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.

For more information about Presidential Proclamations Restricting Entry to the U.S. and Special Student Relief for F-1 Students please visit the Current Immigration Alerts page.

Please see the Duration of Status Rules Changes page for details about changes in the Fixed Admit Until Date (AUD) and Extension of Stay procedures for F and J nonimmigrant students and exchange visitors.

October 2026

New F-1 Optional Practical Training Fees Proposed by U.S Department of Homeland Security (DHS)

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security published a proposed rule in the Federal Register on October 8, 2026, that, if finalized, would establish an additional fee of $70,000 for a first time OPT recommendation and $30,000 fee for any subsequent OPT recommendations.

Note: This is a proposed rule and there are no changes to regulations, procedures or practice at this moment. For this proposed rule to take effect, it would need to be published as a “final” rule, after a period of public comment and regulatory procedures. Additionally, potential litigation may further delay any estimation of possible implementation date.

View the proposed Optional Practical Training Fees rule.

The ISSO will provide updates on this item as they become available.

Lawsuit Filed Following Two Broadcast Messages Restricting Interpretation of Curricular Practical Training (CPT)

On October 5, 2026, the Association of American Universities (AAU), Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration, NAFSA: Association of International Educators, and the Association of Independent Colleges and Universities in Massachusetts (AICUM) filed a lawsuit in response to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Broadcast messages  2608-01 on August 12, 2026, and 2608-02 on August 24, 2026, substantially changing the interpretation of eligibility to CPT for international visa sponsored students.

View a copy of the lawsuit filing (PDF)

The guidance issued by DHS/SEVP on August 12, 2026, and August 24, 2026, remains currently active.

The ISSO will update the campus community of any developments as they become available.

September 2026

Implementation of Department of Homeland Security Rule To Eliminate Duration of Status is Postponed by Federal Court

On September 14, 2026, a federal district court in Massachusetts postponed temporarily the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) final rule that would have replaced the longstanding Duration of Status (D/S) framework for F-1 international students, J-1 exchange visitors and representatives of foreign information media, with fixed periods of admission to the U.S. The new final rule was initially scheduled to become effective September 15, 2026.

While this rule is paused from implementation, J-1 Exchange Visitors, F-1 International Students, and their dependents will retain D/S expirations on their I-94s. Also, the new extension of status (EOS) requirements and academic mobility restrictions will not take effect as scheduled.

July 2026

Final Rule Establishing The End of “Duration of Status” for F International Students and J Exchange Visitors

On July 17, 2026, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) published the final rule ending the duration of status (D/S) practice for students and exchange visitors in F and J nonimmigrant status.

Under this new rule, students and exchange visitors in F and J nonimmigrant status will be admitted to the US with a fixed Admit Until Date (AUD) or end date that could be subject to extension by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), if necessary and eligible.

Please note that this final rule is expected to be implemented on September 15, 2026. The International Students and Scholars Office (ISSO) will continue to review and evaluate the impact of this new rule and will provide further information regarding the many nuanced aspects included therein.

This new rule can be viewed on the Federal Register's Establishing a Fixed Time Period of Admission and an Extension of Stay Procedure for Nonimmigrant Academic Students, Exchange Visitors, and Representatives of Foreign Information Media page.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) on this new rule can be viewed on this STUDY in the STATES: Final Rule: Establishing a Fixed Time Period of Admission and an Extension of Stay Procedure FAQ.

March 2026

The U.S. Department of State Adds More Countries to the Business/Tourist Visa Bond Program

The U.S. Department of State (DOS) has added 12 more countries whose nationals may be subject to the B-1 Business/B-2 Tourist visa bond.

Effective April 2, 2026, the countries added to the list are:

Cambodia, Ethiopia, Georgia, Grenada, Lesotho, Mauritius, Mongolia, Mozambique, Nicaragua, Papua New Guinea, Seychelles, Tunisia.

