International Student and Scholar Affairs (ISSA) uses this page to share updates with students and scholars whose U.S. immigration status is sponsored by the University. Though drafts of future executive orders and policy updates may circulate, we will not address their content here until a finalized document is available. Please note that ISSA is not authorized to provide counsel beyond the information on this page, and the information and resources on this page should not be understood as legal advice. If you have questions, consider speaking with an experienced immigration attorney.
July 17, 2026: DHS Publishes Final Rule Replacing Duration of Status (D/S)
On July 17, 2026, the Department of Homeland Security published a final rule titled, Establishing a Fixed Time Period of Admission and an Extension of Stay Procedure for Nonimmigrant Academic Students, Exchange Visitors, and Representatives of Foreign Information, which replaces the “Duration of Status (D/S)” policy for F-1 and J-1 status holders (and their dependents) and introduces other program and procedural changes. This rule does not go into effect until September 15, 2026.
We appreciate our community's patience as we work with campus partners to evaluate the scope and impact of the regulation, and ISSA will communicate with stakeholders in the coming weeks through webinars and emails. SEVP has published an FAQ page./p>
May 22, 2026: USCIS memo regarding Adjustment of Status
On May 22, 2026, USCIS released a memo concerning adjustment of status, indicating that some individuals seeking adjustment of status will be required to do so through consular processing via the Department of State outside of the country. Adjustment of status refers to I-485 applications which are part of the process to obtain US permanent residence.
January 15, 2026: DOS Pauses Immigrant Visa Issuance for 75 countries
On January 15, 2026, the Department of State announced it would pause all visa issuances to immigrant visa applicants who are nationals of 75 countries as it reviews internal policies and regulations. This pause does not impact non-immigrant visa applicants from the same countries, including F and J visa holders, though it is important to note the December 2025 proclamation is still in effect.
January 9, 2026: USCIS publishes increased application fees
On January 9, 2026, USCIS announced they were publishing a final rule for increased Premium Processing fees for certain petitions, including the I-765 and I-129. The fee increases are effective March 1, 2026.
January 1, 2026: USCIS memo regarding USCIS benefit applications
- Due to a court order, this policy is currently not in effect
On January 1, 2026, USCIS released a memo regarding the hold and review of USCIS benefit applications for countries listed on the December 2025 Presidential Proclamation. While applicants can still submit applications, including the I-765 (for OPT) or I-129 (for H-1B), the adjudication of a final decision may be held until further notice.
December 16, 2025: Presidential Proclamation: Travel Restrictions - December 2025
On December 16, 2025, the White House published the Presidential Proclamation “Restricting and limiting the entry of foreign nationals to protect the security of the U.S.” and an accompanying fact sheet, which expands countries and/or restrictions established by the June 2025 proclamation. The December proclamation restricts entry to the U.S. for nationals from specific countries who are outside the U.S. without a valid visa as of January 1, 2026.
According to the proclamation, effective Thursday, 12:01 a.m. eastern standard time on January 1, 2026, nationals from the following countries are subject to full travel restrictions, which includes all immigrant and non-immigrant visa holders: Afghanistan, Burma, Burkina Faso, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Laos, Libya, Mali, Niger, Palestine, Somalia, Sierra Leone, Sudan, South Sudan, Syria, and Yemen.
In addition, the proclamation also announced that nationals from the following countries are subject to partial restrictions, which include individuals in F or J status: Angola, Antigua & Barbuda, Benin, Burundi, Cote d’Ivoire, Cuba, Dominica, Gabon, The Gambia, Malawi, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania, Togo, Tonga, and Venezuela.
It's important to highlight that according to the proclamation, the provisions apply only to nationals of the subject country who are outside the U.S. without a valid visa as of January 1, 2026.
To be clear: These restrictions impact entry to the U.S. in certain circumstances, but they do not impact status or the ability to remain in the U.S. They impact students and scholars based on the country of birth and/or citizenship, not where they have traveled. CBP still has full discretion for authorizing entry to the U.S.
Notre Dame response to DHS proposal to replace duration of status
September 19, 2025: Presidential Proclamation - H-1B Nonimmigrant Workers
- Due to a court order, this policy is currently not in effect
On Friday, September 19, 2025, a presidential proclamation, Restriction on Entry of Certain Nonimmigrant Workers, was issued regarding the application of additional fees for certain new H-1B petitions. On Saturday, September 20, 2025, USCIS released a memorandum indicating that the proclamation only applies prospectively to petitions that have not yet been filed. An H-1B FAQ was posted to the USCIS website indicating the same. The H-1B FAQ further clarified that the proclamation does not change any fees required to be submitted in connection with any H-1B extensions.
