Immigration News and Updates

In light of evolving concerns and reports of travel bans, SEVIS record terminations, executive orders, and other status concerns under the Trump Administration, international F-1 and J-1 students and scholars at The New School can refer to this Q&A for help with answers to sensitive questions.

The university is closely monitoring news reports for any additional travel restrictions that may affecting F and J international students. We recommend that you check this webpage regularly for updates. Our ISSS team advises our current international students and scholars to take extra precautions when traveling internationally.  

If you are a new student applying for the F or J visa for the first time or you are a current student with an expired visa or a visa that will expire before your return to the United States, please keep in mind that visa applications at U.S. embassies and consulates will likely be subject to additional scrutiny. This may result in longer wait times or delays in receiving a visa. Please take this into consideration in your travel planning. Learn more about how to apply for a visa.

Please refer to the ISSS Travel Checklist for information on what you need to prepare in order to enter the United States. The ACLU has more information about your rights when traveling.

What to Expect Upon Arrival in the United States
Please see our page about Entry to the U.S. for more information about what to expect when crossing the border at a U.S. port of entry, and review our Travel Checklist for the documents you need to physically carry with you when you arrive.

Once F and J international students and scholars are admitted into the United States, it is important that they follow the regulations for F or J status and our guidance on maintaining nonimmigrant status while in the United States. You must also be sure to report any address changes within ten days of moving within the United States. As someone who is maintaining your nonimmigrant status, you can rest assured that you are in the United States lawfully with proper documentation.

Interaction with ICE Agents

• If approached by an ICE agent after you have entered the United States, you may be asked to show your immigration documents.
• The following webpage includes resources on knowing your rights if approached by law enforcement.
• You should be prepared to show proof of your immigration status.
• While in the United States, you are required to keep your I-94 record with you at all times.
• The I-94 is your certificate of registration of entry to the United States and changes every time you enter the country.
• Access and print out your I-94 after arriving in the United States.

You should also have the immigration documents listed below accessible while you are in the United States. ISSS recommends that you save these documents on your phone in a folder or another electronic device with easy access. Please be aware that if you are providing your device to the ICE agent to show your documentation, they may have the right to look at other information on the device, including social media. Consider protecting access to personal, private, and other information stored on your device that is not related to your documentation, such as financial apps and social media.

• Passport
• Visa
• Signed I-20
• I-797A (if status has changed)

Helpful Tips

• Store all original documents in a secure location at home—a safe, a lockbox, a filing area, or another location you feel comfortable keeping your documents in.
• Carry your university ID to show that you are a student at The New School.
• Have access to your course registration to show that you are an enrolled student.
• Be sure to have ISSS contact information saved in your phone for easy access in case any information needs to be confirmed by the ICE agent.
• Memorize important phone numbers in case your phone is taken away.
• Report any interactions you have with ICE agents to [email protected].
• If you have an emergency situation related to immigration, you can contact the ISSS emergency phone line at 212.229.7001 with your name and New School ID number.

Recently the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) sent out a  notification by email to students on OPT, titled Student and Exchange Visitor Program: Notice of Failure to Report Optional Practical Training Employer and Exceeding Permissible Period of Unemployment.

This notification advised students who have been participating in OPT for more than 90 days but have not reported employer information that they must update their SEVIS records within 15 days of the notice. Otherwise, SEVP will set the record to “terminated” to reflect the lack of employer information and the students' potential violation of F-1 status through failing to timely report OPT employment or exceeding the permissible period of employment while on OPT.

Although the first notifications were sent out on May 15, 2025, it is anticipated that these notifications will continue to go out to students who have exceeded 90 days of unemployment while on OPT. 

It is unclear whether students on STEM OPT who have exceeded the 150-day maximum for unemployment will also receive notifications.

Emails from SEVP are sent to the student’s email account as it appears in the SEVIS record. For a New School student, that email address is the student’s New School email address. You must check your New School email account regularly.

Required Action
ISSS sends weekly email reminders to all students on OPT who have exceeded 75 days of unemployment. The email is titled Close to or Exceeded 90 Days of Unemployment on OPT.

