The following information is provided for you regarding immigration alerts and updates. If you have any questions or need further assistance, please contact the International Students and Scholars Office (ISSO). For additional resources, see the UMass Lowell's immigration resources webpage.

Presidential Proclamations Restricting Entry to the U.S.

"Full-ban" Countries

  • Afghanistan
  • Burkina Faso
  • Burma (Myanmar)
  • Chad
  • Equatorial Guinea
  • Eritrea
  • Haiti
  • Iran
  • Laos
  • Libya
  • Mali
  • Niger
  • Palestinian Authority Trave; Documents
  • Republic of Congo
  • Sierra Leone
  • Somalia
  • South Sudan
  • Sudan
  • Syria
  • Yemen 

"Partial-ban" countries

  • Angola
  • Antigua and Barbuda
  • Benin
  • Burundi
  • Cote d 'Ivoire
  • Cuba
  • Dominica
  • Gabon
  • The Gambia
  • Malawi
  • Mauritania
  • Nigeria
  • Senegal
  • Tanzania
  • Togo
  • Tongo
  • Turkmenistan
  • Venezuela
  • Zambia
  • Zimbabwe

Notices: Special Student Relief for F-1 Students

Please click on the plus signs below to access information regarding Special Student Relief (SSR) for F-1 Students as it relates to specifics countries.

Effective September 25, 2023 through May 20, 2025. Federal Register notice published at Employment Authorization for Afghan F-1 Nonimmigrant Students Experiencing Severe Economic Hardship as a Direct Result of the Current Situation in Afghanistan (Document citation: 88 FR 65721, Sept. 25, 2023).

Effective May 20, 2022 through November 20, 2023. Federal Register notice published at Employment Authorization for Afghan F-1 Nonimmigrant Students Experiencing Severe Economic Hardship as a Direct Result of the Current Situation in Afghanistan (Document citation: 87 FR 30971, May 20, 2022).

Effective May 26, 2024, until November 25, 2025. The Federal Register notice published at Employment Authorization for Nationals of Burma F-1 Nonimmigrant Students Experiencing Severe Economic Hardship as a Direct Result of Current Armed Conflict and the Current Humanitarian Crisis in Burma (Myanmar) (Document citation: 89 FR 20675, March 25, 2024) 

Effective November 26, 2022 until May 25, 2024. The Federal Register notice published at Employment Authorization for Burmese F-1 Nonimmigrant Students Experiencing Severe Economic Hardship as a Direct Result of the Current Crisis in Burma (Myanmar) (Document citation: 87 FR 58509, November 26, 2022).

Effective May 25, 2021 until November 25, 2022. The Federal Register notice published at Employment Authorization for Burmese F-1 Nonimmigrant Students Experiencing Severe Economic Hardship as a Direct Result of the Current Crisis in Burma (Myanmar) (Document citation: 86 FR 28128, May 25, 2021), for F-1 students who are citizens of Burma/Myanmar in the United States on May 25, 2021.

Effective December 8, 2023 until June 7, 2025. Federal Register notice at Employment Authorization for Cameroonian F-1 Nonimmigrant Students Experiencing Severe Economic Hardship as a Direct Result of the Current Armed Conflict and Current Humanitarian Crisis in Cameroon (Document citation: 88 FR 69939, Oct. 10, 2023).

Effective June 7, 2022 until December 7, 2023. Federal Register notice at Employment Authorization for Cameroonian F-1 Nonimmigrant Students Experiencing Severe Economic Hardship as a Direct Result of the Crises in Cameroon (Document citation: 87 FR 34701 , June 7, 2022).

Effective June 13, 2024 through August 13, 2025. Federal Register Notice at Employment Authorization for Ethiopian F-1 Nonimmigrant Students Experiencing Severe Economic Hardship as a Direct Result of the Current Crisis in Ethiopia (Document citation: 89 FR 26161, April 15, 2024).

Effective December 12, 2022 through June 12, 2024. Federal Register notice at Employment Authorization for Ethiopian F-1 Nonimmigrant Students Experiencing Severe Economic Hardship as a Direct Result of the Current Crisis in Ethiopia (Document citation: 87 FR 76068, December 12, 2022).