Although we are monitoring the possible implications for future H-1B petitions, based on the current guidance, there should be no impact to current H-1B employees. On October 21, 2025, USCIS clarified that the new fees would not apply to those inside the U.S. requesting an amendment, change of status, or extension of stay to H-1B status, which includes F-1 or J-1 students who may be otherwise eligible to change to H-1B status.
The University cannot advise students on the potential impact of this rule on their petitions with potential employers.
September 6, 2025: New NIV Application Policy - Home Country
On September 6, 2025, the Department of State announced they were updating instructions for all nonimmigrant visa applicants scheduling appointments, advising them to schedule in their country of nationality or residence. While there is not a strict prohibition on attempting to apply in a third country, we would recommend that applicants follow the guidance from the State Department about where to apply.
For those applicants who reside in countries where the U.S. government is not conducting nonimmigrant visa operations, they provide guidance on where to apply.
August 28, 2025: Proposed Rules - Duration of Status and Data Collection
On August 28, 2025, DHS published a proposed rule in the Federal Register to end “duration of status” for F, J, and I nonimmigrants. ISSA cannot advise on proposed rules, but we are monitoring the rule and evaluating potential impact if all or part of the proposals go into effect. Once a determination has been made, we will provide guidance on whether F and J students and scholars are impacted.
July 4, 2025: Visa Integrity Fee
H.R.1 signed into law on July 4, 2025, imposes a new "visa integrity fee" to be paid upon the issuance of any nonimmigrant visa. The statute is effective as of the date it was signed into law, but time will be needed to implement the necessary collection mechanisms. It is not yet possible to pay the nonimmigrant visa integrity fee, and there has been no additional guidance related to the fee. For information on current fees related to entry to the U.S., review the Department of State’s page here.
July 2025: Visa Reciprocity Agreements
In early July 2025, the Department of State revised the visa reciprocity schedules of numerous countries; this reduces the length of validity of visas it issues to citizens of those countries to 3 months with a single entry. Review visa reciprocity schedules and fees here.
Current valid visa stamps are not impacted by these schedule changes.
June 4, 2025: Presidential Proclamation: Travel Restrictions
On June 4, the White House published the Presidential Proclamation “Restricting the entry of foreign nationals to protect the United States” and an accompanying fact sheet, which restricted entry to the U.S. for nationals from specific countries who are outside the U.S. without a valid visa as of June 9, 2025.
As of Monday, June 9, 2025:
- All nationals from the following countries are subject to full entry restrictions: Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen.
- All nationals from the following countries are subject to partial restrictions, but these restrictions will impact students in F or J status: Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela.
It’s important to highlight that according to the proclamation, the provisions apply only to nationals of the subject country who are outside the U.S. without a valid visa as of June 9, 2025.
To be clear: These restrictions impact entry to the U.S. in certain circumstances, but they do not impact status or the ability to remain in the U.S. They impact students based on country of citizenship, not where students have traveled.
Students and scholars from the impacted countries may want to reconsider international travel plans.
May 28, 2025: Department of State Statement regarding Visa Revocations
In a May 28 press release, the Department of State (DoS) stated they would "work with the Department of Homeland Security to aggressively revoke visas for Chinese students, including those with connections to the Chinese Communist Party or studying in critical fields. We will also revise visa criteria to enhance scrutiny of all future visa applications from the People’s Republic of China and Hong Kong."
The statement does not provide additional information about what connections are under review, what fields are identified as critical fields, or what guidelines will be used in the visa application review. We will continue to monitor developments and advise students as updates are made available.
It's important to remind our community that the University is not notified when a student or scholar's visa is revoked.
May 27, 2025: Visa Appointment Scheduling Paused for F and J Applicants
On May 27, news came out that the Department of State is ordering U.S. embassies and consulates to temporarily pause scheduling new visa interviews for student and exchange visitor applicants (F, J, and M visas). The Department of State (DoS) has confirmed but advised that students and scholars can continue to complete the DS-160 application. This announcement primarily impacts those students and exchange visitors who are outside of the U.S. and need a valid visa stamp to enter the U.S.
DoS has indicated that scheduling should resume in the coming days. Those students and exchange visitors who need a visa should ensure they have the necessary documents from Notre Dame, complete the DS-160, and regularly check for available appointments.
