAQ for Fall 2020
As a follow up to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (USDHS) Guidance on COVID-19 and procedures impacting international students for Fall 2020, issued on July 6, USDHS on July 7 issued…
MIT Reviewing USDHS Guidance for Fall 2020
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has today issued its guidance on procedures that will apply to international students for the Fall 2020 semester in response to COVID-19.  We understand that USDHS…
Presidential Proclamation Temporarily Suspending Entry of Certain Nonimmigrants in H, L, and J Status
On June 22, 2020, President Trump issued a Proclamation titled Proclamation Suspending Entry of Aliens Who Present a Risk to the U.S. Labor Market Following the Coronavirus Outbreak. The Proclamation will…
MIT Monitoring Potential Presidential Proclamations
http://iso.mit.edu/immigration/imm_updates.shtml Dear Students: There is speculation that the White House may soon announce an executive action temporarily restricting entry to the US by certain nonimmigrant visa holders, possibly including H-1B…
Presidential Proclamation Impacting Certain Chinese Students and Scholars: Letter to MIT International Students
On Friday, May 29, 2020, President Trump signed a Presidential Proclamation that may affect certain nationals from the People’s Republic of China seeking entry in F or J visa status…
Presidential Proclamation Suspending Entry to U.S. from Brazil, Iran, or China
On May 24, 2020, President Trump issued a Proclamation restricting travel to the US by individuals who have been to Brazil, Iran, or China within the previous 14 days.  The travel restriction takes…
ISO Virtual Forum: F-1 OPT/STEM OPT Extension – recording available
On Thursday, April 30, the ISO, in collaboration with the MIT Career Advising and Professional Development (CAPD) Office hosted a Virtual Forum on issues related to F-1 Optional Practical Training…
Executive Order Suspending Immigrant Visa Entry to the U.S.
Dear International Students and Scholars, We are writing to provide you with information on a new Executive Order (the Proclamation) signed by President Trump yesterday.  We hope that this information…