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White House Reveals FY22 R&D Priorities

The White House has published a memorandum outlining the FY22 Research and Development priorities for federal agencies. AI and QIS remain a top priority, however due to COVID-19, significant focus has been placed on public health concerns including vaccine development and infectious disease research. Other areas of interest include energy, space, and security.

Read the full memo here.

Additional Information from ICE and the Department of State

On July 15th, US Immigration and Customs Enforcement published an updated FAQ for SEVP stakeholders following the repeal of the “July 6th Directive”. Of note, initial students should not travel to the US to begin their program. SEVP provides further guidance for designated school officials.

Additionally, the US Department of State has announced that certain visa holders departing from the Schengen Area, UK, and Ireland may travel to the US, even under current prohibitions. This does not apply to travelers departing from China, Brazil, or Iran.

  • F-1 and M-1 visa holders do not need to apply for an exception to travel to the US.
  • J-1 visa holders should contact their nearest US Embassy or Consulate to request an exception to travel to the US.
  • H-1B and other visa holders must qualify for a national interest exception. This requires that they are seeking entry for purposes related to the public health response to the pandemic, humanitarian, or national security reasons. If travelers believe they qualify, they should contact their nearest US Embassy or Consulate.

ICE SEVP Directive Withdrawn

US Immigration and Customs Enforcement has withdrawn the “July 6th” directive requiring F-1 and M-1 students to leave the US if their classes are entirely online. The Student Exchange and Visitor Program (SEVP) will revert back to guidance issued at the beginning of the pandemic, meaning students will not face deportation based on the format of their classes.

Live updates here.

ICE SEVP Modifies Temporary Exemptions for Student Visas

Today, US Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Student Exchange and Visitor Program (SEVP) modified temporary exemptions for non-immigrant students taking online classes due to COVID-19.

The modifications include:

  • Nonimmigrant F-1 and M-1 students attending schools operating entirely online may not take a full online course load and remain in the United States.
  • Nonimmigrant F-1 students attending schools operating under normal in-person classes are bound by existing federal regulations.
  • Nonimmigrant F-1 students attending schools adopting a hybrid model—that is, a mixture of online and in person classes—will be allowed to take more than one class or three credit hours online. These schools must certify to SEVP, through the Form I-20, “Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant Student Status,” certifying that the program is not entirely online, that the student is not taking an entirely online course load this semester, and that the student is taking the minimum number of online classes required to make normal progress in their degree program.

Even under the hybrid model, F-1 students may not remain in the US if all of their classes are online.

Currently, US Embassies and Consulates are still not conducting any routine visa services. Additionally, foreign students may be affected by COVID-19 entry restrictions, which bar foreign nationals coming from Brazil, China, the Schengen Area, UK, Ireland, and Iran.