Students and exchange visitors who currently have a scheduled appointment should still attend it as planned unless they receive notice that the appointment has been cancelled.
April 11, 2025: USCIS Registration Requirement
On April 11, US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) implemented a new registration requirement:
- For Notre Dame-sponsored students, scholars, and employees: no action is needed; the Form I-94 serves as the registration and meets this requirement
- Non-US citizen children of students, scholars, and employees who turn (or turned) 14 years of age while present in the US: action is needed, required to register/re-register with USCIS through this process
According to the requirement, non-US citizen children who are present in the US on their 14th birthday must register/re-register within 30 days of that birthday.
If your child becomes subject to this registration, you will need to:
- Create a personal account for your child at my.USCIS.gov
- Complete and submit USCIS Form G-325R, the online registration form; and
- If sent an ASC Appointment Notice, appear at the designated USCIS Application Support Center for fingerprinting and photographing
Read more about the requirement here.
As a reminder, all non-US citizens should carry a copy of their most recent Form I-94 at all times. Form I-94 can be downloaded from https://i94.cbp.dhs.gov/.
April 9, 2025: USCIS Social Media Screening
On April 9, 2025, US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) implemented a new policy that can use non-citizens' online activities as grounds for denying immigration benefit requests. This policy may impact individuals applying for lawful permanent resident status, benefits related to F-1 status (like OPT or STEM OPT), and other petitions, including change of status. This may also result in USCIS updating forms to collect social media identifiers. More information can be found here.
March 2025: ICE-initiated SEVIS Record Terminations
- Update: In April 2025, SEVIS records were restored, and DHS announced plans to evaluate further actions related to reviews of records.
In late March 2025, SEVP-schools began reporting that student records in SEVIS were being terminated, effective immediately. When an F-1 record is terminated, the student (and their dependents):
- loses all on- and off-campus employment authorization
- cannot re-enter the U.S. on the terminated status
- may be vulnerable to investigation by Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE)
ISSA is closely monitoring SEVIS for any terminations and contacting impacted students and alumni immediately to make them aware of the loss of their status. More information can be found here.
On April 25, student records were restored, but ICE has indicated they are working on a new policy.
It is important to note:
- ISSA is never notified of visa revocations. If the Department of State sends a notification about revoking a visa, it will go to the student visa holder's email they used to apply for the visa stamp. If you receive such a notification, contact ISSA.
- In most cases, students are not notified by the Department of Homeland Security if their SEVIS record is terminated. While ISSA has access to a student's SEVIS record and terminations, they do not receive special notifications, either.
- A reminder that no U.S. government agency will call or text you regarding your status. Contact ISSA immediately if you receive any suspicious notifications via phone or email, as they are also aware of possible scam notifications.
Students should contact ISSA with any specific questions about their status; in addition to email, advisors can be reached during virtual advising hours and walk-in hours at 105 Main Building.
April 5, 2025: Department of State Revocations of Visas for South Sudanese Citizens
On April 5, 2025, the Department of State announced that it would be revoking visas and preventing further issuance for citizens of South Sudan. Visa revocation impacts travel, and citizens of South Sudan are advised not to travel at this time. More information can be found here.
Exchange Visitor Skills List Updated
The Department of State has released an updated Skills List, effective upon publication on December 9, 2024. If a scholar was previously subject to 212(e) based on their country and CIP code, but their country and code are no longer subject based on this updated list, they are no longer subject.
Special Student Relief for F-1 Students
- SSR info updated Jan 2025
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) periodically announces Special Student Relief (SSR) for specific groups of F-1 students from parts of the world that are currently experiencing emergent circumstances. The SSR is a collection of benefits that may include the suspension or alteration of rules regarding duration of status, full-time enrollment, and employment eligibility if the student is facing severe economic hardship based on the circumstances in their country of citizenship.
The list of current countries eligible for Special Student Relief Programs and the country-specific requirements are available here:
- Afghanistan (effective May 20, 2022 through May 20, 2025)
- Burma/Myanmar (effective May 25, 2021 through November 25, 2025)
- Cameroon (effective June 7, 2022 through June 7, 2025)
- Ethiopia (effective December 22, 2022 through December 12, 2025)
- Haiti (effective August 3, 2021 through February 3, 2026)
- Lebanon (effective July 26, 2024 through January 25, 2026)
- Somalia (effective September 18, 2021 through March 17, 2026)
- Sudan (effective April 19, 2022 through April 19, 2025)
- South Sudan (effective March 3, 2022 through May 3, 2025)
- Syria (effective April 22, 2021 through September 30, 2025)
- Palestine (effective February 14, 2024 through August 13, 2025)
- Ukraine (effective April 19, 2022 through April 19, 2025)
- Venezuela (effective April 22, 2021 through September 10, 2025)
- Yemen (effective September 4, 2021 through March 3, 2026)
Additional information about this SSR and when eligible students may apply is available on the F-1 Special Student Relief Fact Sheet at ICE.gov/SEVP and the What is Special Student Relief infographic in the Study in the States Resource Library. Stakeholders with case-specific questions can contact the SEVP Response Center (SRC) via phone at 703-603-3400 or 1-800-892-4829 or via email at SEVP@ice.dhs.gov.
