News & Events

International Education Week! November 17 -21, 2025! 

Monday - November 17

  • Stop by 109 Centennial Hall to add to our International Awareness Poster! Share your story and write your name!

Tuesday - November 18

  • Tea Social at Engagement House (605 W. 11th Street, Rolla, MO 65409) from 3:30 PM - 4:30 PM 

Wednesday - November 19

  • Drop by Travel Endorsements! Stop by 109 Centennial Hall from 10 AM to 12 PM

Thursday - November 20

  • Thankful treats with ISSS! Stop by 109 Centennial Hall from 10 AM to 12 PM to get a treat bag! 

Friday - November 21

  • Photo contest winner from social media challenges! 

H1-B Policy Update

Who is subject to the $100,000 payment:
  • The Proclamation applies to new H-1B petitions filed at or after 12:01 a.m. eastern daylight time on September 21, 2025, on behalf of beneficiaries who are outside the United States and do not have a valid H-1B visa. The Proclamation also applies if a petition filed at or after 12:01 a.m. eastern daylight time on September 21, 2025, requests consular notification, port of entry notification, or pre-flight inspection for an alien in the United States.
  • In addition, if a petition filed at or after 12:01 a.m. eastern daylight time on September 21, 2025, requests a change of status or amendment or extension of stay and USCIS determines that the alien is ineligible for a change of status or an amendment or extension of stay (e.g., is not in a valid nonimmigrant visa status or if the alien departs the United States prior to adjudication of a change of status request), the Proclamation will apply and the payment must be paid according to the instructions provided by USCIS.
  • The Proclamation does not apply to any previously issued and currently valid H-1B visas, or any petitions submitted prior to 12:01 a.m. eastern daylight time on September 21, 2025. In addition, the Proclamation does not prevent any holder of a current H-1B visa, or any alien beneficiary following petition approval, from traveling in and out of the United States.
  • The Proclamation also does not apply to a petition filed at or after 12:01 a.m. eastern daylight time on September 21, 2025, that is requesting an amendment, change of status, or extension of stay for an alien inside the United States where the alien is granted such amendment, change, or extension. Further, an alien beneficiary of such petition will not be considered to be subject to the payment if he or she subsequently departs the United States and applies for a visa based on the approved petition and/or seeks to reenter the United States on a current H-1B visa.
How to pay the $100,000 payment:
When to pay the $100,000 payment:
  • Payment must be made prior to filing a petition with USCIS, as petitioners must submit proof that the payment has been scheduled from pay.gov or evidence of an exception from the $100,000 payment from the Secretary of Homeland Security at the time of filing the H-1B petition. Petitions subject to the $100,000 payment that are filed without a copy of the proof of the payment from pay.gov or evidence of an exception from the Secretary of Homeland Security will be denied.

U.S. Department of State Process Update for Visa Applicants

What has changed?

Instructions for the process of where non-immigrant visa applications can be completed were updated to restrict the following:

  • Applicants for U.S. nonimmigrant visas (NIV) should schedule their visa interview appointments at the U.S. Embassy or Consulate in their country of nationality or residence.
  • Nationals of countries where the U.S. government is not conducting routine nonimmigrant visa operations must apply at the designated embassy or consulate, unless their residence is elsewhere. You can find this list of designated location on the U.S. Department of State webpage for this announcement.

What does this mean for you and what is a non-immigrant visa?

Students who are applying using a Form I-20 for the F-1 visa or a Form DS-2019 for a J-1 visa are non-immigrants. Students coming to the United States to participate in Study & Exchange are under this visa classification. This update will impact your visa process, please review the announcement of this change as certain countries will have designated Embassies or Consulates which will process your visa applications.

When applying for your F-1 or J-1 visa renewal abroad you should consider that this process will also impact on the appointment availability and wait times. Based on this new rule, you will be limited to apply for your visa renewal in the country of your nationality or the country in which you reside outside of the United States.

U.S. Embassy of Zimbabwe Visa Application Pause: On August 7, 2025 the U.S. Embassy in Harare, Zimbabwe has paused all non-immigrant visa appointments. Those already scheduled will be notified when the appointments are re-opened. ISSS is tracking this for updates and will provide them as soon as they become available. Read the news release from the U.S. Embassy.

New Student Arrival Information: All new incoming international students should attend International Orientation on August 15, 2025. Emails have been sent to your personal email from the International and Graduate Admissions team for registering for the event and others going on! 

ISSS Workshops and Walk-in Appointments will begin in the Fall 2025 semester. Updates provided to your student email. 

July 22, 2025

Visa interviews are ongoing around the world with a few exceptions where the new vetting processes introduced under the Presidential Proclamation dated on June 4, 2025 are still being implemented.

New students arriving for the Fall 2025 semester have begun arriving as early as July 19, 2025!

June 4, 2025

President Trump issued a proclamation that fully or partially restricts the entry of nationals from specific countries, to go into effect at 12:01 a.m. EDT Monday, June 9, 2025.

The proclamation suspends entry for all nationals of the following 12 countries as immigrants and nonimmigrants: Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen. This includes students and scholars on F-1, J-1 and H-1B visas, along with any associated dependents.

The proclamation also suspends entry for all nationals of the following 7 countries as immigrants or as nonimmigrants on B-1, B-2, B-1/B-2, F, M and J visas: Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela. This includes students and scholars on F-1 and J-1 visas, along with any associated dependents.

 This proclamation does not impact:

  • Students and scholars currently in the United States.
  • Students and scholars outside the United States who have a valid visa issued prior to June 9, 2025.

Certain other exceptions also apply.

If you are outside the U.S. and your visa has not been renewed or issued by June 9, contact your academic department and international student or scholar adviser.

Any additional updates regarding entry restrictions will be posted on the ISSS website. If you have questions or concerns, advising for international students and scholars is available through in-person walk-ins or online appointments. You can also contact your ISSS adviser by email.