Latest Updates
- H-1B Measures Impacting Higher Education. A number of recent measures that curtail the use of the H-1B category can impact higher education in different ways, including: the $100,000 fee for new petitions; the weighted H-1B cap selection rule; compliance and enforcement; and State-level initiatives. Visit NAFSA's page on these measures.
- USCIS Pause on Processing of Immigration Benefits for Nationals of Travel Ban Countries Continues. A pair of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Policy Memoranda describe a hold that USCIS has placed a hold on adjudication of pending benefit requests submitted by applicants whose citizenship or country of birth are from the countries identified in two travel-ban proclamations: Presidential Proclamation 10949 of June 4, 2025 and Presidential Proclamation 10988 of December 16, 2025. The broad wording of the memos affects both immigrant and nonimmigrant benefits applications. There is no exception for immigration benefits commonly used in higher education, such as a nonimmigrant F-1 student's Form I-765 filed for Optional Practical Training, a Form I-539 filed to change nonimmigrant status, a Form I-129 filed by an H-1B petitioner requesting extension of an H-1B employee's stay, etc. IMMpact Litigation is planning to file a lawsuit to challenge "the June and December 2025 Travel bans as well as DHS (USCIS) and DOS implementation of the ban on entry, visa issuance and immigration applications announced in the policy alert on November 27, 2025 and the policy memo on December 2, 2025." See NAFSA's page.
- DOS Pauses Immigrant Visa Issuance for Nationals of 75 Countries. In a January 14, 2026 news posting, the U.S. Department of State (DOS) announced that it will pause the issuance of immigrant visas at U.S. consulates worldwide starting January 21, 2026 for nationals of 75 countries that DOS deems are "at high risk of public benefits usage." During the pause, DOS will "a full review of all policies, regulations, and guidance to ensure that immigrants from these high-risk countries do not utilize welfare in the United States or become a public charge." The pause impacts only immigrant visa issuance at U.S. consulates abroad, and does not affect nonimmigrant visas such as B tourist visas, F student visas, J exchange visitor visas, H-1B work visas, etc. See NAFSA's page.
- USCIS Premium Processing Fees to Rise March 1, 2026. A final rule scheduled for publication on January 12, 2026 will raise USCIS premium processing fees effective March 1, 2026. The preamble to the final rule summarizes the changes: "premium processing fees that were $1,685, increase to $1,780; the premium processing fees that were $1,965, increase to $2,075; and the premium processing fees that were $2,805, increase to $2,965." See NAFSA's page.
Key Executive and Regulatory Actions
DHS Proposes Ending Duration of Status
Comments in response to the DHS/ICE proposed rule to end "duration of status" for F, J, and I nonimmigrants are due by September 29, 2025. NAFSA has prepared high-level guidance to assist institutions in submitting a comment letter, along with a non-technical "explainer" and an advocacy campaign to engage Congress.
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.
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
Expanded Travel Ban a Blow to U.S. Global Leadership
NAFSA issued a response to the December 16 travel ban by saying, in part: "Relying on travel bans to act as a shield rather than relying on the strength of U.S. vetting protocols is essentially a retreat from global engagement. Our isolationism will create a vacuum that other enterprising nations will gladly fill."
U.S. Economy Loses $1.1 Billion from Declining International Enrollment
An economic analysis of Fall 2025 international enrollment by NAFSA and JB International reveal that international students’ economic contributions to U.S. economies this fall dropped by $1.1 billion, costing the U.S. nearly 23,000 jobs.
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."
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