Immigration Updates and Alerts

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 & Scholars Office. For additional resources, see the UMass Lowell's immigration resources webpage.

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, the associated fee is $1,500. 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 (the I-765 fee for OPT/STEM is currently $410, but may be subject to change).

Notices: Special Student Relief for F-1 Students as of August 21, 2023

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 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 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).
To be eligible, an F-1 student must:
Be a citizen of Afghanistan, regardless of country of birth (or be an individual having no nationality who last habitually resided in Afghanistan);
Have been lawfully present in the United States in F-1 nonimmigrant status on May 20, 2022;
Be currently maintaining F-1 nonimmigrant status;
Be enrolled in an SEVP-certified academic institution; and
Be experiencing severe economic hardship "as a direct result of the current situation in Afghanistan"
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 November 26, 2022, extended from November 26, 2022 until May 25, 2024, under Federal Register notice at 87 FR 58509 (September 27, 2022), for F-1 students from Burma/Myanmar who were in the United States as of September 27, 2022.
To be eligible, an F-1 student must:
Be a citizen of Burma/Myanmar (or, under the September 27, 2022 extension notice, an individual having no nationality who last habitually resided in Burma/Myanmar), regardless of country of birth;
Have been lawfully present in the United States in F-1 nonimmigrant status on May 25, 2021 (or under the September 27, 2022 notice, on September 27, 2022);
Be currently maintaining F-1 nonimmigrant status;
Be enrolled in an SEVP-certified academic institution; and
Be experiencing severe economic hardship "as a direct result of the current crisis in Burma"
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).
To be eligible, an F-1 student must:
Be a citizen of Cameroon, regardless of country of birth (or be an individual having no nationality who last habitually resided in Cameroon)
Have been lawfully present in the United States in F-1 nonimmigrant status on June 7, 2022;
Be currently maintaining F-1 nonimmigrant status;
Be enrolled in an SEVP-certified academic institution; and
Be experiencing severe economic hardship "as a direct result of the crises in Cameroon"
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).
To be eligible, an F-1 student must:
Be a citizen of Ethiopia, regardless of country of birth (or be an individual having no nationality who last habitually resided in Ethiopia)
Have been lawfully present in the United States in F-1 nonimmigrant status on December 12, 2022;
Be currently maintaining F-1 nonimmigrant status;
Be enrolled in an SEVP-certified academic institution; and
Be experiencing severe economic hardship "as a direct result of the crisis in Ethiopia"
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 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).
To be eligible under the notice, an F-1 student must:
Be a citizen of Haiti (or, under the January 26, 2023 notice, a citizen of Haiti or an individual having no nationality who last habitually resided in Haiti), regardless of country of birth;
Have been lawfully present in the United States in F-1 nonimmigrant status on August 3, 2021 (or January 26, 2023, under the January 26, 2023 notice effective February 4, 2023);
Be currently maintaining F-1 nonimmigrant status;
Be enrolled in an SEVP-certified academic institution; and
Be experiencing severe economic hardship "as a direct result of the current crisis in Haiti"
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). 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).
To be eligible under the notice, an F-1 student must:
Be a resident of Hong Kong, regardless of country of birth;
Have been lawfully present in the United States in F-1 nonimmigrant status on November 26, 2021;
Be currently maintaining F-1 nonimmigrant status;
Be enrolled in an SEVP-certified academic institution; and
Be experiencing severe economic hardship "as a direct result of the emergent circumstances in Hong Kong"
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). 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).
To be eligible, an F-1 student must:
Be a citizen of Somalia (or, under the March 13, 2023 notice, an individual having no nationality who last habitually resided in Somalia), regardless of country of birth;
Have been lawfully present in the United States in F-1 nonimmigrant status on September 18, 2021 (or, under the March 13, 2023 notice, lawfully present in F-1 status on March 13, 2023);
Be currently maintaining F-1 nonimmigrant status;
Be enrolled in an SEVP-certified academic institution; and
Be experiencing severe economic hardship "as a direct result of the current crisis in Somalia"

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 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)
To be eligible, an F-1 student must:
Be a citizen of South Sudan, regardless of country of birth (or be an individual having no nationality who last habitually resided in South Sudan);
Have been lawfully present in the United States in F-1 nonimmigrant status on March 3, 2022;
Be currently maintaining F-1 nonimmigrant status;
Be enrolled in an SEVP-certified academic institution; and
Be experiencing severe economic hardship "as a direct result of the humanitarian crisis in South Sudan"
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 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).
To be eligible, an F-1 student must:
Be a citizen of the Republic of Sudan, regardless of country of birth (or be an individual having no nationality who last habitually resided in Sudan);
Have been lawfully present in the United States in F-1 nonimmigrant status on April 19, 2022 (or on August 21, 2023 under the August 21, 2023 notice);
Be currently maintaining F-1 nonimmigrant status;
Be enrolled in an SEVP-certified academic institution; and
Be experiencing severe economic hardship "as a direct result of the current crisis in Sudan"
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. 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.
To be eligible under the current notice, an F-1 student must:
Be a citizen of Syria, regardless of country of birth;
Have been lawfully present in the United States in F-1 nonimmigrant status on April 22, 2021;
Be currently maintaining F-1 nonimmigrant status;
Be enrolled in an SEVP-certified academic institution; and
Be experiencing severe economic hardship as a direct result of the ongoing civil unrest in Syria since March 2011
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). 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.
To be eligible, an F-1 student must:
Be a citizen of Ukraine, regardless of country of birth (or be an individual having no nationality who last habitually resided in Ukraine);
Have been lawfully present in the United States in F-1 nonimmigrant status on April 19, 2022 (or on August 21, 2023 under the August 21, 2023 notice);
Be currently maintaining F-1 nonimmigrant status;
Be enrolled in an SEVP-certified academic institution; and
Be experiencing severe economic hardship "as a direct result of the ongoing armed conflict in Ukraine"
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 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)
To be eligible, an F-1 student must:
Be a citizen of Venezuela, regardless of country of birth;
Have been lawfully present in the United States in F-1 nonimmigrant status on April 22, 2021;
Be currently maintaining F-1 nonimmigrant status;
Be enrolled in an SEVP-certified academic institution; and
Be experiencing severe economic hardship as a direct result of the current humanitarian crisis in Venezuela
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). 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.
To be eligible, an F-1 student must:
Be a citizen of Yemen (or, under the January 3, 2023 extension notice, a citizen of Yemen or an individual having no nationality who last habitually resided in Yemen), regardless of country of birth;
Have been lawfully present in the United States in F-1 nonimmigrant status on September 4, 2021 (or, under the January 3, 2023 notice, on January 3, 2023);
Be currently maintaining F-1 nonimmigrant status;
Be enrolled in an SEVP-certified academic institution; and
Be experiencing severe economic hardship as a direct result of the current crisis in Yemen

Immigration Updates and Alerts