Visa applications are temporarily suspended

The changes we are having worldwide are very noticeable.

The emergency decisions we have had to make due to the arrival of COVID-19 are affecting almost all aspects of our daily lives.

The US is one of the epicenters of the virus at the moment and that is why Trump’s administration has declared many changes in immigration policies lately.

Most processes conducted by the US Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) are paused until further notice.

The visa, refuge and asylum processes are suspended and delayed, which creates a very big problem for immigrants who want to enter and reside in the country.

Student visas

Thousands of young students from around the world travel annually to the country for language studies, undergraduate or master’s degrees.

The government issued approximately 399,000 student visas in 2019.

However, with the unstoppable spread of the Coronavirus, USCIS was forced to suspend student visas until November 2020.

What they say in official reports is that the date may change if the world health situation improves. But at the moment there is no official answer for that.

Students who are currently in the US

There are many students who are still in the country on the student visa (F-1). However, all classes are temporarily canceled and this visa does not allow anyone to work outside campus.

Therefore, many countries (especially from Europe) are recommending everyone to return to their homelands to avoid spreading the virus even more in the US.

A certain number of students have returned to their home countries and are with their families right now.

However, many students are asking for a temporary work permit while they can resume their classes in the US or return to their countries.

The economy of the education in the US

The United States benefits in many ways from students who come from abroad.

1. Economically: Most students must invest a considerable sum of money in order to study in the country. This brings stability to the country’s economic sector, since it contributes to build better education facilities and employ more teachers.
2. Social Status: The reason many students go to the US is because the level of education is one of the best in the world. Therefore, the country is constantly improving its educational material, as well as its facilities and many other things.
3. Work for local teachers: Many teachers are currently without classes or are teaching classes virtually, which can cause concern and anguish for many of them.

Next steps to take

The country must find a way to continue its international education without the need for face-to-face classes.

For example, most universities offer a portion of virtual courses but request some face-to-face classes to approve the courses.

Therefore, one of the alternatives that we have is to offer all classes virtually and thus prevent the international educational level from decreasing.

Change of Status

Students with an F-1 visa can apply for a change of status and possibly be able to work, however this is not completely sure as it depends on the permit to which they apply.

F-1 visa holders have permission to work on campus as well. So international students can also temporarily work there while they resume classes normally.

However, not all of them are inside campus right now.

Status change

If you need specialized guidance on status changes, we can help you.

In light of the current situation, it is most recommended to carry out any status change process with specialized entities.

If you have any questions about an immigration issue or relating to a case you may have currently in Progress, then please don’t hesitate to contact us for a FREE Phone Consultation with one of our expert immigration attorneys.

Simply call Motion Law today at: (202) 918-1799.