‎Fall 2025 Updates

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On December 16, 2025, the federal government issued a new proclamation restricting entry of nationals from specific countries. All countries that were included in the previous travel ban remain on the list in some form, with some countries subject to increased restrictions.

What are the expanded travel restrictions and when will the restrictions go into effect?
The newest President’s Proclamation restricts entry of nationals from specific countries into the U.S. with a "full" travel ban on 20 countries and a "partial" travel ban on 20 countries. 

The “full” travel ban suspends entry of all immigrants and non-immigrants from the following countries: Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Yemen, Burkina Faso, Laos, Mali, Niger, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, Syria, and those traveling with Palestinian Authority-issued documents.

The “partial” ban suspends the entry of immigrants and non-immigrants under the B-1/B-2, F-1/F-2, J-1/J-2 and M-1/M-2 visa categories from the following countries: Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Burundi, Cote d’Ivoire, Cuba, Dominica, Gabon, The Gambia, Malawi, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania, Togo, Tonga, Venezuela, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. 

The travel restrictions will be effective at 12:01 am Eastern Time on Thursday, January 1, 2026, which is 9:01 pm Pacific Time on Wednesday, December 31, 2025.

How are students from listed countries impacted by these restrictions?
These restrictions only apply to those who are outside of the U.S., and do not already have a valid visa on the effective date of this proclamation (January 1, 2026 ET at 12:01am/December 31, 2025 PT at 9:01pm). 

What does ISSS recommend?

  • If you are outside of the U.S. and do not have a valid F or J visa, you will not be able to enter the U.S. after the travel restrictions go into effect. If possible, we strongly recommend that you reenter the U.S. before 9:01 pm Pacific Time on Wednesday, December 31, 2025.
  • If you are outside of the U.S. and have a valid F or J visa, you should be able to reenter the U.S after the travel restrictions go into effect. However, there could be confusion and additional scrutiny at U.S. ports of entry. To avoid additional risks, you may consider re-entering the U.S. before 9:01 pm Pacific Time on Wednesday, December 31, 2025.
  • If you are inside the U.S. and maintain valid F or J status, you are still able to remain in the U.S. It is unclear if you will be able to apply for a new visa. Therefore, we advise against any international travel if you do not have a valid visa.

For more information about these restrictions, please refer to the proclamation link above or this analysis by Fragomen law firm. These travel restrictions will be reviewed periodically and ISSS is continuing to monitor changes and developments. We will share updates via email and our website as we receive them.

We recognize the challenges of navigating these new requirements and uncertainty that comes. Please do not hesitate to reach out to our office or your ISSS advisor if you have any questions. If you are a current student, we also encourage you to utilize other campus resources, including Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS), Center for Academic and Student Achievement (CASA) and the Office of the Dean of Students, for support.

The State Department announced that all H-1B and H-4 visa applicants will need to undergo social media screening starting December 15. To facilitate this vetting, H-1B and H-4 visa applicants are requested to adjust their social media profiles to “public”. Students applying for H-1B and H-4 visas at a consulate abroad should expect processing delays and increased likelihood of visa denials due to this new requirement. 

Students who are applying for the H-1B and H-4 visa at a consulate and have questions about this requirement should consult their employer or employer's attorney for specific guidance. All F and J visa applicants are still subject to the same screening. Read more information about this process in our previous announcement.

On October 20, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) provided additional guidance on the new H-1B fee. The guidance clarifies that only consular notification H-1B petitions filed after the effective date will become subject to the new fee. H-1B petitions that are approved for an extension of stay, amendment, or change of status will not be subject to the fee. This means that international students who are already in the U.S. and are applying for a change of status to H-1B will not be subject to this fee. For more information about this guidance, please refer to the USCIS guidance or NAFSA webpage.

Please note that there are professional organizations that filed lawsuits challenging this proclamation and fee, which may impact the implementation of this fee and guidance.

ISSS is providing this information for informational purposes. Students who have a pending or approved H-1B petition and have questions about the impact of this new fee should consult their employer or employer's attorney for specific guidance. An immigration attorney will be hosting an online workshop on Wednesday, November 5 from 5-6:15pm to provide general information on H-1B and other employment visas. Students who are interested in attending will need to register. 

On September 19, the U.S. government announced a new $100,000 fee for H-1B petitions filed on or after September 21, effective for 12 months. This fee applies only to new H-1B petitions filed and will not affect currently pending or approved cases. At this time, key details remain unclear about how the fee will be collected and how exceptions will be made. For additional information, see Fragomen Law’s update.

Please note this new fee does not apply to OPT or STEM OPT applications. Students who have a pending or approved H-1B petition and have questions about the impact of this new fee should consult their employer or employer's attorney for specific guidance.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has proposed to limit students’ duration of stay, which requires students to file formal extension applications with the government to extend their stay or apply for post-graduation work authorization.  Based on the proposed rule, most students will be given a fixed duration of stay that is the same length as their USF program. Other changes include shortening the grace period to 30-days, restricting transfers and change in programs for graduate students and first-year undergraduate students, and restricting students who have completed a degree to pursue a second degree at a lower or same educational level. For a detailed summary of the proposed changes, see NAFSA’s webpage.

Please note this rule is currently in a comment period and is not yet in effect. The final rule may also be revised. ISSS is assessing the impact of these changes and will provide further updates as we learn more. 

Effective on September 6, 2025, the State Department has updated their instructions for all nonimmigrant visa applicants, including F and J, who are scheduling visa appointments:

  • Students should apply for a visa in their country of nationality or residence.  If the student is not a citizen of the country where they are applying for their visa, they will need to demonstrate that they hold residency status in that country.
  • Students from countries where the U.S. government is not conducting nonimmigrant visa operations must apply at designated locations, unless their residence is elsewhere. Students from Afghanistan, Belarus, Chad, Cuba, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Niger, Russia, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Ukraine, Venezuela, Yemen, and Zimbabwe should refer to the link above for their designated locations. 

Students who schedule nonimmigrant interviews at a U.S. embassy or consulate outside of their country of nationality or residence may find that it will be more difficult to qualify for the visa and wait significantly longer for an appointment. To avoid processing delays and denial, we advise you to schedule your appointment in your country of nationality or residency, or at a designated location.

Existing appointments generally won’t be cancelled. Students who have already scheduled a visa appointment outside their country of nationality or residence should consider rescheduling at a post in their country of nationality or residence, or at a designated location, but visa application fees will not be transferred or refunded.

On September 2, 2025, the State Department's new visa interview waiver policy will go into effect and all F and J visa applicants will be required to attend an in-person interview as part of the visa application process. Students who need to renew their visa should check their consulate websites for more information about interview procedures and appointment availability before planning any international travel.