Published: April 23, 2020

Presidential Proclamation Establishing New Travel Restrictions

President Trump issued a presidential proclamation on April 22 instituting a 60-day period of restrictions on immigrant visas for foreign nationals seeking permanent residency (“green card” status) in the United States.

See the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) below for details about this new restriction. Please note that FAQs are based on the currently available information in and related to the proclamation.   

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: When does the new presidential proclamation become effective?

A: The effective date of the presidential proclamation is April 23 at 11:59 p.m. (EST).

 

Q. For how long is the presidential proclamation in effect?

A. The presidential proclamation will remain in effect for 60 days from the effective date of April 23.

 

Q: Does the presidential proclamation impact U.S. permanent residency petitions the university filed on behalf of current international employees?

A: No. The new restriction does not impact the processing by the U.S. Department of Labor and/or the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services of petitions for U.S. permanent residency filed on behalf of university employees currently in the U.S.

 

Q: Do the new immigrant visa restrictions require an international student or scholar to leave the United States?

A. No. The new restrictions do not require anyone to depart the United States. The restrictions do not affect the immigration status of those who are already in the country. The restrictions only impact individuals seeking immigrant visas to enter and live permanently in the United States.

 

Q: Are there any exceptions to the presidential proclamation prohibiting individuals from entering the United States on an immigrant visa to become a U.S. permanent resident?

A. Yes. Limited exceptions to the restriction are detailed in the presidential proclamation.

 

Q. Do the new presidential proclamation and immigrant visa restrictions cancel (revoke) any valid nonimmigrant visa stamp in one’s passport?

A. No. The new proclamation does not cancel or in any manner affect the validity of a current U.S. visa.

 

Q. How does the new presidential proclamation affect current (or future) international students or scholars at the University of Colorado Boulder who are outside of the United States and wish to re-enter the country?

A. The presidential proclamation does not affect individuals who are entering the United States on nonimmigrant visas (such as, but not limited to, F-1 student visas, J-1 Exchange Visitor visas, or H-1B visas). The proclamation only impacts individuals who wish to enter the United States on an immigrant visa to immigrate permanently to the country. However, other presidential proclamations currently in effect may limit international students and scholars’ ability to enter the United States.

 

As a result of confirmed cases of the 2019 novel coronavirus in the United States, on Jan. 31, the federal Health and Human Services declared a public health emergency. Thereafter presidential proclamations temporarily limited the entry of foreign nationals from certain countries. If you are a foreign national (not a U.S. citizen or U.S. permanent resident) and you depart the United States and travel to China, Iran, Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, or Ireland you will not be able to return to the United States until 14 days have passed unless you meet the definition of an immediate family member of a U.S. citizen or a permanent resident. These restrictions remain in effect until the president terminates them. For additional information about these previous presidential proclamations, please see the Immigration Alerts on the ISSS website.

 

Q. Will this presidential proclamation impact nonimmigrant (temporary) visa issuance or nonimmigrant visa petition processing?

A.  The presidential proclamation requires the labor and homeland security secretaries to review nonimmigrant programs within 30 days of the effective date and recommend other measures to “stimulate the United States economy and ensure the prioritization, hiring, and employment of United States workers” to the president. If this provision results in changes in immigration policies in the future, International Student & Scholar Services (ISSS) will issue an Immigration Alert and/or update the ISSS website.

 

Q. Are there online resources available if I want to read more about the new entry restrictions?

A. The text of the presidential proclamation is posted on the White House website in the news section under “Presidential Actions.”

 

International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS)

We want you to feel supported, safe, and comfortable during your time at CU Boulder and in the United States. Please know that if you need to talk or have any questions, we are here for you. ISSS is currently providing services including advising remotely. We offer advising via Zoom Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday from 10 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. and Wednesday from 12:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. There are instructions posted on our website on how to participate in advising via Zoom. You may also reach ISSS via our general email account, isss@colorado.edu or by phone at 303-492-8057 during normal office hours, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.  For our sponsored students, the Third-Party Sponsored Student Advising hours are posted on the ISSS website and all sponsored student advising is also offered via Zoom.  International sponsored students can reach the Sponsored Student Advising team at sponsoredadvising@colorado.edu 

We are glad that you have chosen to be a part of the CU Boulder community. We are here to support you so please reach out to us if you need anything.