Office of International Education and Development

US Immigration Updates

US Immigration Updates

What is this database?

This resource is a searchable database of US immigration updates impacting members of the Appalachian community. This is a general information summary database of select immigration updates and is not intended to be comprehensive.

This table is updated weekly on Mondays.

Please contact issso@appstate.edu if you would like to suggest an update or if you have questions or concerns regarding your specific situation.

Title	Topic	Population impacted	Effective start date of guidance	End date of guidance
DHS eases work rules for some Syrian, Venezuelan F-1 students Syrian and Venezuelan students in F-1 status may request work authorization, work an increased number of hours, and reduce their courseload while maintaining F-1 status.	Employment Other	F-1 student	April 22, 2021	September 30, 2022
F-1 Students from Burma eligible to apply for Severe Economic Hardship (special work authorization + reduced course load) F-1 students whose country of citizenship is Burma/Myanmar are eligible to apply for authorization to work off-campus, work more than 20 hours/week, and take less than the full-time required course load Undergarduate student could enroll in 6 credits/ semester instead of the required 12 credits/semester; graduate students could enroll in 3 credits/semester instead of the required 9 credits/semester	Employment Other	F-1 student	May 25, 2021	November 25, 2022
DHS Designates Haiti for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) Department of Homeland Security designates Haiti for Temporary Protected Status from May 21, 2021 to December 31, 2022 Citizens of Haiti who demonstrate conintuous residence in the US as of May 21, 2021 are eligible for TPS under Haiti's designation Individuals who are granted TPS 1) are protected from forced removal from the US (deportation), 2) can obtain special authorization to work in the US, and 3) may be granted authorization to leave and re-enter the US Department of Homeland Security re-designates Haiti for Temporary Protected status from August 3, 2021 to February 3, 2023	Employment Other	F-1 student J-1 student J-1 scholar H-1B Permanent resident Dependent DACA	May 21, 2021	December 31, 2022
H-1B, F and J Visa Interview Waiver Eligibility DHS has temporarily expanded the ability of consular officers to waive the in-person interview requirement for individuals applying for a nonimmigrant visa (H-1B, H-2, F-1, F-2, J-1, J-2)	Travel Other	F-1 student J-1 student J-1 scholar H-1B Dependent	December 23, 2021	December 31, 2022
DHS extends Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for El Salvador, Haiti, Honduras, Nepal, Nicaragua, and Sudan The Department of Homeland Security published a Federal Register notice (FRN) announcing that it is automatically extending the validity of TPS-related documentation for beneficiaries under the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) designations for El Salvador, Haiti, Honduras, Nepal, Nicaragua, and Sudan through Dec. 31, 2022. On March 1,2022 - Sudan was redesignated until September 1, 2023. Individuals who are granted TPS 1) are protected from forced removal from the US (deportation), 2) can obtain special authorization to work in the US, and 3) may be granted authorization to leave and re-enter the US.	Travel Employment Other	F-1 student J-1 student J-1 scholar H-1B Permanent resident Dependent DACA	September 13, 2021	December 31, 2022
USCIS Extends Flexibility for Response time to Requests for Evidence and Others This flexibility ended on March 23, 2023 and is no longer in effect. USCIS will accept responses to Requests for Evidence and Notices of Intent to Deny (see website for full list) that are received by USCIS within 60 calendar days of the due date set in the request or notice for any notice that is dated between March 1, 2020 and March 23, 2023; USCIS will not take any action. For example, if you receive a Request for Evidence with a due date of October 1, 2021, you now have an additional 60 days (until November 30, 2021) to respond to this Request for Evidence.	Other	F-1 student J-1 student J-1 scholar H-1B Permanent resident Dependent	December 30, 2021	January 23, 2023
DHS Designates Yemen for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for 18 months Department of Homeland Security designates Yemen for Temporary Protected status from September 4, 2021 to March 21, 2023 Citizens of Yemen who demonstrate conintuous residence in the US as of September 4, 2021 are eligible for TPS under Yemen's designation. Individuals who are granted TPS 1) are protected from forced removal from the US (deportation), 2) can obtain special authorization to work in the US, and 3) may be granted authorization to leave and re-enter the US	Employment Other	F-1 student J-1 student J-1 scholar H-1B Permanent resident Dependent DACA	September 4, 2021	March 3, 2023
F-1 Students from Yemen eligible to apply for Severe Economic Hardship (special work authorization + reduced course load) F-1 students whose country of citizenship is Yemen are eligible to apply for authorization to work off-campus, work more than 20 hours/week, and take less than the full-time required course load Undergarduate student could enroll in 6 credits/ semester instead of the required 12 credits/semester; graduate students could enroll in 3 credits/semester instead of the required 9 credits/semester	Employment Other	F-1 student	September 4, 2021	March 3, 2023
Negative COVID-19 Test Requirement for Travelers from China This guidance was rescinded and is no longer in effect as of 3:00pm on March 10, 2023. From January 5 to March 10 at 2:59pm, all air passengers two years and older originating from the People's Republic of China were required to get a test (such as a PCR test or an antigen self-test administered and monitored by a telehealth service or a licensed provider and authorized by the Food and Drug Administration or the relevant national authority) no more than 2 days before their departure from the PRC, Hong Kong, or Macau, and show a negative test resul t to the airline upon departure.	Travel	F-1 student J-1 student J-1 scholar H-1B Permanent resident Dependent DACA	January 5, 2023	March 10, 2023
DHS Designates Somalia for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for 18 months Department of Homeland Security designates Somalia for Temporary Protected status from September 18, 2021 to March 17, 2023 Citizens of Somalia who demonstrate conintuous residence in the US as of September 18, 2021 are eligible for TPS under Somalia's designation. Individuals who are granted TPS 1) are protected from forced removal from the US (deportation), 2) can obtain special authorization to work in the US, and 3) may be granted authorization to leave and re-enter the US	Employment Other	F-1 student J-1 student J-1 scholar H-1B Permanent resident Dependent DACA	September 18, 2021	March 17, 2023