Post-Election Reflection
To our Current International Students and Recent Alumni,
I know many of us are still reflecting on the results of last week’s U.S. elections. As with every election, when there is a change in administration on the federal level there can be changes in policies, regulations, and legislation that impacts higher education as well as immigration and visa status matters.
It is still too early to determine what the immediate impacts may be on immigration and visa issues since the new Congress will be sworn in at the beginning of January, and our new President will be sworn in on January 20, 2025. MIT and the ISO are using this time to prepare and keep the community informed if and when developments occur that could impact our international students. We will provide updates to the community as we have more information to share.
In the meantime, I do have the following recommendations:
- Avoid making decisions based on social media and news reports or rumors that predict new policies/regulations. Rely on official documentation from the appropriate government agency/office.
While many social media networks and news agencies may predict what may be implemented in a new administration, please know that, as past experience has illustrated, not everything that has been talked about during an election will be implemented. In addition, there are formal procedures to issue Executive Orders, legislation, regulations, and policy changes. While Executive Orders can be issued and implemented quickly, legislation through Congress, or new regulations through government agencies, must go through formal procedures that can take some time between the proposal, approval, and implementation stages.
The ISO will be sure to keep the community updated as official updates on policies and regulations are enacted and the potential impact on international students via our ISO newsletter, broadcast messages, and on the ISO “Major Immigration Alerts and Updates” webpage (https://iso.mit.edu/news-and-announcements/major-immigration-updates/).
- Assess your travel plans over the Winter Break.As mentioned, the new administration will be sworn in on January 20, 2025, and new Executive Orders that may impact travel and visa processing may be implemented on or after that date. In addition, election transitions also impact staffing levels at U.S. Embassies/Consulates abroad, which could impact entry visa processing times.
Students who would need to apply for a new entry visa at the U.S. Embassy/Consulate abroad in order to return to the U.S. in their student status should assess the possibility of facing any extensive processing times and have a backup plan if they must travel abroad and wait for a new entry visa to be issued. Any processing delays could impact students’ ability to return to the U.S. as planned.
Additional guidance on required documentation needed to travel and re-enter the U.S., procedures to apply for a new entry visa at a U.S. Embassy/Consulate abroad, and other travel-related guidance, is available on the ISO “Visas and Travel” webpage (https://iso.mit.edu/visas-and-travel/).
- Immigration Attorney Presentation on Thursday, November 14
The ISO has a presentation scheduled on Thursday evening, November 14, from 5:15pm-7:15pm in 32-123 (Stata Center) with attorney Elizabeth Goss of Goss Associates in Boston. The presentation will be focusing on employment visa options and permanent residency/green cards, but also provide some prospective on immigration matters that may be impacted by the election. We hope you will be able to join us for this session. (Note: There will be no recording of the presentation available, but all handouts/slidedeck will be made available on the ISO Employment webpage a few days after the presentation).
We know this is a time of uncertainty but also this is common after any election. We have experience with these transitions. The ISO is here to support you and assist in providing your best experience at MIT. If any questions arise, please contact your ISO Advisor (https://iso.mit.edu/about-iso/student-advisors-by-program/) directly.
Best regards,
David C. Elwell, Associate Dean and Director
MIT International Students Office
