Harvard International Office

The Department of State has confirmed that routine visa processing will start resuming at certain US consular offices around the world, depending on the local conditions. Please monitor the embassy/consulate website for the status of their services, as well as the HIO website for updates. If you are currently located in the US, we still do not advise that you travel abroad at this time, especially if you are in need of a renewed visa, as we anticipate there will be backlogs and delays in appointments once consular offices do reopen.

Keep in mind that travel bans still exist from many countries, and do impact students and scholars with valid visas traveling from or transiting through one of the affected countries. For more information on the current travel bans, please see the CDC website. 

Dear Members of the Harvard Community,

On Monday, US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced that international students will not be allowed to stay in the country if they attend institutions, like Harvard, that are holding courses online this fall. Their choices are either to transfer to another institution that provides in-person or hybrid (both in-person and online) instruction—or to depart the country and risk not being able to return. Those students who fail to comply with this guidance may face deportation.

The order came down without notice—its cruelty surpassed only by its recklessness. It appears that it was designed purposefully to place pressure on colleges and universities to open their on-campus classrooms for in-person instruction this fall, without regard to concerns for the health and safety of students, instructors, and others. This comes at a time when the United States has been setting daily records for the number of new infections, with more than 300,000 new cases reported since July 1. Moreover, if an institution pursues in-person or hybrid instruction this fall and a serious outbreak of COVID-19 occurs, the institution would face strong pressure not to switch to online instruction, as Harvard and others necessarily did this past March, because to do so would immediately place its international students in jeopardy.

In making plans for the fall, Harvard, like many other institutions, has sought to balance addressing concerns for public health with preserving our academic mission of teaching and scholarship, and we have undertaken careful planning to address the unique circumstances of our community and to enable students to make educational progress safely. We have done so recognizing that the nation is in the grip of a pandemic that poses risks to the health of millions and that threatens to overwhelm our capacity to manage it. We believe that the ICE order is bad public policy, and we believe that it is illegal.

Within the last hour, we filed pleadings together with MIT in the US District Court in Boston seeking a temporary restraining order prohibiting enforcement of the order. We will pursue this case vigorously so that our international students—and international students at institutions across the country—can continue their studies without the threat of deportation.

For many of our international students, studying in the United States and studying at Harvard is the fulfillment of a lifelong dream. These students are our students, and they enrich the learning environment for all. We fervently hope that, before long, the circumstances that necessitate online learning will pass. As a university with a profound commitment to residential education, we hope and intend to resume full in-person instruction as soon as it is safe and responsible to do so. But, until that time comes, we will not stand by to see our international students’ dreams extinguished by a deeply misguided order. We owe it to them to stand up and to fight—and we will.

Sincerely,
Larry

UPDATE: You may follow updates on the lawsuit here

Starting Wednesday, July 8, an HIO Advisor-on-Call will be available via Zoom Monday – Friday from 9:00 -10:00am and 4:00 - 5:00pm Eastern Standard Time. This service is offered via Zoom on a first-come, first-serve basis, and is intended for international students and scholars with quick questions.  For details on accessing the Advisor-on-Call waiting room during these times, please click here.

If you would like to set up a regular 30-minute appointment to speak with the HIO Advisor for your School or Department, you may make an appointment online or contact your HIO Advisor directly.

In recent weeks, like many of our colleague institutions across the country, Harvard has announced plans for the fall semester. Our schools have taken into account the most up-to-date public health and safety guidance, the specific educational requirements of their programs, and their unique student populations. The wellbeing of the University community has been our highest priority in making these difficult decisions.

We are deeply concerned that the guidance issued today by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement imposes a blunt, one-size-fits-all approach to a complex problem, giving international students, particularly those in online programs, few options beyond leaving the country or transferring schools. This guidance undermines the thoughtful approach taken on behalf of students by so many institutions, including Harvard, to plan for continuing academic programs while balancing the health and safety challenges of the global pandemic.

We will work closely with other colleges and universities around the country to chart a path forward. We must do all that we can to ensure that our students can continue their studies without fear of being forced to leave the country mid-way through the year, disrupting their academic progress and undermining the commitments—and sacrifices—that many of them have made to advance their education.

The long-anticipated expansion of the President’s Proclamation 10014, issued on April 22, 2020 was published on June 22, 2020. It is effective June 24, 2020 at 12:01 AM EDT through December 31, 2020 and may be continued.  The full text of the Proclamation can be found here.

Suspension of visa issuance:

The new proclamation temporarily suspends the issuance of certain nonimmigrant visas and renewals including H-1B, H-4, L-1, H-2A/B, and certain categories of  J-1 (as listed below) through December 31, 2020.  It may be continued or modified as necessary beyond December 31.

