Effective June 26, the U.S. Department of State (DOS) has required U.S. consulates to expand social media vetting for all F, M, and J visa applicants (students and exchange visitors) before issuing visas allowing them to...more
On June 4, 2025, the White House issued two presidential proclamations that impose new constraints on visa issuance and travel to the United States. These actions are expected to impact multinational employers, academic...more
F-1 status is reserved for individuals coming to the United States to pursue full-time study at an accredited college, university, seminary, high school/elementary school, or in a language training program. Both F-1 and M-1...more
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio recently announced a sweeping new directive: the United States will begin “aggressively” revoking visas of Chinese students, alleged to be in any way affiliated with the Chinese Communist...more
On May 27, 2025, the Department of State issued a cable instructing U.S. Embassies and Consulates to pause scheduling new visa appointments for foreign nationals seeking to obtain student and exchange visitor visas (F, M, and...more
In recent weeks the Department of State (DOS) has taken steps to revoke visas and terminate the status of international students who have criminal infractions and/or who have engaged in activism. In light of this intense...more
USCIS provided updated guidance in the USCIS Policy Manual with regard to the F-1 and M visa classifications utilized by international students for vocational, graduate and post-graduate study at U.S. academic institutions....more
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) recently updated guidance in its policy manual regarding international students within F and M student classifications. This new guidance consolidates and provides greater...more
On December 20, 2023, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) updated its official policy manual chapters on F and M nonimmigrant student classifications....more
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is issuing policy guidance regarding F and M students, including USCIS’s role in adjudicating applications for employment authorization, change of status, extension of stay,...more
Companies sponsoring certain foreign national workers may now be able to take advantage of an additional way to receive premium processing of petitions to support their immigration goals. Last month, U.S. Citizenship and...more
Seyfarth Synopsis: USCIS has expanded premium processing for applicants seeking a change of status to F-1, F-2, M-1, M-2, J-1, or J-2 nonimmigrant status....more
On June 12, 2023, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced an expansion of premium processing service for applicants filing Form I-539 to change their status to F, M, or J status. The initiative is part of...more
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services will now offer premium processing for individuals seeking to change their status to an F-1 or M-1 vocational student, or J-1 Exchange visitor, as well as their dependents....more
On April 26, 2021, the U.S. Department of State issued updated guidance on “National Interest Exceptions for Certain Travelers from China, Iran, Brazil, South Africa, Schengen Area, United Kingdom, and Ireland,” which should...more
The US Department of State announced on February 10 that students possessing valid F-1 and M-1 visas who are seeking admission to the United States from the Schengen area countries, the United Kingdom, and Ireland no longer...more
On July 24, 2020, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) issued updated guidance for international students pursing education programs in the United States. The follow-up...more
In immigration developments the week of July 13, an executive order makes persons born in Hong Kong chargeable to Mainland China for immigrant visa purposes; the policy preventing F-1 and M-1 international students from...more
Yesterday, the federal government agreed to rescind in full its July 6, 2020 Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) modification, and revert to the original emergency COVID-19–related international student guidance it...more
On July 14, 2020, the Trump administration agreed to rescind a July 6, 2020, directive that planned to bar foreign students from the United States if their colleges canceled in-person instruction during the COVID-19 pandemic....more
The Trump administration, in response to a lawsuit filed by Harvard University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology, as well as several other suits, agreed to rescind its surprise Immigration and Customs Enforcement...more
National universities and states across the country filed multiple federal lawsuits this week seeking to invalidate and enjoin implementation of the Student and Exchange Visitor Program’s (SEVP) Fall 2020 COVID-19 Guidance,...more
After facing a number of lawsuits filed by some U.S. universities and states, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has agreed to rescind the policy change announced July 6, 2020 that rolled back some of the temporary...more
There have been many changes to immigration processes and procedures in the United States as a result of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Holland & Knight's sixth installment of alerts focusing on immigration under...more
On July 6, 2020, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security issued a new rule that bars foreign students from using F-1 and M-1 visas to participate in programs that are being conducted remotely as a result of the coronavirus...more