Jan. 26, 2026

Dear International Students and Scholars,

We’re writing to inform you of a recent and important update from the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) that may impact you as an international student or scholar in the U.S.

On January 1, 2026, USCIS issued a new Policy Memorandum to Hold and Review of USCIS Benefit Applications Filed by Aliens from Additional High-Risk Countries. This updated policy affects all international students and scholars from countries listed in the recently expanded travel ban, as well as anyone who lists one of the high-risk countries as their country of birth or country of citizenship. 

UNLV has now received confirmation that this policy does include F-1 and J-1 international students and scholars who are applying for non-immigrant benefits with USCIS, such as OPT, STEM OPT, and Change of Status. 

What the Policy Means

Per the policy memorandum, effective immediately, USCIS personnel are directed to: 

  1. “Place a hold on all pending benefit applications, for aliens listed in Presidential Proclamation (PP) 10998, Restricting and Limiting the Entry of Foreign Nationals To Protect the Security of the United States, pending a comprehensive review, regardless of entry date”:
  2. “Conduct a comprehensive review of all policies, procedures, and screening and vetting processes for benefit requests for aliens from countries listed in PP 10998; and”
  3. “Conduct a comprehensive re-review of approved benefit requests implicated in PP 10998 that were approved on or after January 20, 2021.”
    • This re-review process may affect work authorizations, such as pre-/post-completion OPT, STEM OPT extension, for those whose country of birth or country of citizenship is included in PP 10998 who received approvals on or after January 20, 2021.

Who Is Affected

This updated policy applies to any foreign national with a country of birth and/or country of citizenship that is included in the two currently active travel bans. The list currently includes:

Afghanistan, Burkina Faso, Burma (Myanmar), Chad, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Laos, Libya, Mali, Niger, Palestinian Authority Travel Documents, Republic of the Congo, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Yemen, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Burundi, Cote d ‘Ivoire, Cuba, Dominica, Gabon, The Gambia, Malawi, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania, Togo, Tonga, Turkmenistan, Venezuela, Zambia, Zimbabwe

Per the policy memorandum, USCIS will work with OP&S and the Fraud Detection and National Security Directorate to prioritize a list for review, interview, and re-interview, and issue operational guidance.

Next Steps

We understand that this information may be difficult to process, but please remember how much we value you as a member of our UNLV community of students and scholars. If you do receive any communications from USCIS, such as a Request for Evidence (RFE) or a Notice of Intent to Deny (NOID), please email a copy of that document to ISSC (issc@unlv.edu) for support. 

  • In-Person Support: UNLV Global is located in BEH 543 and is open Monday – Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Call 702-774-6477, and a staff member will meet you on the ground floor near the elevator to escort you to the office.
  • After-Hours Immigration Emergencies: Call 702-774-6477 and select 0 to reach the UNLV Global Support Team during evenings and weekends.
  • Mental Health Support: Counseling & Psychological Services are available for enrolled students, and mental health and counseling resources are available for scholars to support mental health and well-being.
  • General Support: Contact Anne White, Sr. Director of International Student & Scholar Success Programs, at anne.white@unlv.edu.
  • Immigration and Compliance Questions: Contact the International Student & Scholar Compliance team at issc@unlv.edu.
  • Stay Connected to Your UNLV Community: Participate in weekly events hosted by UNLV Global.

You belong here, and we’re here to help.

Best Regards,

Laura Chaney
Principal Designated School Official (PDSO) and Responsible Officer (RO)
Director of International Student & Scholar Compliance

Anne White
Senior Director of International Student & Scholar Success Programs

Lindsey Gruber
Senior Executive Director of UNLV Global