The current list and implementation dates can be viewed on the U.S. DOS webpage: Countries Subject to Visa Bonds

Please note, this program only applies to B-1-Business / B-2 Tourist visa applicants from those listed countries and does not include other visas. However, it might impact visitors from those countries coming to campus for attending seminars, workshops, giving lectures or for business/academic meetings.

February 2026

Business / Tourist Visa Bond Pilot Program

The U.S DOS has updated the list of countries whose nationals may be subject to the B-1 Business/B-2 Tourist visa bond. The current list and implementation dates can be viewed on the U.S. DOS: Countries Subject to Visa Bonds page.

This program only applies to B-1-Business / B-2 Tourist visa applicants from those countries listed in the Countries Subject to Visa Bonds page. This program does not include other visas. However, it might impact visitors from those countries coming to campus for attending seminars, workshops, giving lectures or for business/academic meetings.

The U.S Department of State Pauses Immigrant Visa Issuance for Nationals of 75 Countries

As of January 21, 2026, The DOS has paused the issuance of immigrant visas for nationals of 75 countries. More details on this topic can be viewed on the Immigrant Visa Processing Updates for Nationalities at High Risk of U.S. Public Benefits Reliance page.

It is important to note that this pause only impacts immigrant visa issuance at U.S. consulates abroad. This notice does not affect nonimmigrant visas such as F-1 Student, J-1 Exchange Visitor, H-1B Visitor visa and more.

January 2026

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Premium Processing Fee Increase Effective March 1, 2026

An adjustment to Premium Processing filing fees will become effective March 1, 2026. Important: Form I-907 postmarked on or after March 1, 2026, must be accompanied by the new filing fee, or USCIS will reject the Form I-907 and return the filing fee. Below are samples of applications that are eligible for premium Processing commonly filed by our international students and scholars:

  • Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization (F-1 students seeking optional practical training (OPT) and STEM OPT extensions): filing fee increase from $1,685 to $1,780.
  • Form I-539, Application to Extend/Change Nonimmigrant Status (for applications requesting a change of status to F-1, F-2,J-1, or J-2 nonimmigrant status): filing fee increase from $1,865 to $2,075.
  • Form I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker (include H-1B, O-1, TN, P-1, H-3 and others): filing fee increase from $2,805 to $2,965.
  • Form I-140, immigrant petition for Alien Worker (Employment Based Permanent resident petitions): filing fee increase from $2,805 to $2,965.

To learn more read the USCIS announcement of Premium Processing fee increase.


USCIS Places Adjudication Hold on Benefits Applications Filed By or On Behalf of Applicants From Travel Ban Countries

Two Policy Memoranda describe a hold that USCIS has placed on adjudication of pending benefit requests submitted by applicants whose citizenship or country of birth are from the countries identified in two travel-ban proclamations: Presidential Proclamation 10949 of June 4,2025, and Presidential proclamation 10988 of December 16, 2025.

The general language of the memos impacts both immigrant and nonimmigrant benefits applications.

It is to be noted that this is not a ban on applying for immigration benefits; rather, this is a pause on USCIS processing of benefit requests. It is advised for all applicants from a travel ban country to continue to apply for immigration benefits within all applicable filing windows, deadlines and eligibility conditions.

December 2025

On December 16, 2025, a new Presidential Proclamation has been published and can be viewed on the White House's Restricting and Limiting the Entry of Foreign Nationals to Protect the Security of the United States. This Proclamation modifies and expands the lists of countries identified in Presidential Proclamation issued on June 4, 2025 and becomes effective at 12:01 a.m. EST time on January 1, 2026

This recent Presidential Proclamation will continue to fully suspend entry into the United States for nationals of the original twelve countries based on both immigrant and non-immigrant visas and eight more are added.

