News & Announcements

SEVP Discontinued COVID-19 flexibilities as of May 12, 2023

The Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) ended the flexibilities that it had put in place during the COVID-19 pandemic as of Friday, May 12, 2023. This means that the rules are "back to normal" around, for example, how many online classes F-1 students can take, and how many hours students on OPT need to work to be considered employed. SEVP did clarify that students on OPT can continue to work fully remote when appropriate and permitted by their employer. See their FAQ for more details. 

USCIS now extends Premium Processing to OPT Filings

Beginning on March 6, 2023, OPT and STEM OPT applicants who have pending applications with USCIS can file a Form I-907 to request a premium processing upgrade for their pending I-765 application. Form I-907 can be filed online through an existing USCIS account or as a paper file to the Chicago USCIS Lock Box. The cost to file this upgrade is $1500 for F-1 OPT/STEM OPT applicants. Filing such an application will ensure that a decision is made on the case within 30 days of receipt of the I-907, after all prerequisites have been met. Please note: Current processing times (without premium processing) have been approximately 35-50 days).

Vaccine Requirements for Entry into the U.S. 

As of June 12, 2022, you no longer need to show a negative COVID-19 test before traveling to the United States. However, the previous rule regarding needing to show proof of vaccination is still in effect. Noncitizens who are nonimmigrants and seeking to enter the United States by air are required to show proof of being fully vaccinated against COVID-19 before boarding a flight to the United States from a foreign country. If you are not fully vaccinated against COVID-19, you will NOT be allowed to board a flight to the United States, unless you meet the criteria for an exception under the Proclamation and CDC’s Amended Order. A booster dose is not needed to meet this requirement. The presidential proclamation and CDC order include a very limited set of exceptions from the vaccination requirement for foreign nationals. These include exceptions for certain groups such as children, service members, those medically unable to receive a vaccine, and those who are traveling on non-tourist visas (such as F-1 visas) from countries with low-vaccine availability. The CDC has published a list of countries that qualify as a “country with low-vaccine availability” to qualify for this exception. They will update this list every 90 days.  If you qualify for an exception to the vaccination policy, you will need to attest to that exception and provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test taken 1 day before your flight’s departure. The vaccines accepted for entry into the U.S. will include those FDA approved or authorized, as well as vaccines with an emergency use listing (EUL) from the World Health Organization (WHO). For more information, please see the CDC’s website.