U.S. Imposes Entry Ban on Nonimmigrant Travelers from India
On April 30, 2021, President Biden signed a Presidential Proclamation (PP) suspending the entry into the U.S., as nonimmigrants, of certain travelers from India. This PP comes only one day after all U.S. citizens in...
U.S. Department of State Expands National Interest Exceptions to COVID-19 Travel Restrictions
On April 26, 2021, U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken made a national interest exception (NIE) determination regarding travelers subject to the geographic COVID-19 restrictions imposed by Presidential Proclamations...
USCIS Restores Policy of Deference to Prior Approvals
In October 2017, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced a policy change that required its officers to independently assess the merits of every nonimmigrant petition, giving no regard to prior...
Malaysia To Impose Temporary Ban On Flights From India
Malaysia will temporarily ban all flights to and from India to prevent the spread of a new COVID-19 variant in the country. The Malaysia National Security Council (NSC) has announced the following measures that will become effective beginning Wednesday, 28 April 2021:...
Suspension of U.S. Visa Services in India
On April 26, 2021, the U.S. Embassy and Consulates in India announced new suspensions of routine visa services due to rising COVID-19 rates. Effective immediately: The U.S. Consulate in Mumbai is only providing essential services to U.S....
Increased Quarantine Period for Some Travelers
The Malaysia National Security Council (NSC) has reported over the weekend that travelers arriving from countries that have reported cases of the new SARS COV-2 strains will have to undergo a 14-day quarantine, instead of the 7 or 10-day duration currently in place....
Nonessential Travel Restrictions Extended for Canada–United States–Mexico Borders
In March 2020, U.S. officials reached mutual agreements with the governments of Mexico and Canada that nonessential travel across the land borders would lead to increased risk of COVID-19 transmission. Therefore, the countries agreed to limit travel through land ports...
USCIS Offers Online Filing for F-1 Students Seeking Optional Practical Training
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced that beginning April 12, 2021, F-1 students applying for optional practical training (OPT) may do so online, rather than through a paper filing. ...
U.S. Guest Worker Visa Ban Expires
The nonimmigrant worker visa restrictions imposed by the U.S. since June 2020 have been allowed to expire. First implemented by Presidential Proclamation (PP) 10052, the restrictions were allegedly necessary...
USCIS Eliminates Controversial “Blank Space” Rejection Policy
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) has confirmed that it will no longer reject any forms simply due to inapplicable fields being left blank. In October 2019, USCIS changed its criteria...