International students and scholars

Page updated Sept. 3, 2025

Proposed limits on visa duration

On Aug. 28, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement published a notice of proposed rulemaking in the Federal Register that would impose a fixed limit on the duration of F, J and I visa holders. This would reverse longstanding policy that admitted F and J visa holders for the duration of their academic programs. If adopted, it would limit visas to the duration of the academic program or four years, whichever is shorter, plus 30 days after the conclusion of the program. Those who would require extra time to complete their program or Optional Practical Training would have to request an extension.

The proposed regulation would also limit students’ ability to transfer or change their programs, majors and/or educational levels. Additionally, it would also prevent students who have completed a program from pursuing another degree at the same or lower educational level.

The Association of American Universities, of which the UW is a member, is planning to submit a comment during the 30-day comment window detailing the hardships and costs this would impose on international students, as well as how it would make the United States a less competitive destination for students and increase the cost to the federal government of visa processing.

Country-based restrictions

A presidential executive order issued on Jan. 20 directed a review of federal visa policies around countries or regions determined to pose security risks. On June 4, a presidential order was issued banning entry to the United States by nationals of 12 countries and restricting entry by nationals of seven countries as of June 9. It does not apply to individuals already in the United States who have existing visas or are lawful permanent residents. There are also exceptions for some visa categories. An Aug. 18 cable to U.S. embassies and consulates also imposed a ban on issuing virtually all categories of visas, including to international students, to people applying with passports issued by the Palestinian Authority.

The University is assessing the implications of these orders and directives on UW students and scholars from the affected countries, and is communicating directly with those individuals. Nationals from these countries should contact their campus’ international student services or scholars offices at the links in the Resources section below with questions or further guidance if needed.

International student visa revocations

In late March, reports from other colleges and universities indicated that F-1 and J-1 student visas were being cancelled by the U.S. government and student SEVIS immigration records were being terminated without notice to the school or student and with few details provided. UW international student services staff began regular checks of SEVIS records and in early April identified students and recent graduates participating in post-graduation training who had been affected. UW staff has been contacting these students and graduates directly to provide resources. A statement was issued on April 7 about this situation and subsequently updated as new information became available, including regarding actions by courts and the federal government. As of April 28, records for all affected UW students and recent graduates were restored by the federal government, however media reports indicate the administration is also developing a new system of reviewing these records so the University will continue to closely monitor the situation.

University officials are not receiving any notifications from the government when they terminate the SEVIS record, but other schools indicate that students receive an email from the embassy or consulate where their visa was issued. If you are have an F-1 or J-1 student visa and receive an official e-mail or other official communication saying that your visa has been cancelled and you must leave the United States, please contact your campus’ international student services office immediately. Links for each campus office appear below.

Additionally, an executive order issued on Jan. 29 related to Title VI enforcement and antisemitism caused concern that individuals’ visas could be revoked, including based on political views or actions. Since then, the U.S. Department of State has revoked a number of visas with national security concerns and/or expressions of antisemitism as the stated reasons.

Visas for students from China

On May 28, the U.S. Department of State announced that it will work with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to “aggressively revoke visas for Chinese students, including those with connections to the Chinese Communist Party or studying in critical fields.” At this time, it is not known what criteria or legal justification will be used, or what fields are considered “critical.”

The University is closely monitoring this situation and international student services offices will communicate directly with potentially affected students.

As stated above, if you are have an F-1 or J-1 student visa and receive an official e-mail or other official communication saying that your visa has been cancelled and you must leave the United States, please contact your campus’ international student services office immediately.

Resources

All of these measures are under active review by the University and more information will be provided when available. The Office of Global Affairs has compiled resources for international students and scholars and the offices serving international students on each campus are also available to provide information.