Regulatory Information

Exchange Visitors and Exchange Visitor Programs

Fees, Forms, Filing Procedures

Institutional Obligations and Compliance

International Faculty, Staff, Researchers

International Students and Schools

U.S. Immigration Systems, Data, Status, and Concepts

Visas, Travel, Entry

SEVP Broadcast Message Reminds DSOs to be Vigilant Against STEM OPT Employer Fraud

On March 23, 2026, the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) issued Broadcast Message 2603-02, STEM OPT Employer Fraud, advising designated school officials (DSOs) to closely scrutinize potential fraud involving STEM OPT employers, particularly IT recruiting companies, consulting firms, and

Selected Resources on Immigration Enforcement on College Campuses

Selected Resources on Immigration Enforcement on College Campuses Key guidance and timely articles to help institutions prepare for and respond to immigration enforcement activity From NAFSA: The Applicability of FERPA (the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974) to International Students

DOS Rulemaking on Subpart C of the Exchange Visitor Regulations

March 11, 2026

DOS Proposed Rulemaking on Exchange Visitor Extension and Reinstatement Regulations On March 10, 2026 the Department of State (DOS) sent a proposed rule package to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review. The package, entitled Exchange Visitor Rules: Records, has been included in every

New Wage-Related Questions on February 27, 2026 Edition of Form I-129

The 02/27/26 edition of Form I-129, Petition for Nonimmigrant Worker, includes several new questions and instructions, including items that implement the final rule effective February 27, 2026 entitled Weighted Selection Process for Registrants and Petitioners Seeking to File Cap-Subject H-1B

Limited Visa Services Notices

Limited Visa Services Notices The U.S. Department of State (DOS) has announced that "Routine visa processing is not currently available" at the following consular posts: Israel, Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, February 26, 2026 announcement Lebanon, Beirut, February 23, 2026 announcement Note: Other

DOL Rulemaking on Wage Protections in the H-1B and PERM Programs

On March 27, 2026 the Department of Labor (DOL) Employment and Training Administration (ETA) published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) titled I mproving Wage Protections for the Temporary and Permanent Employment of Certain Foreign Nationals in the United States. Read the proposed rule

Quick-Reference Country Restriction Table

February 9, 2026

Shortlink to this page: https://www.nafsa.org/countryrestrictions This table prepared by NAFSA shows recent country-specific policies that continue to impact visa or immigration benefits for nationals of the listed countries. It is meant for quick-reference only. Consult NAFSA's detailed pages for

SEVP Program End Date Checklist for DSOs

As the Spring 2026 academic term begins, the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) has published a Program End Date Checklist on Study in the States to encourage designated school officials (DSOs) to proactively identify students who may be approaching their program end date (PED) and

H-1B Measures Impacting Higher Education

Quick-link to this page: https://www.nafsa.org/h1bmeasures A number of measures that curtail the use of the H-1B category can impact higher education in different ways. The $100,000 Presidential Proclamation On September 19, 2025, President Trump issued Presidential Proclamation 10973, called

State-Level Restrictions on Use of H-1B at Public Institutions of Higher Education

State-Level Restrictions on Use of H-1B at Public Institutions of Higher Education Several U.S. States are in the process of imposing restrictions on the use of the H-1B category at their public institutions of higher education. These initiatives are at various stages of development. Below are