We’re advocates for international exchange, promoting the academic, professional, and personal growth of Boston University’s diverse community of international students, faculty, and staff. We provide professional expertise on immigration and employment and help ensure student, scholar, and institutional compliance with federal regulations. ISSO staff are available to guide students and scholars through the often complicated requirements for foreign nationals studying and working in the United States.
Explore the latest updates, emerging issues and resources most relevant to our international student and scholar community.
For international students on a temporary F (student) or J (exchange visitor) visa who are enrolled (or planning to enroll) at BU. Find information about visas, admission, and more.
For non-student BU visitors on non-immigrant visas engaging in research/academic activities, such as postdoctoral scholars, visiting professors, and researchers.
Current news for the international student and scholar community.
The US Department of Homeland Security (USDHS) published new regulations today that will impact all F-1 student and J-1 exchange visitor categories. Establishing a Fixed Time Period of Admission and an Extension of Stay Procedure for Nonimmigrant Academic Students, Exchange…
President Trump established a new $100,000 fee for employers seeking H-1 approval from USCIS to employee foreign nationals outside of the U.S. in fall of 2025. See ISSO news for more details. On Monday, June 8, 2026 the Federal District…
DHS announced in January 2026 that they were pausing all nonimmigrant processing at USCIS Service Centers (petitions for extensions, changes of status, employment authorizations etc.) for nationals from the 39+ travel ban countries until DHS could establish new vetting procedures.…
The U.S. State Department (DOS) is consolidating visa processing in Africa beginning in June 2026. They are shifting visa processing from 50 consular posts to 20 designated regional hubs as part of a broader immigration policy to increase scrutiny according…
US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced a new policy memorandum that seeks to clarify how officers should exercise discretion when reviewing I-485 adjustment of status (AOS) applications from non-immigrants physically present inside the US seeking to change to permanent…
Some international students and scholars applying for visas are reporting some consular posts have begun charging the new $250 Visa Integrity Fee in addition to other required fees ($185 non-refundable Machine Readable Visa (MRV) fee and/or the $350 SEVIS fee…
US Department of Labor (DOL) Employment and Training Administration (ETA) published a proposed rule today entitled Improving Wage Protections for the Temporary and Permanent Employment of Certain Foreign Nationals in the United States. DOL seeks to revise the methodology used…
The US Department of State (DOS) will add 12 more countries (Cambodia, Ethiopia, Georgia, Grenada, Lesotho, Mauritius, Mongolia, Mozambique, Nicaragua, Papua New Guinea, Seychelles, and Tunisia ) to the B-1/B-2 Visa Bond Pilot Program, bringing the total countries in the…