Students must review this email and follow instructions to not exceed the regulatory limit of 90 days of unemployment while on OPT.

For additional information on this government action, please visit the NAFSA website.

On June 4, the U.S. Presidential Proclamation restricting entry of certain foreign nationals to the U.S. was announced. This proclamation restricts entry of certain immigration categories of nationals of 19 countries and will go into effect at 12:01am on June 9, 2025 EST.

Travel Restrictions:

Nationals of Afghanistan, Burma, Burundi, Chad, Cuba, Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Laos, Libya, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Togo, Turkmenistan, Venezuela, Yemen.

• The proclamation will restrict entry into the United States of F and J international students, J scholars, and F and J dependents that are:
  • Outside the United States on the applicable effective date of the proclamation; AND
  • Do not have a valid visa in their passport on the applicable effective date of the proclamation 

Returning International Students and Scholars on F or J visas

• If you or your dependents are outside the United States with a valid visa, ISSS strongly recommends that you return before June 9 to avoid any misinterpretation of the current proclamation by Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers. 
• Although the travel ban would allow you to reenter the United States with a valid visa, you may encounter challenges at the port of entry if you are returning after June 9. We recommend that you meet with an ISSS advisor before traveling.
• If you are currently in the United States , ISSS does not recommend traveling outside of the United States after June 9, 2025, until the re-entry process is better understood.
• As always, students traveling outside the United States should review:
  • The ISSS webpage on Travel
  • The ISSS Student Travel Checklist or Scholar/Professor Travel Checklist
    
    They should also have the ISSS emergency phone number available: 212.229.7001.

New International Students and Scholars

• If you have not received your F or J visa from the U.S. embassy or consulate to study for the fall semester at The New School, it will be difficult under this current proclamation to be approved for a visa and enter the United States for the fall.
• The university will monitor challenges to this proclamation and provide regular updates when available.   
• Students who have received a F or J student visa previously that remain valid should contact ISSS at [email protected]  to schedule a meeting  to discuss your options.
• If you are currently in the United States, please contact [email protected] to discuss your options for remaining in the United States. Any travel outside of the United States after June 9, 2025, is not recommended until the re-entry process is better understood.

Additional Important Points from The Proclamation

• No immigrant or nonimmigrant visa issued before the applicable effective date of the proclamation shall be revoked pursuant to the proclamation.
• The proclamation includes additional travel restrictions to the United States for other immigrant and nonimmigrant visa categories  for specific countries. 
• The proclamation provides a list of exceptions to the travel restriction for special immigrant and nonimmigrant visas and statuses. 
• There will be a periodic government review of the list of travel ban countries to assess whether the restrictions should be continued, modified, suspended, or supplemented. Within 90 days of the proclamation and every 180 days thereafter, the secretary of state must submit a report to President Trump 

Please see the following webpages for additional details and context. 
NAFSA (The Association for International Educators)
Travel.state.gov

On June 18th, the Department of State (DOS) announced that it has ordered U.S. embassies and Consulates to apply enhanced vetting of social media for F and J visa applicants. This new directive allows consular officers to examine online activity to identify any content that may raise concerns about the applicant’s eligibility for a U.S. visa. This announcement was made following the end of a three week visa appointment pause for DOS to instruct consular officers on these new guidelines for enhanced vetting of social media. Please see NAFSA's page for details and additional context. As these guidelines are still new, it is not yet known how exactly they will be applied in practice. ISSS recommends students to understand these guidelines to follow the new requirements.

Recommendations for F and J international students and scholars

• If you are currently outside the U.S. without a valid visa and have been issued an I-20 or DS-2019, unless you are a citizen of Canada, Bermuda, or another visa exempt country, schedule your new visa appointment as soon as possible. 
• Prepare required documentation by the U.S. embassy or consulate for your visa appointment. Typical visa application documentation requirements by U.S. embassies and consulates can be reviewed on the ISSS visas page.

Review and prepare for updated consular social media vetting for visa applications.