Effective August 4, 2024, through February  3, 2026., under Federal Register notice at Employment Authorization for Haitian F-1 Nonimmigrant Students Experiencing Severe Economic Hardship as a Direct Result of the Current Crisis in Haiti (Document citation: 89 FR 54477, July 1, 2024).

Effective February 4, 2023, through August 3, 2024, under Federal Register notice at Employment Authorization for Haitian F-1 Nonimmigrant Students Experiencing Severe Economic Hardship as a Direct Result of the Current Crisis in Haiti (Document citation: 88 FR 5016, January 26, 2023).

Effective August 3, 2021 through February 3, 2023. Federal Register notice published at Employment Authorization for Haitian F-1 Nonimmigrant Students Experiencing Severe Economic Hardship as a Direct Result of the Current Crisis in Haiti (Document citation: 86 FR 41857, August 3, 2021).

Effective January 26, 2023 through February 5, 2025 under Federal Register notice published at at Employment Authorization for Hong Kong F-1 Nonimmigrant Students Experiencing Severe Economic Hardship as a Direct Result of the Current Crisis in Hong Kong (Document citation: 88 FR 28584, May 4, 2023).

Effective November 26, 2021 through February 5, 2023. Federal Register notice published at Employment Authorization for F-1 Nonimmigrant Students Experiencing Severe Economic Hardship as a Direct Result of Emergent Circumstances in Hong Kong (Document citation: 86 FR 67485, November 26, 2021).

On Nov. 26, 2024, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) posted a new Federal Register notice announcing the suspension of certain regulatory requirements for certain Lebanese F-1 nonimmigrant students who are experiencing severe economic hardship as a direct result of the current crisis in Lebanon. This notice provides Special Student Relief (SSR) for eligible Lebanese F-1 nonimmigrant students from Nov. 27, 2024, until May 27, 2026.

On October 17, 2024, the U.S Department of Homeland Security posted a Federal Register notice announcing the suspension of certain regulatory requirements for F-1 nonimmigrant students from Lebanon who are experiencing severe economic hardship as a result of the current humanitarian crisis in Lebanon. This notice provides Special Student Relief (SSR) for eligible students from Lebanon from July 26, 2024, until Jan. 25, 2026. Details and eligibility requirements are listed in the posted Federal Register notice. Published Document: 2024-24226 (89 FR 83897)

Effective Feb. 14, 2024 through Aug. 13, 2025. Federal Register Notice at Employment Authorization for Certain Palestinian F-1 Nonimmigrant Students Experiencing Severe Economic Hardship as a Direct Result of the Current Humanitarian Crisis in the Palestinian Territories (Document citation: 89 FR 26156, April 15, 2024).

Effective September 18, 2024 through March 17, 2026. Federal Register notice published at Employment Authorization for Somali F-1 Nonimmigrant Students Experiencing Severe Economic Hardship as a Direct Result of the Current Crisis in Somalia (Document citation: 89FR59129, July 22, 2024).

Redesignated and extended to September 17, 2024 by Federal Register notice published at Employment Authorization for Somali F-1 Nonimmigrant Students Experiencing Severe Economic Hardship as a Direct Result of the Current Crisis in Somalia (Document citation: 88 FR 15427, March 13, 2023).

Effective September 18, 2021 through March 17, 2023. Federal Register notice published at Employment Authorization for Somali F-1 Nonimmigrant Students Experiencing Severe Economic Hardship as a Direct Result of the Current Crisis in Somalia (Document citation: 86 FR 38739, July 22, 2021).

Effective November 4, 2023 through May 3, 2025, The Federal Register notice Published at Employment Authorization for South Sudanese F-1 Nonimmigrant Students Experiencing Severe Economic Hardship as a Direct Result of the Current Armed Conflict and Humanitarian Crisis in South Sudan (Document Citation: 88 FR 60965, Sept. 6, 2023).

Effective March 3, 2022 through November 3, 2023. The Federal Register notice published at Employment Authorization for South Sudanese F-1 Nonimmigrant Students Experiencing Severe Economic Hardship as a Direct Result of the Current Humanitarian Crisis in South Sudan (Document citation: 87 FR 12182, March 3, 2022).

