Compliance Management
Using GI Bill Benefits for Study Abroad
On April 10, 2024 NAFSA hosted a Government Connection with representatives from the Veterans Affairs Administration to discuss using GI Bill benefits for study abroad. A special focus of this conversation was the VA’s latest study abroad guidance, which established an actionable pathway for GI Bill
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Regulatory Perspectives: Curricular Practical Training (CPT)
NAFSA members joined NAFSA staffers David Fosnocht and Steve Springer for a discussion of F-1 Curricular Practical Training (CPT), the CPT regulation and agency guidance on CPT, and an overview of NAFSA’s agency liaison on CPT. What are common institutional approaches to CPT? What are the
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EVP Guidance Directive 2024-01 Discusses Patient Contact in J-1 Academic Categories
On March 14, 2024 the Department of State exchange visitor program office distributed Guidance Directive 2024-01 to program sponsors, describing several factors that sponsors should "assess in the affirmative" when determining whether human or animal contact is appropriate for an academic exchange
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USCIS Rule on Improving the H-1B Registration Selection Process and Program Integrity
On February 2, 2024 USCIS published a final rule effective March 4, 2024, titled Improving the H-1B Registration Selection Process and Program Integrity. Read the final rule published at 89 FR 7456 (February 2, 2024). The rule: Creates a new "beneficiary-centric" H-1B registration selection protocol
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International Health Insurance for Study Abroad
Contributors from the 2023 Education Abroad Knowledge Community (EAKC) Health & Safety in Education Abroad subcommittee: Kim Priebe, University of North Caroline at Chapel Hill Derek Smallwood, Colorado State University International health insurance for students studying abroad is not just a
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SSA Guidance Incorporating DHS and DOS Policy on Electronic Signing and Transmission of Forms I-20 and DS-2019
The Social Security Administration (SSA) has updated its Program Operations Manual System (POMS) to recognize DHS and DOS policies that allow DSOs and ROs to digitally sign and electronically transmit Forms I-20 and DS-2019. However, SSA has not updated its policies requiring letters supporting F-1
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USCIS Launches H-1B Organizational Accounts and Online Filing of H-1B Forms I-129 and I-907
In February, 2024 U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) launched the following online functionality for H-1B petitions: Online organizational accounts that "will allow multiple individuals within an organization, such as a company or other business entity, and their legal representatives
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USCIS Premium Processing Fee Hike Effective February 26, 2024
USCIS Premium Processing Fee Hike Effective February 26, 2024 A final rule effective February 26, 2024 raises USCIS's premium processing fees as shown in the table below. See 88 FR 89539 (December 28, 2023). Forms I-907 postmarked on or after February 26, 2024 must be accompanied by the new filing
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USCIS Policy Manual Guidance on F and M Students
On November 26, 2024, USCIS updated the USCIS Policy Manual section on F-1 Absences from the United States with a “technical correction” that removed a troublesome study abroad paragraph that appeared in the August 27, 2024 revision to the Policy Manual, replacing it with: “For information about
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