Important Announcements on U.S. Policies Currently Affecting International Students

Future/Admitted international students should be aware of the following recent announcements:

Proclamation Limiting Entry to the United States

On December 16, 2025, U.S. President Donald Trump amended Proclamation 10949. The proclamation fully restricts the entry into the United States of nationals from the following countries: Afghanistan, Burkina Faso, Burma (Myanmar), Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Laos, Libya, Mali, Niger, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen, as well as individuals using travel documents issued or endorsed by the Palestinian Authority (PA).

The proclamation also partially restricts entry of nationals from the following countries: Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Burundi, Cote d'Ivoire, Cuba, Dominica, Gabon, The Gambia, Malawi, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania, Togo, Tonga, Venezuela, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. This means that no one who is a national of these countries may enter the U.S. as immigrants or in the tourist, student, or scholar visa categories (B-1, B-2, B-1/B-2, F, M, and J). The Proclamation includes exceptions for lawful permanent residents, existing visa holders, certain visa categories, and individuals whose entry serves U.S. national interests.

Finally, the proclamation modifies the restrictions imposed on nationals from Turkmenistan: The suspension of entry for Turkmen citizens as nonimmigrants on B-1, B-2, B-1/B-2, F, M, and J visas is lifted, while the entry into the United States for Turkmen citizens as immigrants remains suspended.

If your admission application to Seattle Colleges has been accepted, and you would like to defer your enrollment to a later date as a result of this Proclamation, please contact IntlAdmissions@seattlecolleges.edu.

Current Seattle Colleges international students should be aware of the following recent announcements:

Proposed Rule to end Duration of Status

In August 2025, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) proposed a new rule to end Duration of Status (D/S) admission for F-1 international students. If this proposed rule is enacted, it would impact policies surrounding how long international students can lawfully stay in the United Sates, Extension of Stay (EOS), transfers between institutions, and changing educational levels.

Please note that all of the information we are providing is not a guarantee of what will happen as the final rule has not been made. It is possible that DHS will change or modify some of what was included originally based on feedback from the public. When new information is available, we will update you immediately.

Anticipated changes include:

- Replacing the I-94 (electronic record of arrival/departure) "admit until date" for F-1 international students from "Duration of Status" to a specific date determined by the student's academic program, which will not exceed 4 years in length. Currently, F-1 international students are granted admission for "duration of status". This means that students may stay lawfully in the United States for an undetermined amount of time to complete their academic goals while maintaining their F-1 status.

- Requiring students to submit an Extension of Status request and filing fee to USCIS to extend their stay in the United States. Current policy allows Designated School Officials (DSOs) to process extensions of a student's I-20 form.

- Shortening the 60-day Grace Period when a student completes a program to 30 days.

- Limiting the length of a language training I-20 to 24 total months.

- Restricting transfers or change of educational level within the first year of study in the United States.

- Preventing students who have completed a program at one educational level from enrolling in another program at the same or lower educational level. This means that students could no longer complete two programs at the Associate's level or go from an Associate's level to a certificate or prerequisite study.

We recommend that you take this time to review all of your immigration documentation (I-20 form, passport, visa, etc.) and create/review your education plan with your advisor. If you have questions about your current plans and immigration documentation, please reach out to our office.

Proclamation Limiting Entry to the United States

On December 16, 2025, U.S. President Donald Trump amended Proclamation 10949. The proclamation fully restricts the entry into the United States of nationals from the following countries: Afghanistan, Burkina Faso, Burma (Myanmar), Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Laos, Libya, Mali, Niger, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen, as well as individuals using travel documents issued or endorsed by the Palestinian Authority (PA).

The Proclamation also partially restricts entry of nationals from the following countries: Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Burundi, Cote d'Ivoire, Cuba, Dominica, Gabon, The Gambia, Malawi, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania, Togo, Tonga, Venezuela, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. This means that no one who is a national of these countries may enter the U.S. as immigrants or in the tourist, student, or scholar visa categories (B-1, B-2, B-1/B-2, F, M, and J). The Proclamation includes exceptions for lawful permanent residents, existing visa holders, certain visa categories, and individuals whose entry serves U.S. national interests.

Finally, the proclamation modifies the restrictions imposed on nationals from Turkmenistan: The suspension of entry for Turkmen citizens as nonimmigrants on B-1, B-2, B-1/B-2, F, M, and J visas is lifted, while the entry into the United States for Turkmen citizens as immigrants remains suspended.

Travel Advisory

Current students planning to travel outside of the United States should make sure that their passport, student visa, and I-20 form are valid and up to date. If you have questions about your travel plans, please consult your primary academic advisor.