ICE Issues Updated Guidance And Restricts Online Options For New Students For Fall 2020 Semester

On July 24, 2020, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) issued updated guidance for international students pursing education programs in the United States. The follow-up guidance states that active students in F-1 and M-1 status, as well as schools certified by SEVP, should abide by SEVP guidance originally issued in March 2020, enabling schools and students to engage in distance learning in excess of regulatory limits during the COVID-19 public health emergency. The updated guidance also makes clear that designated school officials (DSO) should not issue Form I-20, "Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant Student Status," to "a student in new or initial status who is outside of the United States and plans to take [a fully online course of study] at an SEVP-certified educational institution."