Compliance Management

Fee-Based Service Model Considerations

By NAFSA International Student and Scholar Services Knowledge Community (KC ISSS) 2018 Robin Catmur-Smith, Barbara Kappler, Nate Lynch, Tina Rousselot de Saint Céran Overview Regulatory compliance obligations for institutions sponsoring international students and scholars have grown significantly in

Practice Advisory on F-1 Cap-Gap Benefits

Overview This NAFSA practice advisory explores how the H-B cap registration and filing system interacts with F-1 cap-gap rules. It has been updated to reflect the cap-gap changes made by the final rule published at 89 FR 103054 (December 18, 2024), effective January 17, 2025. The final rule makes

Implementation of ESTA for VWP Entry at Land Ports of Entry

A U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) interim final rule published at 87 FR 18967 (April 1, 2022) expanded the ESTA pre-registration requirement to Visa Waiver Program (VWP) visitors planning to enter the United States through land ports of entry. Before the October 1, 2022 implementation date

Developing Policy

IEM Spotlight, Vol. 19, Winter Issue | Table of Contents By Dana Brolley, University of Idaho Policies guide much of the daily work in IEM. They provide critical roadmaps for equitable decisionmaking and developing consistent and efficient processes for admissions and enrollment. Well-written

From Paper to Parchment: Verification in the Digital Age

IEM Spotlight, Vol. 19, Winter Issue | Table of Contents By Matthew Cwiklinski, Scholaro, Inc. The future of educational credentials is digital. While this shift to digital certificates, diplomas, and transcripts makes some parts of academic credentialing much easier, there are also new risks that

Basic 212(e) Waiver Guidance

This ISS-RP Resource provides a basic overview of the INA 212(e) waiver process. In this guide, you will find: Definitions of key terms related to INA 212(e) and the waiver process Overview of the process for requesting a waiver and the government agencies involved Questions to consider when

USCIS Fee Waiver Updates

Update On December 11, 2019, in the case City of Seattle et al. v. DHS et al., the U.S. District Court for the Norther District of California San Francisco Division issued a nationwide preliminary injunction that blocks implementation of the USCIS fee waiver policy guidance that was to go into

Key Takeaways from the November 5, 2019 DOL OFLC Stakeholder Meeting

Top Takeaways from the Department of Labor Stakeholder Meeting on November 5, 2019 OFLC is aware of the various issues that employers, and especially institutions of higher education, have encountered in using the new FLAG system when filing LCAs, including the incorrect wage data for several SOC

USCIS Proposed Fee and Form Changes and Other Related Proposals

UPDATE: USCIS published a final fee rule on August 3, 2020 that was to become effective 60 days later, on October 2, 2020. The rule specified: "Any application, petition, or request postmarked on or after this date must be accompanied with the fees established by this final rule." The rule also

Pre-Registration Requirement for Cap-Subject H-1B Petitioners

On January 31, 2019, DHS published a final rule governing petitions filed on behalf of H-1B beneficiaries who may be counted toward the 65,000 H-1B cap (regular cap) or the 20,000 beneficiaries with advanced degrees from U.S. institutions of higher education who are eligible for an exemption from