If you plan to leave and re-enter the United States, be sure to review Re-entry to the U.S.
If you are in the U.S. as an F-1 student or J-1 student or scholar, here are a few important points to remember.
On 12/6/2024, the US Department of State announced that, effective 12/9/2024, it is changing the J-1 "skills list." If a country is removed from the skills list, the two-year home residency obligation is retroactively removed for individuals from that country as long as they are not also subject on a different basis, e.g. government funding or J-1 program category (Alien Physician).
On January 29, 2025, Executive Action 13899, entitled “Additional Measures to Combat Anti-Semitism”, was signed by the President of the United States. The executive action specifically mentions “alien students or staff”. “Alien”, a term that has been recently re-introduced, refers to anyone who is not a citizen or a national of the United States.