Latest Updates
- OMB Completes Review of DHS Proposed Rule to Eliminate Duration of Status. On August 7, 2025 the Office of Management and Budget concluded its review of the DHS/ICE (Department of Homeland Security-US Immigration and Customs Enforcement) proposed rule to end "duration of status" (D/S) for F, J, and I nonimmigrants. DHS will now follow procedures to publish the proposed rule in the Federal Register, with a period for public comment. We don’t know how similar this will be to the September 25, 2020 Trump 1.0 proposed rule of the same title that was withdrawn by the Biden administration, but it is likely to share many similarities. Under the 2020 proposal, instead of being admitted for "duration of status" (D/S) as they currently are (since 1991 for F students and 1993 for J exchange visitors), individuals applying for admission in either F or J status (F-1 students, F-2 dependents, J-1 exchange visitors, and J-2 dependents) would be admitted only until the program end date noted on their Form I-20 or DS-2019 or for 4 years, whichever is shorter, plus a period of 30 days following their program end date, reducing the current regulation's 60-day grace period for F nonimmigrants to only 30 days. The proposed revisions to the J regulations at 8 CFR 214.2(j) closely aligned with the proposed changes for F nonimmigrants. Individuals who needed time beyond their period of admission would have to timely file a complete Form I-539 extension of stay application with USCIS before their prior admission expired. See NAFSA's page.
- Visa Bond Pilot Program. On August 5, 2025 the Department of State (DOS) will publish in the Federal Register a temporary final rule entitled Visa Bond Pilot Program. The rule establishes a one-year pilot program to test a $5K, $10K, or $15K bond system for select B‑1/B‑2 applicants from countries with high overstay rates or other conditions. Malawi and Zambia are the first two countries to be designated under the pilot, effective August 20, 2025. See NAFSA's page.
- CBP Guidance to Airlines on Male and Female Sex Markers. In a July 8, 2025 Carrier Liaison Program Bulletin, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) instructed airlines (international carriers) that they must submit "M" or "F" in the sex field of the pre-departure information they transmit to to CBP through the Advanced Passenger Information System (APIS), even if the traveler's passport contains a sex indicator other than M or F or does not otherwise indicate the sex of the traveler. See NAFSA's page.
- NAFSA/JB International Release Fall 2025 Economic Loss Projections. July 25, 2025. View NAFSA/JB International's economic loss projections for the fall semester based on SEVIS and State Department data. See: NAFSA Press Release: Visa Bans and Visa Appointment Wait Times Driving Away Students and their Local Spending and NAFSA and JB International Report: Fall 2025 International Student Enrollment Outlook and Economic Impact.
- DOS to Restrict Visa Interview Waivers to B Visas Only Starting September 2, 2025. The Department of State announced that starting September 2, 2025 it will narrow its interview waiver policy for visa renewals. Currently, applicants might renew any visa category (e.g., F-1, J-1, H-1B, O-1, etc.) without an interview if their previous visa in the same category expired less than 12 months ago. Under the new policy, only B visa holders and Mexican Border Crossing Card holders will remain eligible for this 12-month interview waiver. See NAFSA's page.
- DOS Announces Investigation of Harvard University Participation in the Exchange Visitor Program. In a July 23, 2025 press statement, the Department of State announced that it "is opening an investigation into Harvard University’s continued eligibility as a sponsor for the Exchange Visitor Program." Read the DOS press statement.
- Dignity Act of 2025 Includes Key International Education Provisions. On July 15, 2025 a bipartisan group of U.S. Representatives introduced an updated version of a comprehensive bipartisan immigration reform bill, the Dignity Act of 2025 (H.R. 4393). Under the heading Unleashing American Prosperity and Competitiveness, the bill includes key provisions to attract and retain international students who meet the need for talented people to contribute to the American economy and advance innovation and competitiveness. See NAFSA's page.
