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COVID-19 Immigration Information

ISO monitors evolving guidance, requirements, and permissions related to US immigration policy during the COVID-19 global health pandemic. Please review additional resources:

 

Modified ISO Service Schedule Effective Monday, 12/6 (12/6/2021)

As announced in our ISO Student News article this week, ISO is taking action to reduce local COVID-19 risks and will require an appointment to visit the ISO Service Desk in person. Given rising COVID-19 hospitalization rates and burdens on our local health systems, Monroe County has entered a state of emergency and has encouraged local organizations to take steps to limit potential exposure. As stated in @Rochester from December 1st: “The policies and practices that are in place at the University are in line with those recommended by the county executive, public health commissioner, and our own epidemiologists and public health experts. In addition to health and safety practices, the University implemented a new remote work policy over the summer.” 
 
Effective Monday, December 6, 2021, ISO staff will coordinate most of our efforts in a remote work environment. We are retaining a full scope of virtual advising services, including individual appointments, Student Drop-In Advising Hours, and inquiries by phone and email as previously scheduled (see below). Moving forward, the primary change in our schedule relates to our ISO Service Desk in College Town. We have launched a new scheduling tool for brief office visits and staff will be available primarily for in-person document distribution purposes. Various appointment blocks will be available most weekdays, generally between 11:00am and 3:00pm (excluding Wednesdays), based on recent trends this semester. To schedule an office visit, ISO staff will review your situation and share a link that allows you to select an upcoming appointment time that suits your schedule. Alternatively, we may suggest other services or arrangements to best address your situation. As always, ISO remains eager and accessible to support your immigration and related needs! If you have questions, please let us know.
 
Visit our Contact page for more details and the updated service schedule. We have also updated the 2021 Winter Holiday Hours flyer to reflect a revised schedule. Please connect with ISO for various resources!

 

ISO's Virtual Town Hall meetings during COVID-19

As warranted, the ISO will host Virtual Town Hall meetings for international students, scholars, and/or UR administrators to cover issues and guidance related to COVID-19 operations and requirements. Our office will continue to deliver these important meetings and post resources and recordings of these events to our Archived Events & Presentation Materials page.

 

Previous Announcements & Updates

  • Modified ISO Service Schedule Effective Monday, 12/6 (12/6/2021)

    As announced in our ISO Student News article this week, ISO is taking action to reduce local COVID-19 risks and will require an appointment to visit the ISO Service Desk in person. Given rising COVID-19 hospitalization rates and burdens on our local health systems, Monroe County has entered a state of emergency and has encouraged local organizations to take steps to limit potential exposure. As stated in @Rochester from December 1st: “The policies and practices that are in place at the University are in line with those recommended by the county executive, public health commissioner, and our own epidemiologists and public health experts. In addition to health and safety practices, the University implemented a new remote work policy over the summer.” 
     
    Effective Monday, December 6, 2021, ISO staff will coordinate most of our efforts in a remote work environment. We are retaining a full scope of virtual advising services, including individual appointments, Student Drop-In Advising Hours, and inquiries by phone and email as previously scheduled (see below). Moving forward, the primary change in our schedule relates to our ISO Service Desk in College Town. We have launched a new scheduling tool for brief office visits and staff will be available primarily for in-person document distribution purposes. Various appointment blocks will be available most weekdays, generally between 11:00am and 3:00pm (excluding Wednesdays), based on recent trends this semester. To schedule an office visit, ISO staff will review your situation and share a link that allows you to select an upcoming appointment time that suits your schedule. Alternatively, we may suggest other services or arrangements to best address your situation. As always, ISO remains eager and accessible to support your immigration and related needs! If you have questions, please let us know.
     
    Visit our Contact page for more details and the updated service schedule. We have also updated the 2021 Winter Holiday Hours flyer to reflect a revised schedule. Please connect with ISO for various resources!

     

  • New COVID-19 Travel Restrictions: Southern Africa (12/1/2021)

    On November 29th, a Presidential Proclamation was issued restricting travel from eight nations in southern Africa: the Republic of Botswana, the Kingdom of Eswatini, the Kingdom of Lesotho, the Republic of Malawi, the Republic of Mozambique, the Republic of Namibia, the Republic of South Africa, and the Republic of Zimbabwe. Noncitizen travelers will not be permitted to enter the US if they were physically present within these regions during the 14-day period prior to arrival, subject to specific and narrow exceptions. Please monitor ISO's COVID-19 Travel Considerations for details. 

  • Revisions to COVID-19 Travel Restrictions (11/1/2021)

    On October 25th, another Presidential Proclamation was issued related to entering the US as a nonimmigrant traveler. ISO has updated the summary of Restrictions on Travel & US Consular Operations due to COVID-19. The new provisions go into effect on November 8th, which will lift the previous restrictions on certain geographic regions and impose limited entry by unvaccinated nonimmigrant travelers. For comparison or to reference the travel restrictions in place through November 7th, please access the previous iteration of ISO's summary on Travel Restrictions.