The new proclamation bars entry into the U.S. for:

• H-1B and H-2B visa holders and their H-4 dependents who do not have a valid visa stamp
• The specific J visa categories include interns and trainees (commonly used by business), teachers (commonly used by K-12 schools), camp counselors, au pairs, and summer work travel program participants

The new proclamation does not apply to:

• Those visa holders who are already in the U.S.
• J visa holders outside the U.S. in the various student categories (student intern, student bachelor’s, student master’s, student doctorate), short-term scholars, research scholars (which is most often used by Harvard for postdocs and visiting scholars) professors and specialists
• H-1B and H-2B visa holders and their H-4 dependents outside the U.S. who do have a valid visa stamp
• Nothing in the Proclamation applies to F1 visas holders, including F-2 dependents and those on OPT/STEM OPT.

The new proclamation does not limit or otherwise restrict other nonimmigrant visa categories and work authorizations, including F-1 student visas, O-1 extraordinary ability visas, or B visitor visas.

Given the importance of international students and scholars to the life of the University – and to Harvard’s core principles of openness and inclusivity – we also want to update you on the work that has occurred in anticipation of the Executive Order.  In addition to the sustained immigration advocacy of Harvard’s federal relations office and national higher education associations, on June 2 President Bacow wrote to Secretary of State Pompeo and Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Wolf, urging them to advocate within the Administration against any restrictions or reforms to nonimmigrant visas and work authorizations that would threaten the free flow of students and scholars, on which Harvard and American higher education generally depend. That letter can be found here. Please rest assured that these efforts will continue over the coming months.

We are still waiting for additional information regarding waivers of the proclamation and other details.  We will update our website as we learn more.  We continue to strongly recommend that visa holders in the U.S. avoid all non-emergency international travel.  Please reach out to your HIO advisor with any questions.

As you well know, immigration reform has long been on the Trump Administration’s policy agenda, with multiple efforts to bar or restrict legal and illegal immigration alike. Most recently, and as part of the April Presidential Proclamation barring entry of certain immigrants to the U.S., the secretaries of homeland security, labor, and state were directed to review all nonimmigrant programs and recommend “measures appropriate to stimulate the economy and ensure the prioritization, hiring, and employment of U.S. workers.” Pursuant to that order, the Trump Administration is expected in the coming days to issue an Executive Order to bar – on a temporary basis - entry to the U.S. for certain nonimmigrant categories and, in the longer term, significantly reform federal policies governing work authorization for students, scholars, and H-1B visa holders. As soon as the Executive Order is released, my office, working with the Office of the General Counsel and the Office of Federal Relations, will review it and share with you information and advice.

Given the importance of international students and scholars to the life of the University – and to Harvard’s core principles of openness and inclusivity – I also want update you on the work that has occurred in anticipation of the Executive Order. In addition to the sustained immigration advocacy of Harvard’s federal relations office and its national higher education associations, on June 2 President Bacow wrote to Secretary of State Pompeo and Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Wolf, urging them to advocate within the Administration against any restrictions or reforms to nonimmigrant visas and work authorizations that would threaten the free flow of students and scholars, on which all colleges and universities depend. That letter can be found here.

I appreciate and share your concerns and your sense of vulnerability, perhaps heightened by the COVID 19 pandemic and the larger societal issues our times. And I know that the entire academic community joins me in support of your place at and many contributions to Harvard.

Students and scholars currently outside of the U.S. should be aware of various travel restrictions that make returning to the U.S. difficult at this time. In general, any students or scholars looking to reenter the U.S. over the summer are advised to reach out to their HIO Advisor before making plans.

Presidential Proclamations Suspending Travel
There are several Presidential Proclamations suspending the entry of individuals from various countries and regions throughout the world. You may read more about these proclamations, including who is subject to the suspension, here.

Travel from Canada and Mexico
Currently the land borders between the United States and Canada, and the United States and Mexico are closed for nonessential travel.  Students and scholars planning to enter the U.S. from Canada or Mexico are encouraged to speak directly with their HIO advisor regarding their travel plans and best practices for returning to the U.S. before finalizing arrangements.

On April 22, 2020 President Trump issued a new proclamation related to immigration.  It does not appear that this order will affect our international students and scholars on non-immigrant visas at this time.

You may find a summary of some of the key points here.

The HIO will continue to monitor the situation and as always, will work with Harvard’s Office of Federal Relations to advocate for all international students and scholars.  Stay safe.

The Harvard International Office provides informational sessions regarding future visa options and green cards each year.  This session provides general information regarding sponsorship possibilities outside of Harvard.  Given the current pandemic, we have asked the attorney scheduled to present this semester to record her presentation.  You may access the presentation on YouTube. 

Please note that the university does not endorse any attorney or firm nor is this presentation intended to be legal advice.   If you have questions for the presenter, please feel free to leave them in comments on the link and she may respond.

All local Social Security offices are closed to the public for in-person service. You may refer to their COVID-19 web page to learn more, including how to get help from the Social Security Administration (SSA) by phone and online.  If you need to apply for an SSN you must wait until they resume in-person services.

Please note, the deadline to file federal taxes for 2019 has been extended to July 15, 2020. Please review the Internal Revenue Service announcement for details. The deadline for filing Massachusetts state taxes has also been extended to July 15, 2020.