President Trump signed an executive order on Monday, March 6, that will impact visa processing abroad for international students and scholars, and will also impact some faculty, staff, and students traveling abroad.  The new order becomes effective March 16, 2017.

For citizens of Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen:

• Ban on entry to the U.S.: the executive order bans entry for at least 90 days for nationals from Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen.
• Travel outside the U.S.:  The restrictions for travel now vary depending on whether an individual has a valid visa or not.  We strongly recommend consulting the appropriate immigration office that oversees your immigration status with the University of Iowa before making any plans to travel outside the U.S. during the duration of the new ban.  Information on which office to contact can be found on the ISSS website.

For citizens of all other countries:

• The requirement that all visa applications be conducted in person is still in place and applies to everyone regardless of country of nationality.
• Citizens of Iraq:  Iraqi nationals are removed from the ban impacting the other six countries above.  However, additional scrutiny and visa processes will be in place.

Waivers:

The executive order allows for waivers of the visa ban on a case-by-case basis if the foreign national can demonstrate that denying entry will cause undue hardship and that his or her entry will not pose a threat to national security.  It is not clear at this time how extensively waivers may be granted.  Consequently we do not encourage making travel plans and counting on being granted a waiver before speaking to the appropriate immigration office.

Further Information:

For more specific information on the executive order, please see the ISSS website. Information will be found in the "ISSS Announcements" box, including separate information on the USCIS suspension of H-1B premium processing issued last Friday.

Each of you, regardless of your background or country of origin, is welcome in our community. You bring perspectives and experiences that, taken together, enrich the educational experience, advance research and discovery, and prepare UI students to thrive in their lives and careers. The University of Iowa will continue to support the values that underpin our core missions as a public institution of higher education.