  • Revisions to COVID-19 Travel Restrictions (5/7/2021)

    ISO has updated the summary of Restrictions on Travel & US Consular Operations due to COVID-19 following significant . This includes Presidential proclamations that limit entry from certain geographic regions (China, Iran, European Schengen Area, UK & Ireland, Brazil, South Africa, and India), as well as eligibility criteria for nonimmigrant students and academic scholars to qualify for a National Interest Exception. This also covers restrictions on travelers in targeted immigration categories based on work permission, that are now no longer in place. Links are included related to visa processing at US Consulates around the world, ongoing limitations on travel between the US and Canada and Mexico, and guidance from New York State on testing and quarantine requirements. The details and guidance around COVID-19 are subject to change, so prospective travelers are encouraged to access updated information directly from relevant government agencies.

  • Extension of Full-Time Study Guidance for 2021-2022 academic year (5/7/2021)

    On April 26, 2021, the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced that the temporary guidance in place since March 2020 due to COVID-19 public health concerns will remain in place for the 2021-2022 academic year. The temporary suspension of distance education limits for F-1 and J-1 students is designed to accommodate modified academic operations during the pandemic. Please consult ISO's summary of Full-time Study Options for F-1 & J-1 students, providing an immigration framework when determining enrollment requirements for international students.

  • Full-Time Study for F-1 & J-1 Students during COVID-19 (12/21/2020)

    International students are required to pursue full-time enrollment every academic term to maintain their US immigration status as an F-1 Student or J-1 Exchange Visitor while in the US. Additionally, F/J regulations limit using online study to meet the full-time threshold. During the COVID-19 pandemic, however, the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has temporarily suspended these enrollment requirements to accommodate modified academic operations. ISO has prepared a summary of Full-time Study Options for F-1 & J-1 students, providing an immigration framework for Fall 2020 and Spring 2021, and possibly longer.

  • ISO's Summary of Travel Restrictions due to COVID-19 (11/13/2020)

    As many students and scholars are thinking about upcoming travel options, it is important to consider the impact of various government policies on entry to the US, visa processing, etc. ISO has prepared a summary of Restrictions on Travel & US Consular Operations due to COVID-19 [this page is retired]. This includes Presidential proclamations that limit entry from certain geographic regions (China, Iran, European Shengen Area, UK & Ireland, and Brazil) and by targeted immigration categories based on work permission. Links are also included related to visa processing at US Consulates around the world, ongoing limitations on travel between the US and Canada and Mexico, and guidance from New York State on testing and quarantine requirements. The details and guidance around COVID-19 are subject to change, so prospective travelers are encouraged to access updated information directly from relevant government agencies. 

  • ICE releases F-1 supplementary guidance for Fall 2020 (7/24/2020)

    On July 24, 2020, the Department of Homeland Security's Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) issued further guidance regarding Fall 2020 enrollment requirements for F-1 students, with particular focus on clarifying options for new students in Initial SEVIS status. This followed their rescission of guidance from earlier in July and the reinstatement of previous ICE guidance from March 9, 2020. The newest announcement addresses the need for clarifications for Fall 2020.  ISO has prepared a summary of the supplementary guidance. We will be updating our FAQ resources accordingly and offer additional opportunities for Town Hall discussion and questions in early August.

  • University applauds federal decision to rescind ICE guidance (7/14/2020)

    The University of Rochester applauds the news today from the Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) that the policy announced on July 6 to bar the majority of international students from taking online-only courses from U.S. colleges and universities has been rescinded. The University views this reversal as a huge victory for international students currently studying at Rochester and all over the country. The decision to roll back the policy was made at a hearing today by federal judge Allison D. Burroughs.

    Importantly, this news today means that the threat that our current international students faced, which included the real possibility of interrupted or cancelled studies here, is gone. ICE will revert to the guidance it issued this March that allows current students with an active SEVIS (Student and Exchange Visitor Information System) record to take online courses from either in the United States or from their home country or country of residence and maintain their F-1 status. Guidance for new/incoming international students is expected to be forthcoming.

    Since July 6 when the ICE policy news broke, the University immediately expressed our deepest concerns to our Congressional representatives and urged them to support efforts to rescind it. We became fully engaged with the advocacy and legal efforts of our national associations, like the Association of American Universities, and joined with NYU to develop an amicus brief in support of the federal lawsuit that Harvard and MIT brought against ICE. View our amicus brief.

    Our International Services Office (ISO) immediately began to help clarify the July 6 guidance for impacted students, and the team provided up-to-the-minute information and support to our students and their parents.

