Immigration Updates and Frequently Asked Questions

What are the most important tips that international community members should know? We recommend that our international clients take several key actions:

• Ensure documents are up-to-date: Everyone must maintain a valid passport. Students must make sure their I-20 or DS-2019 accurately reflects their program of study, research, or teaching. Scholars and employees will need their DS-2019 or H-1B documents to accurately reflect their current work at UVM.
• Add the campus police number to their phone and download the CatSafe app.
• You are encouraged to carry original immigration documents on your person, particularly a printed copy of the Form I-94, which is evidence of your status of admission into the US. Take caution when carrying these important documents - do not leave them in an unattended bag, etc. 

What supports, other than OIE, are available for international students and employees? Within UVM, only the OIE can advise the OIE-sponsored about UVM-sponsored immigration record matters. Additionally, students can access support from a wide range of UVM departments such as Counseling and Psychiatry Services, the UVM Intercultural Centers, the Dean of Student’s Office, the Graduate College, and their home unit/department. Faculty and staff have additional support through Human Resources. Finally, we encourage our international students and scholars to connect with their support network of friends and peers – whether other students, faculty, staff, or others outside the university.

Does UVM provide legal representation to the international community? UVM cannot provide or pay for legal representation to individuals, but we can support our community in helping to identify an immigration attorney if one is needed for any reason.

Can OIE do individual advising appointments with the international community? Yes. Our team is available to meet with anyone in our international community. Appointments can be scheduled online. If you work with a UVM student or employee who would benefit from additional support, let us know (internationalstudents@uvm.edu or internationalscholars@uvm.edu) and our team can do an individualized outreach.

If Governmental Agents or Law Enforcement visit campus, what should we do? If an individual from a law enforcement or governmental agency appears, contact police services dispatch immediately at 802-656-3473. For more information about subpoenas, warrants, government agent, and law enforcement visits to campus, see the UVM Federal Actions website. In general, when interacting with federal agencies, we recommend: 

• Be prepared to share original immigration documents
• Answer questions honestly and succinctly
• If you are observing enforcement, be a good witness but do not interfere or impede officers

General Updates

September 14, 2026 - Federal Court blocks Duration of Status rule changes from taking effect. A federal judge has granted preliminary relief to the implementation of the Duration of Status rule changes that were expected to go into effect on September 15th, 2026. That rule included provisions to create a fixed period of admission to the US, shortened grace periods to 30 days, and reduced flexibility in F-1 education program changes. Because of this ruling, the longstanding "Duration of Status" framework as well as other educational program flexibilities remain in place at this time. 

Members of the international community should continue to monitor their I-94 upon entry to the United States and make any necessary educational program changes (extensions, change of level, change of major) on a timely basis, in partnership with the OIE. 

USCIS Processing Timelines: United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) processing timelines have slowed and there is an increase in Requests for Evidence (RFE) on USCIS applications. While the processing pause that was applied to citizens of certain countries in winter of 2026 has been vacated by a federal course, we continue to urge our community to apply for any necessary USCIS benefits as early as allowable to avoid later issues. 

Travel and Reentry Updates

Current Travel Bans: On June 4, 2025, the federal administration issued a proclamation suspending or limiting entry to the United States for citizens of 19 different countries. Effective January 1, 2026, a new proclamation revised this ban to include new countries. There are two tiers to these restrictions: 

• A suspension of entry applies to individuals seeking entry to the U.S. who are citizens of Afghanistan, Burma, Burkina Faso, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Laos, Libya, Mali, Niger, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Yemen, and individuals traveling on any travel documents issued or endorsed by the Palestinian Authority.
• A suspension of entry applies to individuals in certain statuses (including F and J statuses, but excluding H-1B status, for example) seeking entry to the U.S. who are citizens of Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Burundi, Cote D’Ivoire, Cuba, Dominica, Gabon, The Gambia, Malawi, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania, Togo, Tonga, Venezuela, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. 

UVM community members – both current and prospective – may be impacted by this proclamation if they were outside of the United States and did not hold a valid visa when the executive order went into effect. We urge any international community members to meet with our staff if they have questions about how they are affected. New students from affected countries should consult the Office of International Education to understand impacts, which will vary based on their circumstances.

International travel for those not impacted by travel bans: We strongly recommend that prospective travelers review our travel and reentry pages for international students or international scholars and employees and then consult with our department’s advising team before making any arrangements. 

Travel within the United States: When traveling within the US, OIE clients should follow all of the recommendations in the first question on this page (carry documents, have the UVM police phone number in their phone, ensure documents are up-to-date). Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has a territorial area within 100 miles of US borders which means that stops can happen in most of the state of Vermont as well as elsewhere around the country.

Technology and Travel: Travel with technology can introduce additional rules that people might not think about (such as rules around information and technology that can and cannot be taken outside of the US). If you will be taking a computer or other equipment, materials, software or data abroad, you must refer to and comply with all Export Control regulations. Please consult UVM’s Export Control Regulation page for more information. Technology can also be screened by CBP when you enter the US – social media, emails, etc. For employees of the university traveling for UVM-related reasons, this website offers some additional insights on information security. 

Reentry into the United States: At CBP, travelers should be ready to explain what they are doing in the US in a polite, succinct and honest way that matches what is on your immigration documents. Alignment in verbal answers and material evidence (your documents) is critical. This is called primary inspection. Sometimes, individuals may be flagged for secondary inspection. This takes the traveler out of the regular immigration line and a CBP officer will ask additional questions. This is not unusual and it does not mean there is a problem. Often, this is a way officials can look more closely at documents and ask follow-up questions without delaying other travelers. They might also search through the traveler’s physical belongings or electronic devices in secondary inspection.

Sometimes, in secondary inspection, a CBP officer might have a question about the traveler’s UVM immigration documents. If this is the case, the traveler or CBP officer can call either the OIE (802-656-4296) during business hours from 8-4:30 Monday through Friday, or UVM Police Services (802-656-3473) after hours. When calling, the caller should explain they are an international UVM client supported by the Office of International Education and need to speak with an immigration team member. UVM Police can reach appropriate OIE team members after hours.

I am traveling for UVM purposes. Can I get a letter explaining why I am traveling? Yes - UVM can write a letter for any UVM traveler, regardless of citizenship, who is traveling for official UVM purposes. Information about how to request these letters is found on the International Programs and Partnerships website. This letter is not necessary for travel, but might be helpful for certain types of travel. 

We urge departments hosting international scholars and employees to make requests as early as possible. Departments currently engaged in searches or preparing to launch searches should continue to follow their normal process for recruitment and hiring and consult with the Office of International Education (internationalscholars@uvm.edu) if you have applicants who may require sponsorship. This will allow us to review the applicant's circumstances in light of any current travel bans (see section above), adjudication pauses, or other new policies. Key current policies are outlined below. 

USCIS Processing Timelines: United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) processing timelines have slowed and there is an increase in Requests for Evidence (RFE) on USCIS applications. While the processing pause that was applied to citizens of certain countries in winter of 2026 has been vacated by a federal course, we continue to urge our community to apply for any necessary USCIS benefits as early as allowable to avoid later issues. 

H-1B Program Changes: The H-1B program changes implemented in September 2025, including the $100,000 fine for initial petitions outside of the US, have been ordered vacated. Hiring departments should continue to consult with the OIE early for prospective hires requiring H-1B sponsorship.