International Student and Scholar

On December 12, 2025, USCIS issued a Policy Alert announcing new guidance governing the submission and reuse of photographs for immigration benefit requests. It is no longer accepting self-submitted photos and is limiting when USCIS-taken photos may be reused in benefit requests. Only photos taken by USCIS, at an Application Support Center (ASC) for a Biometrics Services Appointment (BSA), or other authorized entities will be allowed.

On December 16, 2025, President Trump issued a new Presidential Proclamation titled: Restricting and Limiting the Entry of Foreign Nationals to Protect the Security of the United States. This proclamation will take effect at 12:01 a.m.

On December 4, 2025, USCIS announced that it will reduce the maximum validity period for Employment Authorization Documents (EAD) for several application categories, including Adjustment of Status applicants, from five years to 18 months. This change affects EAD applications that are approved after December 5, 2025. It does NOT affect the validity of EADs that were previously approved and does not apply to all EAD categories.

On November 27, 2025, USCIS issued new policy guidance, directing officers to consider "relevant country-specific facts and circumstances such as those outlined in [Presidential Proclamation (PP)] 10949," during adjudications of benefit requests.

This document has been prepared by the Office of the Vice President and General Counsel to help the U-M community better understand current immigration laws and policies in the United States.

In a notice published on September 3, 2025, DHS is requesting approval to significantly expand the data collected through Form I-17, Petition for Approval of School for Attendance by Nonimmigrant Student, and Form I-20, Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant (F–1 and M-1) Student Status.

On 10/29/2025, the Department of Homeland Security announced an interim final rule that will end the practice of automatically extending EADs (employment authorization document cards) for individuals filing renewal applications in most EAD eligibility categories. The rule will take effect on October 30, 2025.

- updated 11/6/2025 -

On September 24, 2025, the Department of Homeland Security-US Citizenship and Immigration Services (DHS/USCIS) published a proposed rule titled Weighted Selection Process for Registrants and Petitioners Seeking to File Cap-Subject H-1B Petitions.

On Thursday, August 28, 2025, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) published a proposed rule in the Federal Register to end “duration of status” (D/S) for F and J nonimmigrants. Admission for “duration of status”(D/S) allows students and scholars in F or J immigration status to remain in the U.S. as long as their I-20 or DS-2019 is valid.