Adviser's Manual 360

The NAFSA Adviser's Manual 360 is the comprehensive source on U.S. immigration policy and procedures impacting educational institutions in the United States, providing information critical to every international student and scholar services office.

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NAFSA Adviser's Manual 360

The Adviser's Manual 360 is an online, searchable knowledge base of current U.S. laws, policies, and procedures related to international student and scholar immigration and visa issues. When you purchase a one-year Adviser's Manual 360 principal license, you can access the Manual any time you need it, on your desktop, laptop, tablet, or smartphone. The Manual is continually updated, to help you effectively manage compliance obligations for your institution and your students and scholars.

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NAFSA Adviser's Manual Updates and Announcements

Practice Advisory on F-1 Cap-Gap and New H-1B Cap-Subject Filing Rules

January 9, 2020
A NAFSA practice advisory explores how the new H-B cap selection and filing system scheduled to go into effect on March 1, 2020 interacts with F-1 cap-gap rules.
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NAFSA and ACE Comment on USCIS Proposed Fee and Form Changes

January 6, 2020
NAFSA and ACE submitted comment letters to USCIS on its November 14, 2019 proposed changes to filing fees.
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Impementation of ESTA for VWP Land Entries

December 20, 2019
DHS/CBP is developing an interim final rule that will expand ESTA pre-registration to Visa Waiver Program entrants planning to enter the United States through land ports of entry. Once the rule is finalized and effective, these VWP travelers will provide their information to CBP electronically through ESTA prior to application for admission to the United States.
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USCIS Announces Implementation of H-1B Cap-Subject Preregistration System for Upcoming FY 2021 H-1B Season

December 10, 2019
USCIS announced on December 6, 2019 that it will implement the preregistration process for H-1B cap-subject employers in the upcoming fiscal year 2021 season. "USCIS will open an initial registration period from March 1 through March 20, 2020."... "Employers seeking to file H-1B cap-subject petitions for the fiscal year 2021 cap, including those eligible for the advanced degree exemption, must first electronically register and pay the associated $10 H-1B registration fee."
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Updates on USCIS Fee Waiver Requests

December 2, 2019
New USCIS guidance effective December 2, 2019 applies to fee waiver requests postmarked on or after that date. On a separate but related note, the proposed USCIS fee rule published for comment on November 14, 2019 would, if finalized as proposed, limit fee waivers only to VAWA self-petitioners, T and U nonimmigrants, certain battered spouses and children, and TPS applicants, with extremely limited exceptions.
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Colleges and Universities File Amicus Brief Defending OPT in WashTech Case

November 25, 2019
On November 21, 2019, 118 public and private universities and colleges filed an amicus brief in the Washington Alliance of Technology Workers Union vs. U.S. Department of Homeland Security (Washtech) litigation to defend the long-standing immigration program known as Optional Practical Training and its more recent expansion, STEM OPT (collectively "OPT").
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Administration Publishes Fall 2019 Regulatory Agenda

November 21, 2019
The Fall 2019 Regulatory Agenda was published on November 20, 2019. NAFSA summarizes the immigration items most relevant to higher education.
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SEVP Launches New SETA DSO Training Modules

November 20, 2019
On November 20, 2019, the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) launched its new SEVP External Training Application (SETA), initially with four courses.
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Upload of STEM OPT I-983 Training Plans in SEVIS Release 6.49

November 8, 2019
With SEVIS Release 6.49 (November 17, 2019), DSOs have the ability to upload Form I-983 training plans in SEVIS when recommending initial STEM OPT, adding a STEM employer, and at the 12 and 24 month self-evaluation reporting periods. The functionality is not available in SEVIS batch. In a November 8, 2019 pre-release webinar, SEVP said that uploading the Form I-983 to SEVIS is "optional, but encouraged," and that "Use is date-forward; does not apply retroactively."
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Poland Added to Visa Waiver Program List Effective November 11, 2019

November 8, 2019
Poland has been designated into the Visa Waiver Program (VWP), effective November 11, 2019. Eligible citizens of Poland may register in ESTA and enter the U.S. in WB or WT status for 90 days under the VWP on and after the effective date.
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Trending Issues

Current Regulatory Agenda Items

November 20, 2019
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STEM OPT Employer Site Visits

August 21, 2019
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DHS Final Public Charge Rule

August 21, 2019
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WashTech OPT Litigation

August 7, 2019
The Washington Alliance of Technology Workers (WashTech) filed suit against both the standard 12-month OPT rule and the 24-month STEM OPT rule, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, raising many of the same substantive issues WashTech had brought up in the suit they filed against the 2008 17-month STEM OPT rule. This page summarizes the progress of this litigation.
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Form I-20 Distribution Policy

June 27, 2019
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Final SEVIS Fee Changes

June 27, 2019
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NAFSA Engagement Summaries

June 26, 2019
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Social Media Question on Visa Applications

June 24, 2019
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FY 2020 H-1B Cap Season

June 24, 2019
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New Form I-539

June 21, 2019
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Regulatory Resources

Law Links Adviser's Manual 360 NAFSA Regulatory Engagement