International students and scholars

Page updated May 23, 2025: New section on adjustment of status policy added

Change to federal adjustment of status policy

On May 22, 2026, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced it would start approving I-485 Applications to Adjust Status (“permanent resident” or the “Green Card” application) only in “extraordinary circumstances.” This policy could affect any University of Washington student or employee who has applied or will apply for permanent residence inside the U.S. Under this updated policy guidance, USCIS officers may treat Adjustment of Status as an “extraordinary” form of relief and otherwise generally expect applicants to complete immigrant visa processing through a U.S. consulate or embassy outside the United States.

This does not directly impact F-1 and J-1 international students unless you have filed or plan to file an adjustment of status for U.S. permanent residency. Other applications and petitions to extend your stay, change non-immigrant visa categories, or change to an employment-based visa category (e.g. I-539 Applications to Change or Extend Status, I-129 Petitions for Nonimmigrant Workers) should also not be affected.

Because this policy is newly announced, it is unclear how it will be applied in individual cases, and fully understanding its scope and impact may take time. We encourage any UW student or employee with a pending I-485 application to consult with a private immigration attorney for guidance, with the understanding that those attorneys may also be awaiting further information.

The Office for Academic Personnel and Faculty and International Student Services have both posted additional information regarding this policy change.

Proposed limits on visa duration

On Aug. 28, 2025, 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.

As of May 2026, The Department of Homeland Security has reportedly submitted the final rule that will eliminate F and J “duration of status” to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review. The final rule has not been published, and the content is not yet available. However, we anticipate it will be published to the Federal Register in the coming weeks. There will be a 60-day period once the final rule is published before it goes into effect. International Student Services continues to monitor the proposed regulatory changes and has posted a blog, Preparing for Possible Changes to Duration of Status, to help international students prepare for the possible changes. Once the final rule is published, we will send communications to all F-1 and J-1 students as well as the campus community.

The Association of American Universities, of which the UW is a member, submitted a comment during the 30-day comment window expressing its member’s “significant concern and opposition” to the rule. The comment detailed 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, 2025, directed a review of federal visa policies around countries or regions determined to pose security risks. On June 4, 2025, 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, 2025. It did 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.

Similar travel restrictions were extended to additional countries in a Dec. 16, 2025, executive order taking effect Jan. 1, 2026, bringing to 39 the total number of countries with full or partial entry restrictions. This order also extended an August 2025 ban on issuing virtually all categories of visas, including to international students, to people applying with passports issued by the Palestinian Authority.

In each instance, the University assesses the implications of the orders and directives on UW students and scholars from the affected countries and communicates 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.

On April 30, 2026, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) updated its guidance on its “processing hold” for nationals of high-risk countries to include an exception for physicians. As a result, affected applications and petitions for UW physicians may still be adjudicated after lengthy processing delays. ISO is tracking these cases and has reached out to those affected. Read ISO’s blog for more information.

H-1B visa fee

On Sept. 19, 2025, President Trump signed an executive order implementing a $100,000 fee for H-1B visa applications. According to guidance issued later, this only applies to H-1B petitions that had not yet been filed before Sept. 21, 2025. This means the new fee should not apply to any UW employee who has already had an H-1B petition filed and/or approved. The Association of American Universities, of which the UW is a member, has joined a lawsuit filed by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce that challenges the new H-1B fee. On Dec. 15, 2025, a coalition of 20 states, including Washington, also filed a lawsuit challenging the $100,000 fee. On Dec. 23, 2025, a federal judge denied the plaintiffs’ request for a summary judgement and found that the changes to H-1B applications are lawful. The AAU and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce filed an appeal Dec. 29, 2025.

As of Nov. 10, 2025, the UW lifted its pause on the filing of new H-1B petitions. International Scholars Operations will reach out to school, college and campus leadership to discuss strategies for affected cases, which may include exploration of other visa types, national interest exemptions, and delaying start dates. Units may consider paying the new $100,000 fee only for positions deemed essential and mission-critical, and where all other visa options have been exhausted. Such instances must be approved as follows: Dr. Tim Dellit will have final approval on UW Medicine clinical appointments and Provost Tricia Serio will have final approval for all other faculty appointments in the schools, colleges and campuses. General operating funds (GOF), which come from state appropriations and tuition revenue, may not be used to pay the $100,000 fee. Other funds may be used with discretion.

International student visa revocations

In late March 2025, 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, 2025, 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, 2025, 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, 2025, 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.