  • Full Ban By Country Continues For: Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen
  • Full Ban By Country Added For: Burkina Faso, Laos, Mali, Niger, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, Syria and individuals travelling with documents issued by the Palestinian Authority

This Proclamation imposes a partial suspension of entry into the United States for Individuals from the below 19 countries based on immigrant visas and on B-1, B-2, B-1/B-2, F, M, and J nonimmigrant visas

  • Partial Ban Continues For Four Of The Original Seven: Burundi, Cuba, Togo, and Venezuela.
  • Partial Ban Modified For: Turkmenistan (B-1, B-2, B-1/B-2, F, M, and J visas ban is lifted but ban remains on immigrants)
  • Partial Ban Added For: Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Cote d ‘Ivoire, Dominica, Gabon, The Gambia, Malawi, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania, Tonga, Zambia, and Zimbabwe

These restrictions only apply to nationals of the 39 designated countries plus holders of Palestinian Authority travel documents who are outside of the U.S. and do not hold valid U.S visa stamps on January 1, 2026. This proclamation does not revoke previously issued visa stamps, which remain valid.

There are other exceptions by category that do not apply to nationals of these designated countries such as (partial list):

  • Lawful Permanent Residents (green card holders).
  • Dual nationals of a designated country when the individual is traveling on a passport issued by a non-designated country
  • Asylees, refugees, diplomatic and international organization visas, athletes coming to participate in the 2026 World Cup and the 2028 Olympic
  • Foreign nationals with valid US visas as of January 01, 2026

The ISSO will continue to monitor developments and will update this announcement as needed.

November 2025

Proposed Rule to Replace F and J Duration of Status (D/S) with Fixed Periods of Stay

On August 28, 2025, the Department of Homeland Security published a proposed rule to replace “duration of status” (D/S) with a fixed Form I-94 end date for F and J nonimmigrants. This proposed change would replace the current flexible end dates based on program durations with specific fixed end dates to align with I-20/DS-2019 program end dates or four years, whichever is shorter. To remain in the US beyond the Form I-94 end date, F and J nonimmigrants would need to apply for an extension of stay with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. The proposed rule also introduces a variety of other changes impacting academic objectives, educational levels, grace periods and transfer out options. Please note, this is a proposed rule that is not currently in effect. A final rule may differ from this proposed rule. The ISSO and HR will monitor any related development and provide updates and additional information once available.

Details of the proposed rule can be viewed on the Federal Register: Establishing a Fixed Time Period of Admission and an Extension of Stay Procedure for Nonimmigrant Academic Students, Exchange Visitors, and Representatives of Foreign Information Medi.

Removal of the Automatic Extension of Employment Authorization Documents

On October 30, 2025, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services published an Interim Final Rule (IFR) amending the automatic validity extension of certain employment authorization documents ((EAD) cards).

Previously, certain EAD applicants could work up to 540 days while their applications for extension were pending adjudication.

Effective immediately and for certain application types, employment authorization will not be automatically extended beyond the current EAD end date, while an application for extension is pending. A new physical card will be needed. This change applies to EAD renewals filed on or after October 30, 2025.

If you are currently employed pursuant to an approved EAD and have concerns as to how this final rule may affect your ability to work at UMass Lowell, please contact Patrick Trouve in Human Resources by email: Patrick_Trouve@uml.edu. If your current EAD is under the sponsorship of another institution or employer, please contact your current HR and/or immigration attorney.

Details of the IFR can be viewed on the Federal Register: Removal of the Automatic Extension of Employment Authorization Documents.

October 2025

Collection of Biometric Data Upon Entry to and Departure From the United States

On October 17, 2025, the Department of Homeland Security published a final rule (2025-19655 (90 FR 48604) that may require all international visitors "to be photographed when entering or exiting the United States, and may require non-exempt aliens to provide other biometrics. The final rule also amends the regulations to remove the references to pilot programs and the port limitation to permit collection of biometrics from aliens departing from airports, land ports, seaports, or any other authorized point of departure."

The effective date of this rule is December 26, 2025.

