Dear Current and Future International Students, Scholars, and Recent Alumni, 

We’re writing with several updates regarding the federal government’s most recent immigration actions.  

Proclamation on Restrictions for Harvard International Students 

On June 4, the federal government issued a proclamation restricting foreign student visas at Harvard. This proclamation suspends entry into the United States for any new Harvard student on an F or J visa. It also directs the Secretary of State to consider revoking existing F or J visas for current Harvard students who meet the proclamation’s criteria.  

As we did with the federal government's May 22 attempt to revoke the University’s Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) certification, we have asked the federal court in Boston to immediately halt the enforcement of this June 4 proclamation. For more information on these actions, please see President Alan Garber’s June 5 message.  

Proclamation on Travel Restrictions for Certain Countries 

Also on June 4, the federal government issued a second proclamation restricting entry of foreign nationals from 19 countries, effective June 9. Harvard has more than 100 students, scholars, and dependents from 15 of those countries who are directly affected by that executive action. These individuals hail from Afghanistan, Burundi, Cuba, Guinea, Haiti, Iran, Laos, Myanmar (Burma), Sierra Leone, Somalia, Togo, Turkmenistan, Sudan, Venezuela, and Yemen. They contribute to our academic and research enterprise and the vitality of our campus community. The Harvard International Office (HIO) will be in contact with the affected individuals, and we will continue to share updates with you as the implications and considerations around this executive action move forward. 

Travel Advice 

This situation remains extremely fluid. We continue to advise all international students and scholars who may be planning to travel outside the U.S., or planning to enter/re-enter the U.S., to carefully assess their individual situation and considerations. If you’re currently abroad or planning travel abroad and have questions about your individual circumstances, contact your HIO advisor. We will post updated information on the HIO website as it becomes available. 

If you’re in the process of returning to campus and you’re not permitted to re-enter the U.S., you should notify your HIO advisor as soon as possible. 

Contingency Planning and Voluntary Action Steps  

While the University is actively working to protect the rights of students and scholars from around the world to come to Harvard’s campus this summer and next academic year, University and School leadership are also working on contingency plans. As applicable, School leadership will share updates. 

For now, we encourage you to consider the following two action steps: 

• If you are currently applying or renewing your visa, we encourage you to continue with the normal application process. We have also created an online survey for you to update the HIO on where you are in this process. Your survey responses will help the HIO provide valuable status updates to the Harvard School you’ll be attending so that we can do our best to support you.    

• If you are a current international student or scholar, we encourage you to contact your country's local consulate or embassy in the United States (view a full list) to inform them of your presence at Harvard, share your contact information, and learn about what support they can offer. The University has heard from diplomatic officers from many countries who wish to support their students and scholars in the U.S., but Harvard is limited from disclosing certain information concerning our students to third parties. 

Please know that you will always belong at Harvard. You are essential to the life and work of the University and our greater community. Advocacy work is ongoing and nationwide.  

We will continue to keep you informed as the situation evolves.  

Sincerely, 

Harvard International Office & the Office of the Vice Provost for International Affairs