What You Need to Know About Social Media Vetting:

• Starting the week of June 23, all F and J visa applicants will be required to set their social media profiles to “public” prior to their visa appointment interviews. 
• Lack of visible online presence or refusal to make social media public could delay visa processing or result in a visa refusal under INA 221(g).
• Consular officers are instructed to review social media content for any hostile views toward U.S. laws, institutions, culture, or citizens.
• Screenshots of applicants’ online activity may be taken and retained as part of the visa review by consular officers.
• Additional scrutiny or further visa interviews may be requested by the consular officers based upon the applicant’s social media content.

Re-entry and Arrival to the U.S.

• Make sure you have all required immigration documentation to enter the U.S., and see the ISSS travel webpage for additional information.
• Review and understand what to expect when interacting with U.S. border officers for entry to the U.S.
• For new, incoming students for the Fall 2025 semester, ISSS will be communicating more details in early August regarding late arrival options for the semester.
• If you are a continuing student returning to study in the Summer or Fall semester and are unable to arrive on time for the start of classes, please discuss your academic options with your Academic Advisor and update ISSS regarding your enrollment plans so that we can advise you further on your visa status.
• If you are abroad during Post-Completion OPT and unable to return to the U.S. because you cannot renew your visa, please speak with an ISSS advisor during our Drop-in Hours or one-on-one appointment to discuss your situation further. 
• If you are a scholar or professor in J-1 status, and are unable to return to the U.S. because you cannot renew your visa, please schedule an appointment with the ISSS scholar advisor using the Scholar and Professor Wednesday appointment link. 

On May 27th, 2025 the Department of State (DOS) announced that it has ordered U.S. embassies and Consulates to temporarily pause adding additional F, M, and J visa appointment capacity until it issues further guidance on an expansion of social media screening and vetting of student and exchange visitor applicants (see section below for details). 

On June 18th, 2025 the U.S. Department of State (DOS) announced in a cable to embassies and consulates that the pause in scheduling new F-1 and J-1 student visa appointments has been lifted and the scheduling of interviews can resume. 

NAFSA, the National Association for International Educators encourages students to check the State Department appointment system regularly for appointment releases during working hours. 

If you are currently outside the U.S. and do not already have a valid F-1 or J-1 visa and need to schedule your visa appointment, please schedule your appointment as soon as your country's system re-opens. If you have previously scheduled a visa appointment from before the pause, keep your original appointment to apply for your new visa. For students enrolling in the Fall semester, please note that New Student Orientation begins Monday, August 18, 2025 (new incoming students) and Fall classes begin Wednesday, August 27, 2025.

A valid visa is required for entry to the U.S. as described below:

Who Must Apply for a New F-1 or J-1 Visa?

• New Students issued an I-20 or DS-2019 for the upcoming semester at The New School who are outside the U.S. and are not already in possession of a valid F-1 or J-1 visa.
• Continuing Students who are currently outside the U.S. with an expired F-1 or J-1 visa.

Who Does Not Need to Apply for a New F-1 or J-1 Visa?

• New or Continuing students who are citizens of Canada, Bermuda, or another visa exempt country do not need an F-1 or J-1 visa in their passport but must still have a valid I-20 or DS-2019 to enter the U.S. as an F-1 or J-1 international student.
• New or Continuing students who are already in the U.S. and maintaining F-1 or J-1 student status may remain inside the U.S. with an expired visa.

How to Schedule a Visa Appointment

• Complete the DS-160 Nonimmigrant Visa Application to apply for a new F-1/J-1 Student Visa
• Students issued an I-20 will be applying for an F-1 student visa
• Students issued a DS-2019 will be applying for a student category J-1 exchange visitor visa
• When you submit this form, you will schedule an in-person appointment at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate to apply for your visa. 
• You will need your printed I-20 or DS-2019 for this appointment.
• For additional information about the visa process, click here.

Late Arrival for the Fall Semester

ISSS will share more information in August to all international students regarding late arrival options for the Fall semester. We encourage all students to plan to arrive in time for the start of the Fall semester.