On July 8, 2024, the Spring 2024 regulatory agenda was published. Highlights include a Department of State plan to update J-1 reinstatement and 212(e) waiver regulations and a Department of Homeland Security plan to codify and clarify existing SEVP school certification requirements for English Language Training Program accreditation.

On July 10, 2024, SEVP published a notice in the Federal Register extending Special Student Relief eligibility for F-1 students from Yemen until March 3, 2026.

On July 1, 2024, SEVP published a notice in the Federal Register extending Special Student Relief eligibility for F-1 students from Haiti until February 3, 2026.

On June 27, 2024, the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) announced on Study in the States a new process to submit Form I-515A documentation via email to SEVP rather than mailing that documentation.

On June 18, 2024, President Biden announced two "new actions for people who have been here many years to keep American families together and allow more young people to contribute to our economy." Both the Department of State and Homeland Security have begun issuing statements and guidance on the implementation of the new actions. DOS and DHS will decide these narrowly tailored benefits on a case-by-case basis. Neither of the benefits can be sought until the agencies publish finalized instructions.

Read about NAFSA's advocacy and actions to address international student visa processing issues, including excessively long and unpredictable interview wait times and a disproportionately high visa denial rate for applications from the Global South.

The Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) recently updated its F-1 Special Student Relief (SSR) Fact Sheet with revised, more precise FAQs, including more detail on situations where an SSR notice expires mid-semester.

In a final rule effective May 3, 2024, DHS removed "licensed psychiatrist" from the list of medical professionals that are authorized to document the basis for an F or M student's medical reduced course load because "medical doctor includes psychiatrist." The regulation now refers to "medical documentation from a a licensed medical doctor, a licensed doctor of osteopathy, a licensed psychologist, or a licensed clinical psychologist."

A reminder that April 1 ushered in changes to Form I-129 filing fees, form version, and filing addresses. USCIS will use the postmark date of a filing to determine which form version and fees are correct but will use the received date for purposes of the new I-129 H-1B lockbox filing addresses.

USCIS published a second temporary rule that increases the automatic extension of a narrow group of timely-filed EAD renewal applications from 180 days to 540 days from the expiration date stated on their EADs. The temporary rule can benefit some adjustment of status and H-4 EAD renewal applicants, but not student-based EAD applicants.