Current Issues Regarding Student and Scholar Status

If you are an F‑1 student from a country identified by the proclamation, you are still permitted to apply for OPT or STEM OPT.  The proclamation does not prevent you from filing Form I‑765.  However, please be aware that:

• Your application will likely experience significant delays,
• USCIS cannot complete adjudication until their additional vetting reviews are finished, and
• These delays affect all benefit types for nationals listed in the proclamation, including OPT and STEM OPT.

ISSS recommends the following for those who choose to apply for OPT or the STEM OPT extension:

• Submit your OPT/STEM OPT application as early as regulations allow.
• Keep copies of all forms, documents, and receipt notices.
• Plan for extended processing times when considering employment start dates.
• Contact our office if you have questions or need support.  We can help you think through any options you are considering.

As you may have heard or read, on January 27, 2026, Texas Governor Greg Abbott requested information from state public schools, colleges, and universities, as well as other institutions with state funding, about the number of H-1B visa holders that are employed, the roles they fill, and justification for their employment. The Texas Governor directed state agencies to pause H-1B visa positions. As a private institution, Baylor University has not received this request. As part of cultivating a vibrant caring global community, Baylor has a strong commitment to our international scholars, of all visa types. We will continue to monitor this, and see what, if any, implications there are for our campus community. The Center for Global Engagement and Human Resources are available for consultation regarding our international scholars should you have any questions.

• The “travel bans” are actually visa pauses for individuals from the designated countries.  
• There are currently two banned country lists.  One is for immigrant visas which does not include students and scholars.  The second list is for non-immigrant visas which does include our F visa and J visa students and scholars.  This link to the Council on Foreign Relations has the two lists showing both the immigrant and non-immigrant visa pauses.
• If an individual has a valid visa already, then they “SHOULD” be allowed to use it for travel and re-enter the U.S. though we do not encourage travel outside of the U.S. at this time.
• If a student is already in the U.S. but their visa has expired, they do not have to leave the U.S. to get a new visa as long as they are maintaining their current status (enrollment or OPT) and they can transfer to another U.S. institution without needing to leave the U.S. or get a new visa.

An Executive Order was issued on Friday, September 19, 2025 regarding a fee of $100,000 to be paid by an employer for each person they are sponsoring for an H-1B visa. Based on this statement, scholars outside of the US currently in possession of valid H-1B non-immigrant visas, as well as scholars already in the U.S. in H-1B status, should not be affected. Changes of status to or extensions of H-1B status inside the U.S. should also be unaffected. For more information, please consult Hiring and Support of International Scholars | Human Resources | Baylor University 

On September 6 2025, the U.S. Government Department of State updated its visa interview information to state that “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.”  For students who live in countries where the U.S. government is not conducting routine visa operations, the U.S. government has a designated location list.  More information can be found HERE.

On June 17, 2025, the U.S. Department of State announced that it is resuming visa appointments at U.S. embassies and consulates around the world.  Students should check their embassy/consulate website for appointments.  Additional information about the vetting process for visa applicants was included in the announcement.  Please refer to the official U.S. State Department announcement below for information about new/expanded vetting procedures:

Department of State Announcement

Terminations by ICE in SEVIS records have been based on three primary reasons: protest and speech activity, prior arrests or convictions, and a more general termination reason that has recently resurfaced, which states, “individual identified in criminal records check and/or has had their visa revoked. SEVIS record has been terminated.” For the first two reasons, the termination action has been cited in some cases as the student’s failure to maintain non-immigrant status, a violation of the conditions of such status, or activities that would have serious foreign policy consequences for the United States. For the third reason visa revocation has been explicitly cited as the basis for termination.

• Students have the right to remain silent.
• Students have the right to speak to a lawyer.
• If they have a lawyer, the student has the right to talk to them. If they have a signed DHS Form G-28, which shows they have a lawyer, they can give it to an officer.
• Students should consider providing copies of their immigration documents to a trusted family member or friend

Yes. Any non-immigrant whose visa has been revoked can be charged with removability and placed in proceedings before an Immigration Judge. At the hearing, the government can articulate the basis for the charge, and the non-immigrant can respond to this charge or seek an immigration remedy.

