Immigration Policy Updates

During times of global change and shifting immigration policies, we recognize the unique challenges that international students and scholars face, particularly when planning travel.  

Your safety, success and peace of mind are priorities. We encourage all students and scholars to stay informed, remain cautious with travel decisions, and reach out to ISSS for support when needed.

How ISSS is responding

• We are regularly reviewing and assessing the potential impacts of immigration policies.
• The ISSS website contains up-to-date information, resources and guidance to help international students and scholars stay informed and maintain status.
• We are providing adapted advising, programs and support services to address pertinent and time-sensitive issues.

If you are considering international travel:  

• Exercise caution and reconsider non-essential travel, especially if you've had legal interactions or are from a country previously subject to travel restrictions.  
• Be aware of the potential for extended visa processing times, increased screenings upon reentry and possible policy changes that may occur with little notice.  
• Carefully review your travel documentation — including your valid passport, visa, I-20 or DS-2019 with a recent travel signature, proof of enrollment, and funding documents.
• Take into consideration any research you are conducting in potentially sensitive subject areas.
• Be prepared to answer questions from border officials about your studies, travel history and purpose of entry.
• Be mindful of your digital footprint, as electronic devices and social media may be reviewed.
• Consult with an ISSS advisor well before finalizing travel. Email [email protected] to arrange a meeting.

If you’ll be applying for a new or renewed visa:

• Prepare for visa appointment delays and allow time for administrative processing if applying abroad.
• Stay calm and respectful during visa interviews and U.S. Port-of-Entry inspections.
• Be prepared for screening and review of your electronic devices and related content.
• Request help from ISSS if needed.
• Review our guidance related to visas:
  • New visas: Students should visit the Obtain & Maintain Student Status page and New Student Checklist page, and scholars should visit the Visiting Scholar Program page.
  • Renewed visas: Students and scholars should visit the Travel Guidance for International Students & Scholars page.

Campus resources remain available to support you. 

These include immigration advising, contact numbers for travel-related issues, regular email updates with the latest policy news, and personalized consultations for assessing travel risks.  

We urge you to check this webpage and your UAlbany email frequently for updates. Contact [email protected] with any questions or concerns. 

The U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Service (USCIS) released a policy memorandum to its officers in September 2025: Reaffirming Guidance on Public Charge Inadmissibility Determinations.

Students or scholars with questions about what may factor into a public charge determination are recommended to speak with an experienced immigration attorney.

The U.S. Department of State announced in September 2025 that it’s no longer accepting “third country nationals” for almost all nonimmigrant visa applications. Note: There are exceptions for locations where embassy services are not available.

“Third country national” refers to individuals applying for a visa outside their home country. The U.S. Department of State announcement stated:

“Effective immediately, the Department of State has updated its instructions for all nonimmigrant visa applicants scheduling visa interview appointments:

• Applicants for U.S. nonimmigrant visas (NIV) should schedule their visa interview appointments at the U.S. Embassy or Consulate in their country of nationality or residence.
• Nationals of countries where the U.S. government is not conducting routine nonimmigrant visa operations must apply at the designated embassy or consulate, unless their residence is elsewhere.”

Students or scholars with questions should contact [email protected].

A U.S. Department of State announcement, Interview Waiver Update July 25, 2025, states that all nonimmigrant visa applicants, including applicants under the age of 14 and over the age of 79, will generally require an in-person interview with a consular officer with few exceptions granted.

This update indicates that F and J visa applicants are no longer eligible for a visa interview waiver (such as visa application via “dropbox”).

This update policy takes effective on September 2, 2025, and may lead to delays when scheduling a visa appointment. Students and scholars whose current visa is expired should take this into account before international travel. 

ISSS is aware of news reports that the U.S. Department of State has temporarily paused new student and exchange visitor visa interviews but is continuing with already scheduled visa appointments.

Read the May 225 NPR report, U.S. stops scheduling visa interviews for foreign students.

While there is limited guidance available currently, news reports have stated that this pause is intended to be temporary while the Department of State creates new social media vetting and screening protocols for visa applicants.  

New Students: If you already have an F or J visa appointment scheduled, please attend the interview. If you have not yet scheduled your visa appointment, please continue to check your embassy for available appointments. If you have additional questions or concerns, please contact us at [email protected].

Current Students: If you have upcoming international travel plans and your F or J visa is currently expired, please consider the following:

• If you already have a visa appointment scheduled, please attend the interview.
• If you do not yet have a visa appointment scheduled, you may want to consider postponing your trip until visa appointments resume.
• If you plan to travel to Canada, Mexico or adjacent islands, you may still qualify for automatic visa revalidation if your current visa is expired.

If you have additional questions or concerns, please contact [email protected].

A Presidential Proclamation, Restriction on Entry of Certain Nonimmigrant Workers, implements a new $100,000 fee for certain H-1B petitions.  

The U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Service (USCIS) explains who the fee does and does not apply to on their website.

Students and scholars with questions should reach out to an immigration attorney who is experienced with H-1B petitions and related matters.

The U.S. Department of State revised several countries’ visa reciprocity schedules, reducing the visa validity to three months with single entry designation only.

Visas issued before any reciprocity change should not be affected and would retain their validity as issued, according to the Department of State.

The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R.1) imposes new immigration petition/application fees, which includes a "visa integrity fee," Form I-94 application fee and other fees that will impact prospective and continuing international students. The bill was signed into law on July 4, 2025.

Read “Part I - Immigration Fees” from the “Title X – Committee on the Judiciary” section of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R.1) for details. 

A December 2025 Presidential Proclamation, Restricting and Limiting the Entry of Foreign Nationals to Protect the Security of the United States, modifies and expands a previous order that restricts and limits the entry of nationals from certain countries, including F and J nonimmigrants. It took effect on January 1, 2026.

