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

ina214g

November 5, 2020

This resource is a reference aid for authorized users of the NAFSA Adviser's Manual. This is not an official version of the Immigration and Nationality Act as amended or of its codification in Title 8 of the United States Code. INA Section 214(g) [ 8 USC 1184(g)] - Temporary workers and trainees

Recent Employment-Based Changes and Proposals

The final quarter of 2020 and the first quarter of 2021 saw a number of rule making initiatives by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Department of Labor (DOL), related to the H-1B specialty occupation category and to a certain extent the PERM labor certification process. This page

ICE OPT Enforcement Actions

"U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced Wednesday preliminary results from Operation OPTical Illusion, a law enforcement operation targeting nonimmigrant students who fraudulently used the Optional Practical Training (OPT) program to remain in the United States... The operation

DOL Interim Final Rule on OES and Prevailing Wage Determinations

On D ecember 1, 2020, the October 8, 2020 DOL interim final rule was set aside by a U.S. District Court, and is no longer in effect. Related recent updates On January 14, 2021, DOL published a final rule titled Strengthening Wage Protections for the Temporary and Permanent Employment of Certain

IssueNet Quarterly Summary - Fall 2020

IssueNet Quarterly Summary - Fall 2020 Highlighting the top issues reported through NAFSA IssueNet. Prepared by Cory Owen, Chair, Student Subcommittee, International Student and Scholar Regulatory Practice (ISS RP) Committee. Top Issues Impact of COVID-19: Additional work for DSO needing to add

Emergency Stopgap USCIS Stabilization Act Authorizes Expanded Premium Processing

Emergency Stopgap USCIS Stabilization Act Updates Rulemaking. A final rule titled Implementation of the Emergency Stopgap USCIS Stabilization Act was published in the Federal Register at 87 FR 18227 (March 30, 2022). The rule goes into effect on May 31, 2022, but premium processing for newly

Responding to the DHS Proposal to Eliminate Duration of Status

Event Dates

October 13, 2020

Join your NAFSA colleagues on October 13, from 2:00pm to 3:00pm for a discussion of DHS’ proposed rule that would eliminate duration of status for Fs and Js. We will review key elements of the proposal and potential issues, describe NAFSA’s response, hear about three schools’ response plans, and

Status of Form I-129

Form I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker Visit the USCIS Form I-129 page for the latest form and instructions, and fee and filing information. USCIS Form I-129 page USCIS Direct Filing Addresses for Form I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker page USCIS Form G-1055 Fee Schedule - Appendix A

2020 NAFSA Virtual Regional Agency-Focused Sessions

September 16, 2020

In order to provide access to information from government officials that would have otherwise been available at 2020 NAFSA Regional Fall Events, the NAFSA International Student Scholar Regulatory Practice (ISS RP) Committee has coordinated with government agencies to record presentations similar to

DHS Proposed Rule on Definition, Collection, and Use of Biometrics

Update USCIS withdrew this proposed rule, in a Federal Register notice published on May 10, 2021. Background for reference purposes In a proposed rule published in the Federal Register on September 11, 2020, DHS proposed to change the way it defines, collects, and uses biometrics. Read the proposed