    Today, we are thrilled for both our international students who contribute so much to the life of the University, and for the state of global education. So many individuals from all over the country came together to respond to this crisis, and we are overcoming it together. We hope that the upcoming guidance for new international students is just as positive.

    ISO will hold a town hall meeting and issue additional FAQs as soon as possible. Again, we want to state unequivocally and directly to all of our international students: you are welcome here.

  • Message from President Mangelsdorf & Provost Clark Regarding ICE Policy (7/10/2020)

    To the University of Rochester Community,

    Monday’s policy announcement by United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) was unexpected, unwarranted, and cruel to the international students at our University and at other universities across the nation. When the policy was announced, the University immediately issued a public statement regarding this troubling and misguided effort, which may put the health and safety – and the futures – of some of our students in jeopardy. We understand the fear, fury, and anxiety this guidance has caused: we share it, and we will work together to overcome it.

    This is obviously a confusing and distressing situation, and we are aggressively pursuing governmental, legal, and educational avenues to challenge these new restrictions. The University is joining with NYU to develop an amicus brief in support of the federal lawsuit that Harvard and MIT have brought against ICE. We have expressed our deepest concerns to our Congressional representatives in both the House and Senate and urged them to support efforts to rescind ICE’s guidance. And we are fully engaged with the advocacy and legal efforts of our national associations, like the Association of American Universities. Meanwhile, our International Services Office is working to clarify the DHS guidance, and the ISO team is offering up-to-the-minute information and support for our affected students and their parents, as well as those who may have questions or concerns about this issue.

    We want to state unequivocally that our international students, who contribute so much to the scholarly, social, and cultural environments at the University of Rochester, are essential to our enterprise and they are core members of our past, present, and future. And we want to state unequivocally and directly to our international students: you are welcome here.

    Sincerely,
    Sarah C. Mangelsdorf, President
    Robert L. Clark, Provost

  • University Response (7/8): ICE Guidance on Fall 2020

    The University of Rochester, like many institutions, was surprised by the July 6 guidance issued by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), which is the agency within the U.S. Department of Homeland Security with oversight of the F-1 student visa program. We are sharing our strong concerns with our elected officials and working with them and our national associations to reverse this misguided policy.

    There are many serious implications for our international students, the University of Rochester, and the future of global education everywhere associated with this announcement, but of paramount concern is that it jeopardizes public health broadly and the safety of thousands of international students nationwide who will be forced to suddenly return home. When correlated to the largely disrupted international travel landscape, its requirements for departure will be difficult and dangerous to enact from a practical perspective. This decision is also very troubling at a time when institutions are embracing alternative modes of delivery.  As institutions demonstrated during Spring 2020, metrics/evaluations are being put in place for online delivery to ensure accurate assessment of a student’s academic progress.

    International students are the most regulated category of students in the United States, and higher education institutions have done an excellent job of helping them meet all the compliance obligations placed on them by the federal government. Our international students contribute in innumerable ways to the academic and cultural life of the University of Rochester ​and of the nation, and we will continue our unwavering support to them.

    We therefore join with other U.S. higher education institutions to strongly urge the administration to rescind this guidance and provide temporary flexibility to permit international students to participate in the range of in-person, online, and hybrid instruction that we are all implementing in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

  • ISO Notice (5/18): COVID-19 FAQ Updates

    As of today, ISO has published substantial revisions and updates to our COVID-19 FAQs. The full list of FAQs covers the following: ISO Services & Operations, Maintaining Status, Academics & Online Study, Employment, Travel & Visas, Incoming Students, and US Taxes & Stimulus Payments. A summary of recent changes is available below.

    During this challenging situation, we appreciate your patience and understanding! Since some immigration matters are more urgent than others, we may need to prioritize our efforts accordingly. Please note that duplicate inquiries typically delay our ability to respond effectively.

    Adjusted ISO Office Hours:ISO continues to remain operational in a remote, virtual environment. Beginning today, May 18th, ISO will be adjusting our staffing schedules to allow for critical coordination among the ISO team. Staff will be available to receive phone calls and general email inquiries during the following hours (Eastern Time):

         Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday: 
         8:30 am to 12:00 pm & 1:00 pm to 4:30 pm
         Wednesday
         9:30 am to 12:00 pm & 1:00 pm to 4:30 pm

    Electronic I-20s: The Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) has indicated that digital signatures and electronic distribution are permitted for the F-1 Form I-20 (not J-1 DS-2019), and that such forms will remain valid after the resumption of normal operations until a new document is needed. ISO is now issuing I-20s with digital signatures on page 1 and page 2. Students will receive the electronic document via their official university email, or an appropriate alternate email previously reported to ISO. This practice is expected to continue for the duration of the COVID-19 crisis, but will be subject to any changes in government guidance or 

    International Travel Guidance: Many international students may want or need to return to their home countries as the academic year draws to a close. While flights to destinations abroad have been significantly reduced, there are still carriers that fly to many destinations from the US. Due to the reductions, consider booking tickets as soon as possible to secure a seat, investing in trip cancellation insurance when available, and even booking through a local travel agency for support during the process.

