The following message was sent to F-1 students on 14 October 2026. On October 8, 2026, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) published a proposed rule titled Optional Practical Training Fees. The proposed rule …
Immigration Updates
September 14, 2026: Duration of Status (D/S) rule change temporarily paused
Dear F/J student/scholar, The Duration of Status (D/S) rule change has been paused temporarily by a federal judge’s injunction. The final rule will not go into effect as scheduled previously on 15 September 2026. Judge F. Dennis …
Federal Immigration Update: Curricular Practical Training (CPT) 8/25/26
Update from August 28, 2026: Based on written clarification received on August 27th from the Wisconsin SEVP representative, CPT can only be authorized for master’s or doctoral students if practical training or experiential learning is …
Consolidated visa services in Africa
Effective August 1, 2026, consular services throughout Africa will be consolidated to 20 regional hubs in 19 countries. Read the State Department’s announcement. Students with previously scheduled visa appointments will likely receive a cancellation and …
Changes to the “Duration of Status” Rule for International Students and Scholars
July 17, 2026 The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has issued a federal rule change July 17 that ends the longstanding “duration of status” (D/S) rule for international students and scholars. The rule is effective …
USCIS Resumes Adjudication of Benefit Requests
On June 5th, the U.S. District Court of Rhode Island ruled that the USCIS’ pause on adjudicating immigration benefits for individuals from travel restricted countries listed in Presidential Proclamation 10998 to be unlawful. If you …
USCIS Issues New Photo Guidance
On December 12, 2025, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) issued a Policy Alert announcing new guidance governing the submission and reuse of photographs for immigration benefit requests. For all non-immigrant requests (Example: a Form I-765/OPT …
Dec 16, 2025 Travel Restrictions Announcement
On December 16, 2025, the White House issued a new Presidential Proclamation expanding U.S. travel restrictions. This policy builds upon the previous June 2025 Proclamation. The travel restrictions impact nationals of the countries below who …
USCIS Pauses Adjudication of Benefit Requests for Citizens of 75 Countries
Updated: February 10, 2026 On January 1, 2026, USCIS issued new policy guidance to place a hold on final adjudication of immigration benefits for individuals with a nationality or country of birth that is covered by the December 16, 2025 Presidential …
Guidance on immigration and international travel during federal government shutdown
As the federal government shutdown continues, the UW–Madison community should be aware of the potential impact on immigration processes and international travel. Changes to some immigration services are likely, including: Fee-based immigration processing – including …