News

On January 14, 2026 the U.S. Department of State posted an announcement relating to a pause in the processing of immigrant visas that will take effect on January 21, 2026.

Who is impacted?

On January 1, 2026, USCIS issued an additional Policy Memorandum: Hold and Review of USCIS Benefit Applications Filed by Aliens from Additional High-Risk Countries to include the additional countries listed in the December 16th, 2025 Expanded travel ban (

On December 16, 2025, President Trump issued a new and expanded Travel Proclamation - Restricting and Limiting the Entry of Foreign Nationals To Protect The Security Of The United States.

On December 4th we shared that the Department of State (DOS) announced it will expand its online presence review requirement to all H-1B principal applicants and H-4 dependents, effective December 15, 2025.

On December 3, 2025, the Department of State (DOS) announced that it will expand its online presence review requirement to all H-1B principal applicants and H-4 dependents, effective December 15, 2025.

On December 2, 2025 USCIS issued a new Policy Memorandum: Hold and Review of all Pending Asylum Applications and all USCIS Benefit Applications Filed by Aliens from High-Risk Countries.

Effective immediately, the memorandum directs U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to:

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has issued an Interim Final Rule (IFR) that ends the practice of automatically extending the validity of Employment Authorization Documents (EADs) for aliens who timely file a renewal application in certain eligibility categories, effective on October 30, 2025. For renewal EAD applications (Form I-765) filed on or after October 30, 2025, the current up-to 540-day automatic extension w

On October 1, 2025, a federal government shutdown began, due to Congress failing to pass legislation to fund the government for the new fiscal year (FY 2026). A U.S. government shutdown can have a range of impacts on international students, scholars, and employees at UC Berkeley, primarily by disrupting the operations of key federal agencies responsible for immigration. The severity of the impact generally depends on the duration of the shutdown, as well as how those agencies are funded. Some of these impacts may include the following:

On September 24, 2025, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) proposed a rule to change the H-1B lottery system from a purely random selection process to a weighted selection process based on the worker's proposed wage level. The proposed rule, titled "Weighted Selection Process for Registrants and Petitioners Seeking To File Cap-Subject H-1B Petitions," aims to encourage employers to offer higher wages

Updated 10/20/2025: USCIS has updated its web page on H-1B Specialty Occupations to include updated information on the Presidential Proclamation on Restriction on Entry of Certain Nonimmigrant Workers. Some notable confirmations include:

On September 6, 2025 the U.S. Department of State posted a notice indicating that, effective immediately, applicants for visas were to follow new guidance:

Updated 10/1/2025

Updated 05/30/2025

As of April 26, 2025, the U.S. government has reversed the termination of SEVIS records for over 1,800 international students studying in the U.S., and has temporarily halted any further terminations.

There are confirmed cases of SEVIS record terminations and visa revocations for international students at institutions nationwide, including within the UC system and at UC Berkeley. We understand that this may be causing stress and anxiety, and encourage you to reach out to support, including the Berkeley International Office, for guidance and resources.

This page shares information and resources related to recent executive orders, policies, and legislation, as well as their potential impact to our international students, scholars and employees. While we try to ensure our information is timely and accurate, new updates can come unexpectedly.

The U.S. Department of State announced a revision to its visa interview waiver policy on February 18, 2025, reversing the prior policy update made on December 21, 2023, which allowed for more applicants to bypass in-person interviews.

This page shares information and resources related to recent executive orders, policies, and legislation, as well as their potential impact to our international students, scholars and employees. While we try to ensure our information is timely and accurate, new updates can come unexpectedly.