    Some foreign embassies are coordinating chartered flights for their citizens to return home from the US. Among their COVID-19 resources, the Department of State is maintaining country-specific repatriation information here. Please consult with your respective embassy for additional information.

    Address Reporting & URcompass: International students often forget to report changes of address within 10 days! This is more important than ever during the current health crisis. ISO's new client portal URcompass is now operational. URcompass is currently the best method to report a change of US residential address or to request a new I-20 or DS-2019/travel signature.

  • ISO Notice (4/22): COVID-19 Address Reporting & US Stimulus Payment

    ACTION REQUIRED: ADDRESS REPORTING

    During the COVID-19 pandemic, all F-1 & J-1 students are required to verify or update their US and Foreign Permanent residential addresses to comply with SEVIS reporting obligations. Please use URcompass, ISO’s new client portal, to access the ‘Address Update during COVID-19’ form to view the address details already on record and indicate the appropriate action based on your current location. This information must be submitted no later than Sunday, April 26th. Upon submission, ISO will assess your reported details to determine whether an address update is required in SEVIS.

    UPDATED FAQs on STIMULUS PAYMENT

    Some international students and scholars have received a COVID-19 stimulus relief payment from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). In general, only those who are considered to be residents for tax purposes should receive this payment; please visit the IRS website to determine your eligibility.  The ISO has prepared a series of Frequently Asked Questions on the current stimulus payments, which are now posted to our COVID-19 FAQs page. Please consider consulting a tax professional who specializes in nonresident tax compliance, if you have more questions and believe you have received a stimulus payment in error.

  • ISO Notice (3/14): ISO Operations and FAQs in response to Coronavirus

    ISO recognizes, as stated on the university’s website, that the current COVID-19 is a challenging and uncertain situation. We are here to support and assist you through the complexities that this crisis presents.  We also acknowledge that there is concern about ISO not being responsive to the university message of Wednesday, March 11. Please be assured that we have been working very diligently to gather appropriate information and will vigilantly continue to monitor developments to ensure that any communication contains the most accurate and latest information from all sources, particularly the Department of Homeland Security.

    To protect you and the ISO staff, and based on guidelines from the university and public health experts, we are making operational changes as precautionary measures to ensure safety for our community. These changes will not impact our level and quality of service; it is a change in how we deliver these in an environment that promotes the well-being of all. Below is an update on what we will be doing, keeping your safety in mind.

    Operational Changes to ISO Services and Advising:

    Effective Monday, March 16, 2020: Consistent with university policy, ISO will move all advising and business processes to a virtual environment. Please find below changes to our operations:

    • All advising and business will be conducted either via ZOOM/Skype, phone, or email. ISO will be leveraging additional technologies to allow for secure submission of documents and information related to immigration requests; more guidance will be coming soon. Alternatively, we will accept PDF documents via email.  You can choose the technology that you are most comfortable with, and we will provide the topline services that you expect from us. There may be a few glitches as we roll out virtual operations, so please be patient as we fix any technical issues.
    • ISO will continue to accept calls and emails during open office hours, Monday to Friday, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm, except for Wednesday when we open at 9:30 am. Please connect with us by email to questions@iso.rochester.edu or by phone to +1-585-275-2866.  For crisis situations while the office is closed, please contact UR’s Department of Public Safety at +1-585-275-3333.
    • All satellite hours (River Campus and Eastman) are canceled for the remainder of the semester, and all services and business usually provided will be done virtually. Pick up, and drop-offs at all locations will be affected, so please work with your school in determining the most efficient way to get documents and other materials delivered. As things change, we will advise on specific recommendations.
    • We will also be suspending our 1:1 GTP Assistant tax support, but our staff is available to answer any questions via email. Inquires can be submitted via email to tax@iso.rochester.edu.
    • Due to the shift in our mode of operations, all immigration processing for newly admitted students will be postponed to April 1.

    In response to recent inquiries, the ISO has prepared a list of Frequently Asked Questions regarding Coronavirus/COVID-19, particularly as they may impact international students in F-1 or J-1 status.  Please find these FAQs online: iso.rochester.edu/covid19faq.html.  This resource will be updated as appropriate.

    We recognize that these are unsettling times, and some of the changes enumerated above alter the way we interact and conduct business. Thank you for your patience and understanding. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact Ravi Shankar.

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