Summer Is Rolling On By- Don’t Let It Escape You!

I don’t know how many of you went to the NAFSA National Conference that took place in Washington DC in the last week of May and early June but there was a vibe of excitement in the air! I heard that 8,500 people came to DC and walked the streets, attending sessions, setting up meetings, catching up with old friends, making new friends and enjoyed the many receptions and celebrations that took place.
I know many of our readers and colleagues that engage in outreach with the International Educators of Illinois may not have been able to attend the NAFSA National Conference, but I wanted to take a moment to highlight some of the information that was covered at the conference as well as some recent updates that have been announced in the last few weeks that will be relevant to individuals that advise international students on an F-1 visa:

• Expansion of Premium Processing Eligibility for Change of Status to F, M, or J
  • Starting June 13, USCIS will accept Form I-907 processing requests for those who have a pending Form I-539 application to change status into F, M, or J status.
  • Starting June 26 - USCIS will accept premium processing requests for those looking to file a change of status to F, M, or J status when their Form I-907 is filed concurrently with the Form I-539 application.
  • The cost of the Form I-907 fee is $1,750 and timeframe is 30 calendar days after USCIS receives all materials, including biometrics, for adjudication.
  • Online and paper filing of Form I-907 will be accepted as long as the Form I-907 submission matches the Form I-539 submission method (meaning if you filed a COS online, submit the I-907 online. If you filed a paper-based COS, then you must file a paper-based Form I-907).
• Visa Fee increase for F-1 visa
  • Starting June 17, 2023, any individual scheduling an F-1 visa appointment, will face an increase in the cost of the visa application fees, increasing from $160 to $185 dollars.
  • Individuals who have already paid the fee before June 17, 2023 will not be responsible for paying the increased fee when they schedule their appointments.
  • All nonimmigrant visa application fee (also known as the MRV fee) made on or after October 1, 2022 are valid for 365 days from the date a receipt is issued for payment of the MRV fee.
  • As a reminder- applicants must schedule an interview appointment or submit an interview waiver application during this 365-day period. There is no requirement that the interview must occur during the 365-day period, just that the action to schedule the interview occurs during this period of time.

Please join members of IEI in a Brown Bag Series talking about recent updates published by the US Department of State, USCIS, and other trends that are currently happening around the United States for individuals on an F-1 visa that impacts your work on campus.

• Friday, July 7th from 12 pm -1 pm through Zoom- More details like joining link can be found here. Please email Katherine Haan at [email protected] to get a calendar invite sent to you!

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As always- you are appreciated for the work that you do at your institution, and we recognize the hard work that you’ve had to put in during the last few years as we encountered and overcame personal and professional challenges as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. You Matter!

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