Citizens of one of these countries who were present in the U.S. on the effective date and are interested in applying can email issa@nd.edu for more information.
If a student or scholar is eligible for and interested in applying for Temporary Protected Status (TPS), they will need to consult with an experienced immigration attorney. A full list can be found here, but countries designated for TPS in January 2025 included Afghanistan, Cameroon, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Haiti, Honduras, Lebanon, Nepal, Nicaragua, Somalia, Sudan, South Sudan, Syria, Ukraine, and Venezuela. A list of immigration attorneys can be found here.
July 12, 2023: DHS Announced Updated STEM Designated Degree Program List
On July 12, 2023, DHS announced the addition of eight new CIP codes to the DHS STEM Designated Degree Program List. None of these eight codes reflect programs at the University of Notre Dame. The list of STEM designated programs at Notre Dame can be found here.
June 2023: J-1 Exchange Visitor Remote Policies
In June 2023, the Department of State clarified guidance on remote work policies for J-1 Exchange Visitors, establishing that exchange visitors should not participate remotely more than 40% of the time (e.g. two days out of five) if their host institutions have instituted partial remote policies. J-1 Exchange Visitors cannot be fully remote during their program, so all travel (international and domestic) that takes them away from Notre Dame for an extended period should be discussed with ISSA before the exchange visitor's departure. This guidance is effective July 1, 2023.
February 2023: Updated Visa Issuance Guidance
In February 2023, the Department of State provided updated guidance that consular officers can now issue an F student visa up to 365 days in advance of an international student's program start date. This new guidance does not impact SEVP requirements governing the Form I-20, including paying the SEVIS I-901 fee or seeking admission into the U.S. no more than 30 days before the program start date listed on the I-20.
March 28, 2023: DS-2019s and Electronic Transmission
On March 28, 2023, the Department of State published an Interim Final Rule in the Federal Register that permits designated sponsors for the Exchange Visitor Program to digitally sign and electronically transmit Forms DS-2019 to an enumerated list of parties.
The ISSA office electronically transmits DS-2019s per this policy. Once the J-1 Exchange Visitor and their dependents receive the DS-2019 via email, they should print off, sign, and carry the DS-2019(s) to the visa appointment and at the U.S. port of entry.
Visa Processing Impacted
The availability of visa processing services remains unpredictable and varied across U.S. Department of State Embassies and Consulates. Please monitor your embassy's or consulate's site to ensure you have the most up-to-date information for scheduling a visa appointment. Ultimately, it is the federal government's decision as to when visas will be processed at the various embassies and consulates.
Please check the Department of State's websites for updates and monitor the visa services available in your home country. ISSA is closely monitoring and will provide updates here as they are made available.
May 2022: Covid-19 Guidance for F-1 and J-1 Students
In May 2022, ICE clarified the continuation of March 2020 guidance for the 2022-23 Academic Year. More information can be found here (under Non-Immigrant Students & SEVP-Certified Schools). This guidance does not impact currently enrolled or admitted Notre Dame students or Notre Dame alumni.
July 1, 2021: Student Athlete Name, Image and Likeness Rules and Nonimmigrant Status
On July 1, 2021, numerous state laws took effect regarding college athletes being compensated for the use of their name, image, and likeness. In June 2021, the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) indicated they were "aware of and monitoring federal and state legislation on the use of name, image, and likeness for student athletes, including F nonimmigrant students." However, no further guidance has been provided to Universities and international offices. As of August 2023, we continue to advise that international student athletes in F-1 status are not eligible to take advantage of NIL activities as they may violate their current immigration status and impact future applications and entries to the U.S.
Executive Orders and Impact
Our professional international education organization is tracking all immigration related orders, which can be reviewed here. ISSA will only comment when there is impact on Notre Dame sponsored individuals (i.e. status, documents, travel).