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

In-Person Interviews for Employment-Based Adjustment Applicants

Under a new USCIS policy announced on August 28, 2017, most employment-based adjustment of status applicants will have an in-person interview as part of the adjustment process after October 1, 2017.

Stricter F-1 Residence Abroad Language in FAM

On August 8, 2017, DOS revised its FAM guidance on assessing residence abroad for F-1 students, by removing helpful prior language that had encouraged consular officers to consider the "inherent difference" between a young F-1 visa applicant and a short-term B visa applicant. The new FAM entry now

DOS Expands Presumption of Misrepresentation Rule to 90 Days

On January 23, 2019 and April 1, 2019, DOS tweaked the 90-day rule language in the Foreign Affairs Manual (FAM) in a positive direction, by removing a reference that was thought to unfairly flag students.

USCIS Engagement Summaries

Summaries of public stakeholder meetings conducted by USCIS.

Presidential Proclamation Implementing Indefinite Entry Bar for Certain Countries

September 24, 2017 Presidential Proclamation implementing an indefinite entry bar for nationals of eight countries: Chad, Iran, Libya, North Korea, Syria, Venezuela, Yemen, and Somalia.

DOS Review of J-1 College and University Student Category

The Department of State's Bureau of Education and Cultural Affairs has been systematically reviewing J exchange visitor categories for several years. On September 29, 2017, DOS sent a broadcast message to J program stakeholders, notifying them that it has begun reviewing the College and University

Government Collection of Personal Social Media Usage Information

This NAFSA page keeps track of regulatory and procedural events related to the important current issue of government collection of personal social media information on applicants for and holders of immigration benefits.

U.S. and Turkey Suspend Nonimmigrant Visa Services

On December 28, 2017, the U.S. diplomatic mission in Turkey announced that political conditions in that country had improved so as to "allow for the full resumption of visa services in Turkey." Because of the prior full and partial suspension of visa services earlier in Fall 2017 (see Background

NAFSA 2017 Conference Session Q and A: J Exchange Visitor Current Issues

The Exchange Visitor Subcommittee of NAFSA's International Student and Scholar Regulatory Practice Committee (ISSRP) prepared a summary of the questions and responses from the 2017 Annual Conference session, "U.S. Department of State and Exchange Visitors: Current Issues," presented at the

Key Takeaways from the September 12, 2017 OFLC Stakeholder Meeting

NAFSA's Employment-Based Subcommittee has come up with a short list of key takeaways for practitioners in higher ed. from the DOL Office of Foreign Labor Certification (OFLC) Stakeholder meeting on PERM, H-1B and Prevailing Wage issues, held on 9/12/2017 in Washington, DC.