Updated Guidance Regarding Presidential Proclamation Imposing H-1B Restrictions
— updated September 22, 2025 —
International Employee
Presidential Proclamation Imposes H-1B Restrictions
On Friday, September 19, 2025, the Trump administration issued a Presidential Proclamation titled "Restriction on Entry of Certain Nonimmigrant Workers," affecting individuals in H-1B status. This Proclamation will take effect at 12:01 a.m. Eastern time on Sunday, September 21, 2025.
The Proclamation imposes several restrictions, including on:
Visa Interviews Should Take Place in Your Country of Nationality or Residence
On Saturday, September 6, 2025, then again on October 10, 2025, the Department of State (DOS) issued an announcement, effective immediately, directing nonimmigrant applicants to schedule their visa appointment at a consular post in their country of citizenship or residence.
Interview Waiver Eligibility Criteria Restricted
On July 25, 2025, the Department of State announced that, effective September 2, 2025, all applicants for a nonimmigrant visa, regardless of their age, will generally need to attend an in-person interview with a consular officer. Visa interview waivers will remain available in limited circumstances, as described in the Department of State announcement.
Presidential Proclamation Imposes New Travel Restrictions
On June 4, 2025, President Trump issued a Presidential Proclamation titled: Restricting the Entry of Foreign Nationals to Protect the United States from Foreign Terrorists and Other National Security and Public Safety Threats. The proclamation will become effective at 12:01 am Eastern Daylight Time on June 9, 2025.
USCIS Biometrics Requests
In an effort to increase its screening and vetting of individual beneficiaries, USCIS may request that a beneficiary of a pending H-1B petition appear for a "biometrics" appointment at a designated USCIS Application Support Center for the collection of a digital picture, signature and fingerprints. Beneficiaries who are selected for a biometrics appointments should receive an appointment letter from USCIS with further details and instructions.
International Travel Guidance for Legal Permanent Residents
At this point, there are no specific travel restrictions for green card holders at U-M to be aware of, though they may be implemented in the future.** As you can imagine, we're following the developments in this area quite closely and we appreciate the anxiety felt by Legal Permanent Residents who are considering traveling abroad.
DOS Revokes Visa Held by South Sudanese Passport Holders
On 4/5/2025, the U.S. Department of State announced it revoked all visas held by South Sudanese passport holders and would not issue visas to South Sudanese passport holders.
Read the full press statement "Defending America’s Security through Visa and Travel Restrictions on South Sudan" on the U.S. Department of State website.
Re-Registration Required for Non-U.S. Citizens Turning 14 While in the U.S.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released an updated interim final registration regulation on March 12, 2025, which is set to take effect on April 11, 2025. As this is an "interim" final regulation, DHS may provide further clarification and guidance in the future.
FSIS Updates on Immigration Policy and Important Reminders
FSIS is closely tracking any developments in immigration policy and will continue to share updates through our usual communication channels. While the new Administration has announced several executive orders, none of them directly affect employment-based immigration (e.g. H-1B). However, some of these orders may impact processing times at USCIS or U.S. consulates abroad, and they could lay the groundwork for potential future restrictions, such as travel bans.