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

Iranian Students and Online Coursework

Iran has been subject to numerous U.S. sanctions for decades. The U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) administers and enforces most of these sanctions. OFAC maintains a resource page that presents the complicated and numerous Iran sanctions. One part of the Iran

NAFSA Resource on SEVP's 2022-23 COVID-19 Guidance for F-1 Schools

The outcome for students under SEVP's March 2020 Guidance, which continues to apply for the 2022-23 academic year, depends to some degree on the following factors: Location: Is the student outside or inside the United States? Program Type: Is the student's program of study All Online, Hybrid, or In

SEVP 2020 FAQs on COVID-19

SEVP posted a revised set of COVID-19 FAQs dated August 7, 2020 at www.ice.gov/doclib/coronavirus/covid19faq.pdf, which merged its July 24 "Clarifying Questions" and its July 15 FAQs into a single document, revising some of the FAQs "to reflect the fall 2020 semester," and to archive and rescind

NAFSA Workshop and Current Topics Learning Lab Schedule

Throughout the year, NAFSA offers a comprehensive schedule of virtual and in-person workshops, along with current toping learning labs.

DOL Announces Data Sharing MOU with DHS

The Department of Labor announced on July 31, 2020 that it entered into a new Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the Department of Homeland Security, allowing the Departments to provide access and share information about immigrant and nonimmigrant petition records and data contained within the

USCIS 2020 Final Rule on Fees, Forms, and Related Changes

On August 3, 2020, DHS adjusted the fees USCIS charges for immigration and naturalization benefit requests, imposed new fees, revised certain fee waiver and exemption policies, and changed certain application requirements via the rule USCIS Fee Schedule & Changes to Certain Other Immigration Benefit

COVID-19: EVP Fall 2020 Guidance for College and University Sponsors on J-1 Nonimmigrant Exchange Visitors

On July 29, 2020, the Office of Private Sector Exchange sent the following email to university program sponsors, stating that: DOS will "continue to accept online coursework for college and university J-1 nonimmigrant exchange visitors that remain in active SEVIS status" For exchange visitors who

SEVP Broadcast Message on Applying March Guidance to Fall 2020

July 24, 2020

On July 24, 2020, SEVP posted a broadcast message on the ICE COVID-19 web page to clarify certain aspects of applying the March 2020 "status quo" guidance in the context of the Fall 2020 term. The broadcast message is reproduced below. Later the same day, SEVP posted "Clarifying Questions for Fall

Proposed Revisions to Permanent Labor Certification Forms

On July 20, 2020, the Department of Labor Office of Foreign Labor Certification (OFLC) posted a news item regarding public comment on proposed changes to the ETA 9089 permanent labor certification (PERM) form. Comments are due by September 18, 2020. Read NAFSA's comment letter (September 10, 2020)

USCIS Guidance on Use of Adjudicative Discretion

A USCIS adjudicator's decision to approve or deny many immigration benefit types is discretionary, which means that in addition to establishing threshold eligibility under regular requirements for the benefit, an applicant also has to demonstrate "that the request merits a favorable exercise of