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 UMass Lowell's immigration resources webpage.

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.

USCIS Announcement (3/6/2023) - Expansion of Premium Processing for Certain F-1 students seeking OPT and STEM OPT Extensions

USCIS has announced on 3/6/2023 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 Jan 26, 2023

Please click on the tabs 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 87 FR 30971 (May 20, 2022).

    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. Federal Register notice published at 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 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 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 86 FR 41857 (August 3, 2021). Effective February 4, 2023, through August 3, 2024, under Federal  Register notice at 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 86 FR 67485 (November 26, 2021).

    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"
    Note: In a January 26, 2023 memorandum, President Biden directed DHS to take action to extend Hong Kong SSR for an additional 24 months.

  • Effective September 18, 2021 through March 17, 2023. Federal Register notice published at 86 FR 38739 (July 22, 2021).

    To be eligible, an F-1 student must:

    • Be a citizen of Somalia, regardless of country of birth;
    • Have been lawfully present in the United States in F-1 nonimmigrant status on September 18, 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 crisis in Somalia"

  • Effective March 3, 2022 through November 3, 2023. Federal Register notice published at 87 FR 12182 (March 3, 2022).

    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. Federal Register notice published at 87 FR 23195 (April 19, 2022).

    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;
    • 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 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 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. Federal Register notice published at 87 FR 23189 (April 19, 2022).

    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;
    • 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 86 FR 21328 (April 22, 2021).

    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 86 FR 36288 (July 9, 2021).

    To be eligible, an F-1 student must:

    • Be a citizen of Yemen, regardless of country of birth;
    • Have been lawfully present in the United States in F-1 nonimmigrant status on September 4, 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 crisis in Yemen