August 31, 2015 Department of State letter to exchange visitor program sponsors, providing an overview of Exchange Visitor Program accomplishments over the past year, and future initiatives and plans.

Effective October, 2015, USCIS has revised the procedures for determining when adjustment of status applications may be filed. The new process may allow some applicants to file their adjustment applications earlier, and become eligible for adjustment applicant benefits like advance parole and

DHS published the final 24-month STEM OPT rule in the Federal Register at 81 FR 13039 (March 11, 2016).

The Vermont Service Center (VSC) Stakeholder Conference was a general USCIS conference that addressed several topics of interests to its stakeholders, and didn’t focus on one particular specialty. It was designed to give participants important updates on various processing at the VSC.

This research deepens the understanding of the landscape of existing pathway partnerships by providing a working definition, a broad typology, and select characteristics of institutions.

SEVP issues “Stakeholder Response Report” to address Issues raised at 2015 NAFSA Annual Conference.

The Visa Waiver Program Improvement and Terrorist Travel Prevention Act of 2015 (signed into law on December 18, 2015 as part of the 2016 Consolidated Appropriations Act, Public Law 114-113), imposes new restrictions on use of the Visa Waiver Program (VWP).

New USCIS filing fees and form version become effective on December 23, 2016. "Applications or petitions mailed, postmarked, or otherwise filed on or after December 23, 2016 must include the new fee." Applications and petitions must also be filed on the latest edition of the required form.

NAFSA comments on proposed changes to the OES wage survey.

NAFSA letter to USCIS asking the agency to favorably consider STEM OPT applications filed after May 9 that were accompanied by a 17-month STEM OPT recommendation, and denied on that sole basis.