Any non-immigrants whose SEVIS record has been terminated can be charged with removability and placed in removal proceedings for failure to maintain nonimmigrant status. At the hearing, the government can articulate the basis for the charge, and the noncitizen can respond to this charge or seek an immigration remedy.

Baylor University cannot guarantee that students and scholars who travel outside of the U.S. will not face difficulties or even rejection at the U.S. port of entry upon their return.  Our advice continues to be that students and scholars should not travel outside of the U.S. unless necessary.  In order to minimize your chance of facing any disruptions to your academic program, we advise students to remain in the U.S. for now.  If you are considering traveling outside of the U.S., please be sure to complete the International Travel Notification in Global Bears so we know your travel plans.   

For International Travel and Travel In the U.S. but Outside of the Waco Area

If you are traveling outside of the U.S., we ask that you please complete the International Travel Notification in Global Bears so we know your travel plans.  This is not necessary for travel within the U.S.  Also, students/scholars and any dependents traveling internationally (and in the U.S. outside of the Waco area) should always carry the following items on their person (with them, not in a checked bag):

• Passport - Required
• Most recent I-94 ( available at the following website:  https://i94.cbp.dhs.gov/home) - Required
• Updated I-20/DS-2019 with valid travel signature - Required
• Baylor ID Card - Recommended
• Printed copy of their current or future class schedule - Recommended

 Please be aware that all individuals entering the U.S. are subject to Customs and Border Protection (CBP) regulations and procedures upon re-entry including but not limited to:

• Additional questions/interviewing
• Inspection of your personal communication devices (laptops, phones, etc.) which may include a review of your social media accounts.  Also check HERE for additional information.

For local travel (Waco area)

• Most recent I-94 ( available at the following website:  https://i94.cbp.dhs.gov/home) - Required*
• Baylor ID Card – Recommended
• Paper copy of the Identity/Biographical page of your passport – Recommended
• Copy of valid Continued Attendance I-20.

*U.S. Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) requires all foreign nationals aged 18 and over to always carry proof of their lawful visa status while in the country:

“Every alien, eighteen years of age and over, shall at all times carry with him and have in his personal possession any certificate of alien registration or alien registration receipt card issued to him pursuant to subsection (d). Any alien who fails to comply with the provisions of this subsection shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and shall upon conviction for each offense be fined not to exceed $100 or be imprisoned not more than thirty days, or both.”

In April 2025, a small number of international students had their F-1 visa status terminated. As of April 29, all of those students have since had their status reverted to active status.  We have been in communication with these students.

We have a protocol in place for checking the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) records daily. We promptly notify individuals of any revocations and refer them to legal assistance. To protect their privacy, the University will not publicly disclose the identity of any person whose visa is revoked. The same goes for individuals who have had their visa status reactivated.

We understand that similar actions have been occurring at other institutions across the country. 

We will continue daily SEVIS record checks and will notify any affected students and scholars immediately.

On Wednesday, May 28, 2025, the U.S.  Department of State publicly announced that it would pursue revoking visas for some Chinese students. At this time, we don’t have any other information than what was publicly stated in the news release. We will continue to monitor the situation and let you know about any updates. Currently, we are not aware of new restrictions, but please contact our office if you have any questions. We’re here to support you and help you navigate any new regulations or procedures. 

At this time, ISSS reminds international students and scholars to actively check their email accounts and immediately contact ISSS at 254-710-1461 or ISSS_Support@baylor.edu if they receive any communication regarding their status or if they have any questions about immigration, ability to travel or other concerns. ISSS and the Center for Global Engagement stand ready to assist our international students during these uncertain times.

 Employees who may have questions are asked to contact Human Resources at AskHR@baylor.edu or 254-710-2000.

We realize this situation is incredibly challenging and stressful, so we encourage students, faculty and staff to access any available University resources for support. For students, these include the Care Team (254-710-2100 or Careteam@baylor.edu), the Counseling Center (254-710-2467) and the University Chaplain (254-710-3517 or Spiritual_Life@baylor.edu). Baylor faculty and staff have access to additional confidential support and counseling resources through Employee Wellbeing Solutions.