Effective October 20, 2023 through April 19, 2025 under Federal Register notice published at Employment Authorization for Sudanese F-1 Nonimmigrant Students Experiencing Severe Economic Hardship as a Direct Result of the Current Crisis in Sudan (Document citation: 88 FR 56857, August 21, 2023).

Effective April 19, 2022 through October 19, 2023. The Federal Register notice published at Employment Authorization for Sudanese F-1 Nonimmigrant Students Experiencing Severe Economic Hardship as a Direct Result of the Current Crisis in Sudan (Document citation: 87 FR 23195, April 19, 2022).

Effective April 1, 2024 until September 30, 2025. Federal Register notice published Employment Authorization for Syrian F-1 Nonimmigrant Students Experiencing Severe Economic Hardship as a Direct Result of the Current Armed Conflict and Current Humanitarian Crisis in Syria (Document citation: 89 FR 5557, January 29, 2024).

Effective October 1, 2022, extended from October 1, 2022 until April 1, 2024 by a Federal Register notice Employment Authorization for Syrian F-1 Nonimmigrant Students Experiencing Severe Economic Hardship as a Direct Result of the Civil War in Syria Since March 2011 (Document citation: 87 FR 46975, August 1, 2022), for Syrian F-1 students who were in the United States as of August 1, 2022.

Effective April 22, 2021 until September 30, 2022. Federal Register notice published at Employment Authorization for Syrian F-1 Nonimmigrant Students Experiencing Severe Economic Hardship as a Direct Result of Civil Unrest in Syria Since March 2011 (Document citation: 86 FR 21333, April 22, 2021), for Syrian F-1 students who were in the United States as of April 22, 2022.

The Federal Register notice Employment Authorization for Ukrainian F-1 Nonimmigrant Students Experiencing Severe Economic Hardship as a Direct Result of the Current Armed Conflict in Ukraine (Document citation: 88 FR 56851, August 21, 2023) extended eligibility until April 19, 2025.

Effective April 19, 2022 through October 19, 2023. The Federal Register notice published at Employment Authorization for Ukrainian F-1 Nonimmigrant Students Experiencing Severe Economic Hardship as a Direct Result of the Ongoing Armed Conflict in Ukraine (Document citation: 87 FR 23189, April 19, 2022).

Effective March 11, 2024 until September 10, 2025. Federal Register notice published at Employment Authorization for Venezuelan F-1 Nonimmigrant Students Experiencing Severe Economic Hardship as a Direct Result of the Crisis in Venezuela (Document citation: 89 FR 17500, March 11, 2024).

Effective from September 10, 2022 through March 10, 2024. Federal Register notice published at Employment Authorization for Venezuelan F-1 Nonimmigrant Students Experiencing Severe Economic Hardship as a Direct Result of the Humanitarian Crisis in Venezuela (Document citation: 87 FR 55017, Sept. 8, 2022).

Effective April 22, 2021 until September 9, 2022. Federal Register notice published at Employment Authorization for Venezuelan F-1 Nonimmigrant Students Experiencing Severe Economic Hardship as a Direct Result of the Current Humanitarian Crisis in Venezuela (Document citation: 86 FR 21328, April 22, 2021).

Effective from Sept. 4, 2024, until March 3, 2026, Federal Register notice published at Employment Authorization for Yemeni F-1 Students Experiencing Severe Economic Hardship as a Direct Result of the Current Crisis in Yemen (Document citation: 89 FR 56759, July 10, 2024).

Redesignated by Federal Register notice published at Employment Authorization for Yemeni F-1 Nonimmigrant Students Experiencing Severe Economic Hardship as a Direct Result of the Crisis in Yemen (Document citation: 88 FR 88, January 3, 2023) for eligible students who are in a lawful F-1 status as of January 3, 2023, and extends relief until September 3, 2024.

Effective September 4, 2021 until March 3, 2023. Federal Register notice published at Employment Authorization for Yemeni F-1 Students Experiencing Severe Economic Hardship as a Direct Result of the Current Crisis in Yemen (Document citation: 86 FR 36288, July 9, 2021).