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

Administration Policies on Parole in Place for Spouses of U.S. Citizens and D-3 Waivers for Dreamers

On June 18, 2024, President Biden announced two "new actions for people who have been here many years to keep American families together and allow more young people to contribute to our economy." Both the Department of State and Homeland Security have begun issuing statements and guidance on the

Title IX Regulations in the Study Abroad Context

April 29, 2024

On Monday, April 29, 2024, the U.S. Department of Education published their final rule titled Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Sex in Education Programs or Activities Receiving Federal Financial Assistance, which will amend the regulations implementing Title IX of the Education Amendments Act of

Regulatory Perspectives: Curricular Practical Training (CPT)

NAFSA members joined NAFSA staffers David Fosnocht and Steve Springer for a discussion of F-1 Curricular Practical Training (CPT), the CPT regulation and agency guidance on CPT, and an overview of NAFSA’s agency liaison on CPT. What are common institutional approaches to CPT? What are the

EVP Guidance Directive 2024-01 Discusses Patient Contact in J-1 Academic Categories

On March 14, 2024 the Department of State exchange visitor program office distributed Guidance Directive 2024-01 to program sponsors, describing several factors that sponsors should "assess in the affirmative" when determining whether human or animal contact is appropriate for an academic exchange

USCIS Rule on Improving the H-1B Registration Selection Process and Program Integrity

On February 2, 2024 USCIS published a final rule effective March 4, 2024, titled Improving the H-1B Registration Selection Process and Program Integrity. Read the final rule published at 89 FR 7456 (February 2, 2024). The rule: Creates a new "beneficiary-centric" H-1B registration selection protocol

SSA Guidance Incorporating DHS and DOS Policy on Electronic Signing and Transmission of Forms I-20 and DS-2019

The Social Security Administration (SSA) has updated its Program Operations Manual System (POMS) to recognize DHS and DOS policies that allow DSOs and ROs to digitally sign and electronically transmit Forms I-20 and DS-2019. However, SSA has not updated its policies requiring letters supporting F-1

USCIS Launches H-1B Organizational Accounts and Online Filing of H-1B Forms I-129 and I-907

In February, 2024 U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) launched the following online functionality for H-1B petitions: Online organizational accounts that "will allow multiple individuals within an organization, such as a company or other business entity, and their legal representatives

USCIS Premium Processing Fees

USCIS Premium Processing Fee Hike Effective February 26, 2024 A final rule effective March 1, 2026 raises USCIS's premium processing fees as shown in the table below. See 91 FR 1059 (January 12, 2026). Forms I-907 postmarked on or after March 1, 2026 must be accompanied by the new filing fee, or

USCIS Policy Manual Guidance on F and M Students

November 26, 2024

On November 26, 2024, USCIS updated the USCIS Policy Manual section on F-1 Absences from the United States with a “technical correction” that removed a troublesome study abroad paragraph that appeared in the August 27, 2024 revision to the Policy Manual, replacing it with: “For information about

DOL Request for Information on Schedule A Occupations

Update: This item was withdrawn by the administration on 04/21/2025, as reflected in the Spring, 2025 regulatory agenda. On December 21, 2023, the Department of Labor (DOL) issued a Request for Information (RFI) on "Modernizing Schedule A to Include Consideration of Additional Occupations in Science