- USCIS Proposal on Weighted Selection of H-1B Cap-Subject Registrants and Petitioners. On July 17, 2025 USCIS submitted for OMB review a proposed rule titled "Weighted Selection Process for Registrants and Petitioners Seeking To File Cap-Subject H-1B Petitions." The forthcoming proposed rule will likely be similar to a final rule published at the very end of the first Trump administration that would have replaced the current random selection process for H-1B cap-subject registrations with a system that gave preference to higher wage earners. See NAFSA's page for background.
- NAFSA Lists Countries Impacted by Recent Visa Reciprocity Reductions. July 15, 2025. In early July 2025 the Department of State revised the visa reciprocity schedules of numerous countries to reduce the validity of visas it issues going forward to 3 months and only a single entry. NAFSA checked the DOS visa reciprocity tables in the B, F, H, J, M, and O visa categories and lists these countries on a new NAFSA page.
- Budget Law Imposes New Immigration Fees. July 4, 2025. H.R.1, the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act" signed into law on July 4, 2025, imposes several new immigration fees, including a "visa integrity fee," a new Form I-94 application fee, an EVUS fee, a new TPS fee, and other fees. On July 22, 2025 USCIS will publish a Federal Register notice to implement collection of certain (but not all) of the HR-1 budget law's new immigration fees, effective as of the July 22 publication in the Federal Register. The notice clarifies, though, that the new Visa Integrity and Form I-94 fees will not be collected under the July 22, 2025 notice but rather in separate future Federal Register notices. See NAFSA's page.
- Presidential Proclamation Orders Travel Bans on 19 Countries. June 4, 2025. Presidential Proclamation of June 4, 2025: Restricting The Entry of Foreign Nationals to Protect the United States from Foreign Terrorists and Other National Security and Public Safety Threats establishes a "full" travel ban on 12 countries and a "partial" travel ban on 7 countries, effective 12:01 am eastern daylight time on June 9, 2025. See NAFSA's page.
Key Executive and Regulatory Actions
Government Funding, Staffing, and Operations
The president's draft fiscal 2026 "skinny" budget proposes a 93 percent reduction in funding for State Department Educational and Cultural Exchanges, effectively dismantling the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) and its programs. Urge Congress to defend and fund federal international education and exchange programs.
Antisemitism Related
An April 9 DHS news release says that U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services "will consider social media content that indicates an alien endorsing, espousing, promoting, or supporting antisemitic terrorism, antisemitic terrorist organizations, or other antisemitic activity as a negative factor in any USCIS discretionary analysis when adjudicating immigration benefit requests. This guidance is effective immediately."
Vetting and Enforcement
The Department of State (DOS) announced that it finally issued the expected "new guidance" on social media vetting, and that consulates will resume scheduling F, M, and J nonimmigrant visa appointments. It includes information on how consular officers should screen the social media and online presence of applicants applying for F, M, and J visas, and factors the consulates should consider as they resume scheduling student visa interviews
NAFSA Statements and Commentary
NAFSA Responds to DHS Threats Against Harvard, OPT
"Revoking an institution’s ability to enroll international students and threatening to dismantle OPT are ill-conceived attacks on high-functioning systems and programs," said Fanta Aw, NAFSA CEO. "International students are not bargaining chips—they are scholars, researchers, and contributors to our communities whose presence strengthens U.S. higher education and society. We turn global talent away at our own expense."
NAFSA Responds to Pause of International Student Visa Interviews
NAFSA executive director and CEO, Fanta Aw, calls pause of international student visa Interviews misguided and self-defeating and urges the administration to reverse this course and uphold a policy environment that reflects our national interest.
NAFSA Urges Restoration of Student Visa Appointments
On May 30, NAFSA joined a letter led by the American Council on Education to the Department of State Secretary Marco Rubio expressing deep concern about the pause in student visa interviews and plans to revoke the visas for some Chinese students.
Related Resources
2025 Policy Digest
A chronological compilation of U.S. government policy and regulatory developments and related advocacy activities, updated on a monthly basis.
Connecting Our World
Connecting Our World is NAFSA's weekly newsletter that distills the top policy and regulatory developments affecting international education and identifies how members of the field can use their voice to take action in simple but meaningful ways.
Helpful Resources
Helpful resources from NAFSA and others on initiatives under the Second Trump Administration