Details of this final rule can be viewed on the Federal Register: Collection of Biometric Data From Aliens Upon Entry to and Departure From the United States.

September 2025

Presidential Proclamation Restricting Entry by H-1B Nonimmigrants Workers from Abroad

September 19, 2025: the President of the United States issued a Proclamation restricting the entry of H-B nonimmigrants currently outside the U.S. as of Sunday, September 21, 2025.

September 20, 2025: U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and U.S. Customs and Boarder Protection (CBP) issued memoranda stating the Proclamation: Restriction on Entry of Certain Nonimmigrant Workers, H-1B (pdf) “only applies prospectively”.

The memorandum issued by USCIS on September 20, 2025 clarified that the “proclamation does not apply to aliens who: are the beneficiaries of petitions that were filed prior to [September 21, 2025], are the beneficiaries of currently approved petitions, or are in possession of validly issued H-1B non-immigrant visas.”

June 2025

Resumption of Visa Interviews for Students and Scholars (F, J, M) with Increased Vetting Procedures.

The U.S. Department of State has announced that embassies and consulates abroad will resume scheduling F, M, and J nonimmigrant visa appointments. The DOS has also stated that pursuant to new guidance, all applicants for F, M, and J visas will undergo comprehensive vetting, including their online presence. Applicants will be asked to adjust their social media privacy settings to public.

All incoming F, M, and J nonimmigrant applicants should continue to regularly check the visa appointment scheduling system for new appointment availability as they may vary among consulates and embassies.

Read more on the Announcement of Expanded Screening and Vetting for Visa Applicants page.

On June 4, 2025, the White House has announced the restriction of entry to the US of certain nationals from certain countries in different visa classifications who are outside the US effective June 9, 2025.

The proclamation includes a total ban on 12 countries and a partial ban on 7 countries:

  • FULL SUSPENSION BY COUNTRY FOR: Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen.
  • PARTIAL SUSPENSION BY COUNTRY (Immigrants and Nonimmigrants on B-1, B-2, B-1/B-2, F, M, and J Visas) (Visitor, Student and Exchange Program Visas): Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela.

The full Presidential Proclamation can be viewed on the White House's Restricting The Entry Of Foreign Nationals To Protect The United States From Foreign Terrorists And Other National Security And Public Safety Threats page.


January 2025

Revised Exchange Visitor Skills List - 2024.

The Department of State’s 2024 Revised Exchange Visitor Skills List became effective on Dec. 9, 2024. It applies to exchange visitors who acquire J-1 status on or after Dec. 9, 2024, and exchange visitors who had been subject to INA 212(e) on the skills list basis under a prior list are retroactively released from their 212(e) obligations (provided that they are not also subject on some basis other than the skills list).

October 2024

Diversity Visa (DV) 2026 Program - Online Registration

The online registration period for the DV-2026 Program begins on Wednesday, October 2, 2024, at 12 p.m. (noon), Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) (GMT-4) and concludes on Thursday, November 7, 2024, at 12 p.m. (noon), Eastern Standard Times (EST)  (GMT-5). Submission of more than one entry for a person during the registration period will disqualify all entries for that person.

View the Diversity Visa Instructions.

The English version of the DV-2026 Program Instruction (pdf) is the only official version. Unofficial translations in additional languages will be added to this webpage as they become available .

September 2024

United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) published a new edition of Form G-1055, Fee Schedule

  • This form should be used to verify fee information for filing of immigration forms

February 2024

Change in Premium Processing Fees

Diversity Visa (DV) 2025 Program

DV-2025 Program: The online registration period for the DV-2025 Program begins on Wednesday, October 4, 2023, at Noon, Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) (GMT-4) and concludes on Tuesday, November 7, 2023, at Noon, Eastern Standard Time (EST) (GMT-5). Submission of more than one entry for a person during the registration period will disqualify all entries for that person.

Get more information on the LexisNexis DV-2025 Registration Begins October 4, 2023 webpage. View the State Department Diversity Visa Instructions.