Under Proclamation Section 6(a):

"The suspensions of and limitations on entry pursuant to sections 2, 3, 4, and 5 of this proclamation shall apply only to foreign nationals of the designated countries who:

• (i) are outside the United States on the applicable effective date of this proclamation; and
• (ii) do not have a valid visa on the applicable effective date of this proclamation."

Please know you have our support. If you have any questions or concerns, please email [email protected] to schedule an appointment. 

A June 2025 Presidential Proclamation, Restricting The Entry of Foreign Nationals to Protect the United States from Foreign Terrorists and Other National Security and Public Safety Threats, restricts and limits the entry of nationals from 19 countries, potentially impacting students from certain countries.  

Please know you have our support. If you have any questions or concerns, please email [email protected] to schedule an appointment.

The U.S. Department of State’s June 2025 Announcement of Expanded Screening and Vetting for Visa Applicants states:

“Our overseas posts will resume scheduling F, M, and J nonimmigrant visa applications soon. Applicants should check the relevant embassy or consulate website for appointment availability.”

“Under new guidance, we will conduct a comprehensive and thorough vetting, including online presence, of all student and exchange visitor applicants in the F, M, and J nonimmigrant classifications.”

“To facilitate this vetting, all applicants for F, M, and J nonimmigrant visas will be instructed to adjust the privacy settings on all of their social media profiles to ‘public.’”

Due to this new guidance, processing times may be longer. Students or scholars with questions should contact [email protected].

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announcement, DHS to Begin Screening Aliens’ Social Media Activity for Antisemitism, states:

"USCIS will consider social media content that indicates an alien endorsing, espousing, promoting, or supporting antisemitic terrorism, antisemitic terrorist organizations, or other antisemitic activity as a negative factor in any USCIS discretionary analysis when adjudicating immigration benefit requests. This guidance is effective immediately.”

Any student or scholar filing an application with DHS and/or the U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Service (USCIS) should now consider the review of their social media accounts to be part of the application process.  

This additional step may lead to increased processing times, which students and scholars should factor into their plans. ISSS recommends submitting applications as soon as you are eligible to do so.

If you have any questions, please contact [email protected].

ISSS is monitoring reports stemming from an announcement about possible visa revocations for Chinese international students and scholars.  

First, we want to reassure you that we are here to help support you. At this time, there is no clear information about how or when these revocations may take place.  

We can say that generally, if a visa is revoked, a student or scholar should receive an email to the email address they used when first applying for the visa. You can also use the U.S. Department of State’s Visa Status Check tool to verify visa validity or cancellation.  

Please be aware that ISSS generally does not receive any notifications; they are typically only sent directly to the student or scholar.

If you receive any messages from your embassy, the Department of State or any other federal official, please contact [email protected] for further guidance and support.  

A visa revocation does not always mean that a student or scholar is out of status, but students and scholars whose visas are revoked should seek guidance based on their individual circumstances. We want you to know that you have our support as a valued member of our international student and scholar community.

If you have any questions, please contact us at [email protected]. You can also call the New York State Office for New Americans' legal referral hotline at 800-566-7636 or [email protected].

What is a visa revocation?

If a visa is revoked, it becomes invalid from the date it was issued. A consular officer or the Secretary of State can revoke a visa at their discretion. Once a visa is revoked it is no longer valid for entry to the United States.

How will students know if their visa has been revoked?

If a visa is revoked, the student or scholar should receive a notification from the U.S. Department of State or the U.S. embassy or consulate where the visa was issued.

The notification usually goes to the email address provided at the time of the visa application. Visa revocation notices are sent only to student or scholar; ISSS is not notified of a visa revocation.

The U. S. Department of State also provides a Visa Status Check tool to verify visa validity or cancellation.

What is a SEVIS Status termination?

Termination of a SEVIS record could indicate that the nonimmigrant no longer maintains F or J status.  

Designated school officials (DSOs) may terminate SEVIS records of students or scholars who do not maintain their status, though the U. S. Department of Homeland Security may also terminate SEVIS records directly.  

Some consequences after a SEVIS record termination are

• The student or scholar (and possible SEVIS dependents) loses all on- and/or off-campus employment authorization
• The student or scholar (and possible SEVIS dependents) cannot re-enter the United States on the terminated SEVIS record
• DHS enforcement agents may investigate to confirm departure from the U.S.  

How will students or scholars know if their SEVIS record has been terminated?

The ISSS office reviews SEVIS records regularly to identify any record terminations conducted administratively by DHS. If ISSS finds that a particular SEVIS record has been terminated by DHS, we will notify the respective student or scholar immediately. 

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has posted a new interim final rule, Removal of the Automatic Extension of Employment Authorization Documents.

The rule ends the practice of automatically extending employment authorization for certain individuals filing a renewal of employment authorization on or after October 30, 2025.  

The 180-day STEM OPT extension and the F-1 cap-gap provision should not be impacted by this rule, as both are separately authorized by regulation.

Learn more about employment authorization for practical training. 

The Alien Registration Requirement went in effect in April 2025.

This requirement does not apply to most F and J students, who completed their biometric registration when they applied for the visa and/or entered the U.S. and received their I-94.  

It may apply to non-immigrant dependents who turned 14 years old in the U.S. and therefore need to (re)register with the federal government to complete this requirement.

For more information, please review the Alien Registration Requirement page on the USCIS website.

Note on Carrying Immigration Documents

Some students have asked about a footnote that refers to the need to always carry immigration documents. This requirement is in reference to a section of the Code of Federal Regulations, which is not new.  

However, we strongly recommend students carry their documents (passport, visa, I-20 or DS-2019, and I-94) whenever they are traveling both inside and outside the U.S.