On June 22, the President signed a Proclamation that extends the suspension of entry to the U.S. of immigrants abroad seeking U.S. permanent residency (adjustment of status) and individuals who present a risk to the U.S. labor market due to COVID-19. This proclamation does not apply to F or J academic visas who will enter the U.S. for the purpose of study. J-1 academic exchange categories, and J-1 professor, research scholar, short-term scholar, and college or university students are excluded from this proclamation. 

This proclamation does not apply to F-1 students authorized for OPT.  OPT was excluded from this proclamation and no changes have been made to the current OPT benefits. 

The proclamation suspends and limits entry through the end of December 2020 for immigrants abroad seeking permanent residency to the U.S. The proclamation also suspends entry to the U.S. of new H, J (non-academic categories), and L visa categories through the end of December. This does not apply to immigrants or visa holders already in the U.S. under these visa categories or anyone abroad who already holds one of these valid visas. For individuals outside the U.S. who are applying for an immigrant visa for U.S. permanent residency (adjustment of status) or an H, J (non-academic category), or L visa, consult an immigration attorney for advice and options.

ISI receives updates from the U.S. Student & Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) and the Department of State (DOS). The U.S. government also makes these updates available for the public.

• Department of Homeland Security – Study in the States: COVID-19 Resources
• Department of State guidance for J-1 students – Exchange Visitor Program Information on Coronavirus (COVID-19)

As of March 20, the U.S. Department of State announced they are temporarily suspending routine immigrant and non-immigrant visa appointments at all U.S. Embassies and Consulates. As resources allow, embassies and consulates will continue to provide emergency and mission critical visa services. They will  resume routine visa services as soon as possible but are unable to provide a specific date at this time.

If you need to travel outside the U.S. and will require a new visa before returning, we recommend you review the Embassy or Consulate’s visa appointment information where you will be traveling before you make final travel plans. You may want to reconsider your travel plans since we do not know how long this suspension will last.

As of March 17, SSA has suspended all face-to-face services at all Social Security offices. Review information and updates online at Social Security & Coronavirus or contact the local office to determine whether appointments are available.

The May 24 Presidential Proclamation updates previous travel restrictions. It suspends entry into the U.S. of all non-U.S. citizens who were physically present within the following countries during the 14-day period preceding their entry to the U.S.

• People’s Republic of China (excluding Hong Kong and Macau)
• Islamic Republic of Iran
• Schengen Area (Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland)
• United Kingdom, excluding overseas territories outside of Europe
• Ireland
• Brazil

Please continue to monitor the news, airline travel information, and this web page for changes or updates.

• CDC: "Travelers Prohibited from Entry to the United States"
• CDC: "Returning from International Travel" 
• CDC: "COVID-19 Travel Recommendations by Country" 
• Student & Exchange Visitor Program Stakeholder COVID-19 FAQ - CDC resources are provided on page 14