DV-2025 Program Instructions

The English version of the DV-2025 Program Instructions (pdf) is the only official version. Unofficial translations in additional languages will be added to this webpage as they become available.

Note: As indicated in the instructions, for the purposes of eligibility some countries include components and dependent areas overseas.  If you are a native of a dependency or overseas territory, please select the appropriate country of eligibility.  For example, natives of Macau S.A.R should select Portugal, and natives of Martinique should select France.

Diversity Visa Program Information

See the Diversity Visa Program webpage for information about:

June 2023

USCIS Expands Premium Processing for Applicants Seeking to Change into F, M, or J Nonimmigrant Status

USCIS announced that it will expand the use of premium processing for applications for Change of Status to F, M, or J nonimmigrant status filed using the Form I-539 Application to Extend/Change Nonimmigrant Status.

Please note, Premium Processing will not be available for Reinstatement applications.

There will be two phases in the premium process options for certain I-539 applicants.

  • Beginning June 13, USCIS will accept Form I-907 requests, filed via paper form or online, for applicants seeking a change of status to F-1, F-2, M-1, M-2, J-1, or J-2 status, who have a pending Form I-539, Application to Extend/Change Nonimmigrant Status.
  • Beginning June 26, USCIS will accept Form I-907 requests, filed either via paper form or online, for applicants seeking a change of status to F-1, F-2, M-1, M-2, J-1, or J-2 status, when filed together with Form I-539.

Premium processing requests received prior to the dates above will be rejected. Also, USCIS provides an important reminder:

  • “If you mail a paper Form I-539 to us, you must mail a paper Form I-907.”
  • “If you submit Form I-539 online, you must submit Form I-907 online.”

IMPORTANT: Make sure you review and understand the entire official notice and set of instructions provided by USCIS before filing a premium processing application

February 2023

F-1 Visa Issuance Window Extended by U.S. Department of State

The U.S. Department of State (DOS) has announced that for F-1 students, "visas for new students can be issued up to 365 days in advance of the start date for a course of study. However, you will not be allowed to enter the United States on your student visa more than 30 days before the start date."

Please note that even if this new visa issuance guidance has been publicly issued by DOS, it does not necessarily mean that each U.S. Embassy and Consulate abroad will be able to issue nonimmigrant student visas that far in advance. The ISSO recommends that new students consult their local U.S. Embassy/Consulate abroad if there are questions regarding visa appointment wait times and timelines for obtaining their F-1 visa.

March 2023

USCIS Announcement - Expansion of Premium Processing for Certain F-1 students seeking OPT and STEM OPT Extensions

USCIS has announced on March 6, 2023 the expansion of premium processing for certain F-1 students seeking Optional Practical Training (OPT)or science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) OPT Extensions who have a pending Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization, and wish to request a premium processing upgrade. Please note the below phases listed in the USCIS announcement:

Beginning March 6, USCIS will accept Form I-907, Request for Premium Processing Service, filed either via paper form or online, for certain F-1 students who already have a pending Form I-765, if they are filing under one of the following categories:

  • (c)(3)(A) - Pre-Completion OPT;
  • (c)(3)(B) - Post-Completion OPT; and
  • (c)(3)(C) - 24-Month Extension of OPT for STEM students

Beginning April 3, USCIS will accept Form I-907 requests, filed either via paper form or online, for F-1 students in the above categories when filed together with Form I-765.

Online filing of Form I-907, Request for Premium Processing Service, is now available to students in these categories. To file Form I-907 online, an applicant must first create a USCIS online account.

Important: Students are not required to file an OPT or STEM OPT Extension application with Premium Processing; this is just an available option now. Should you decide to file a Premium Processing request, please check the correct amount of Premium Processing Fees on the USCIS website. This is in addition to the standard application fee for the Form I-765 used to apply for F-1 OPT or F-1 STEM OPT Extension (please check current fee amount as it may be subject to change).