Adviser's Manual 360 News Feed

On May 8, 2023, DHS submitted a STEM Designated Degree Program List item to OMB for review, which indicates they are planning a revision to the January 21, 2022 list. No further details are available at this time. Stay tuned to NAFSA's DHS STEM Designated Degree Program List page for updates.

A Department of State (DOS) interim final rule effective April 27, 2023 will allow digital signing and electronic transmission of exchange visitor Form DS-2019. The rule will also eliminate the requirement that paper DS-2019s be signed only in blue ink.As an interim final rule, DOS will also accept public comments until May 30, 2023, even though the rule will automatically go into effect on April 27. Instructions for commenting can be found in the Federal Register notice.

A Federal Register notice to be published on April 5, 2023 confirms the details of Special Student Relief benefits for Ukrainian J-1 college and university students until October 23, 2023.

On March 30, 2023, USCIS announced that it "has changed the filing location for courier delivery services to the Phoenix lockbox. The facility has moved to Tempe, Arizona, and the filing location for courier delivery services for UPS, FedEx, and DHL has also changed to Tempe. The filing location remains the same when using the U.S. Postal Service...We will forward any applications, petitions, or requests received in Phoenix via courier delivery services to Tempe between March 30 and April 28. After April 28, we will not accept courier delivery at the previous address."

A reminder that NAFSA's "Resources for Emergencies & Natural Disasters in the U.S." page has links that can help institutions and international students and scholars affected by emergencies like hurricanes, tornadoes, wildfires, and earthquakes.

On March 10, 2023, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) terminated its order that required passengers on flights originating in the Peoples Republic of China (PRC) to take an acceptable COVID before their departure to the United States.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) ended on March 23, 2023 the COVID-19 flexibilities it had established for responses to Requests for Evidence (RFEs) and other similar response-based notices and requests, and filing date requirements for filing Form I-290B, Notice of Appeal or Motion. "You must respond to any notices or requests from USCIS dated after March 23 by the deadlines listed in the notice or request." USCIS announced this end date in its last extension of the flexibilities dated January 24, 2023.

In a Federal Register notice to be published on March 13, 2023, SEVP redesignated and extended F-1 Special Student Relief eligibility for Somalia to September 17, 2024.

Citing delays faced by states due to the COVID-19 pandemic, DHS extended the deadline for having a REAL ID-compliant ID until May 7, 2025. Starting on May 7, 2025, federal agencies cannot accept driver's licenses or ID cards issued by states that are not in compliance with the REAL ID Act.

In a March 6, 2023 notice to stakeholders, USCIS announced a phase-in of optional premium processing service for certain F-1 students applying for practical training. Beginning March 6, USCIS will accept premium processing upgrade requests for pending OPT applications, and beginning April 3, USCIS will start accepting premium processing requests that are filed concurrently with Form I-765. "USCIS will reject premium processing requests for a pending Form I-765 if received before March 6, and will reject any premium processing request for an initial or concurrently filed Form I-765 that is received before April 3."