Immigration News & Announcements

Updated January 5, 2026

On December 16th, an updated immigration proclamation was issued by the U.S. government that limits visa issuance and travel to the United States. We encourage you to read the White House's Proclamation of December 16, 2025 to understand the basis, scope, and exceptions of these bans, as well as their potential impact on your immigration status.

These restrictions apply only to individuals outside the U.S. without a valid visa on the effective date of this proclamation. If you are a citizen of one of the affected countries but have a valid visa issued on or before January 1, 2026, you should be permitted to travel.

Summary of Restrictions

  • Full Ban (all immigrants and nonimmigrants):
    Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Yemen, Burkina Faso, Laos, Mali, Niger, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, and Syria
  • Partial Ban (all immigrants and B, F, M, J nonimmigrants):
    Burundi, Cuba, Togo, Venezuela, Turkmenistan (only immigrants), Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Côte d'Ivoire, Dominica, Gabon, The Gambia, Malawi, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania, Tonga, Zambia, and Zimbabwe

Specific details may change over the coming days, weeks, and months, and U.S. consular and immigration officers have a good deal of individual discretion. However, we've provided a general overview of certain aspects based on the wording of the Executive Order and currently-available information.

What You Should Do

  • Consult with the International Student Office
    If you are from one of the affected countries or have concerns about your travel plans, please contact our office immediately via email. You may also choose to consult with an immigration attorney
  • Stay Informed
    Monitor official government sources for updates on the implementation of these restrictions
  • Review Your Travel Documents
    Ensure that all your travel documents are up to date and valid

Please know that Suffolk University is actively exploring every possible way to support and accommodate impacted students. At the same time, we must carefully review and follow all federal immigration regulations as they are implemented. While some decisions may be beyond the university’s control, our goal is to provide you with the most accurate information and resources to help you navigate this evolving situation.

We are here for you, and we encourage you to stay in close contact with our office for updates, guidance, and personal support. Please don't hesitate to reach out to Viviana Leyva directly via email or the International Student Services Office.

Visa Appointment Services for International Students

What You Need to Know

We are excited to share that U.S. visa appointment services for international students have officially resumed. If you are planning to begin or continue your studies in the United States, this is the time to schedule your visa interview.

Visa appointment slots are expected to fill up quickly due to high demand. We encourage all students to check the website of their nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate for updated appointment availability and application procedures.

We strongly recommend that you book the earliest appointment possible, even if it is after the start of the semester. Once you have an appointment, you can contact the embassy to ask for an expedited appointment. You may contact ISSO if you have questions about how to request an expedited appointment.

If you have not done so, please complete and submit the DS-160 as soon as possible. Submitting your DS-160 has become crucial, so please fill it out and submit it before scheduling your visa interview.

Make sure you have all necessary documents prepared in advance, including:

  • A valid passport
  • Your I-20 (for F-1 students) or DS-2019 (for J-1 students)
  • SEVIS fee payment receipt
  • Financial documents
  • Other supporting materials required by your local embassy or consulate

As part of the updated visa application process, the U.S. Department of State (DoS) now requires applicants to disclose social media identifiers from the past five years. This applies to platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, and others.

The policy was introduced under the Presidential Proclamation 9645 and further implemented by the U.S. Department of State to enhance security screening.

What does this mean for you?

  • You will be asked to list your social media usernames during the visa application process (Form DS-160)
  • You are not required to provide passwords—only your publicly used handles or identifiers
  • Providing false, incomplete, or misleading information can lead to delays or denial of your visa application

You can read more about these requirements directly on the U.S. Department of State website.

To help expedite the visa process outlined in the DoS statement, consider adjusting the privacy settings on all your social media profiles to “public.”

You should evaluate your risk regarding your social media presence and digital footprint to determine what, if any, action you should take before applying for a visa.

If you are seriously concerned about your social media or internet presence, and whether there are any risks in making systematic deletions to a social media account, you should consult with an experienced immigration attorney. We will continue to share any guidance as we learn more from students who have gone through the social media review.

Students who are outside of the U.S. without a valid visa may experience delays in visa processing times. If you are a current student and need to renew your visa or if you are a new student applying for your first visa, please note that you may be delayed in your arrival to the U.S. It is important to stay in touch with us to keep us updated on your visa process and arrival plans.

If you are a current or incoming student or scholar from one of the nineteen countries that were included in the total or partial travel ban based on the June 4th presidential proclamation, and you do not have a valid visa, then there is a good chance that you will not be able to obtain a visa, despite the resumption of visa interview scheduling.  Please feel free to contact us if you find yourself in this situation. If you are outside of the U.S. but you do have a valid visa, you are allowed to enter the United States.

We will continue to monitor the situation and will update with any new information. If you have questions, please feel free to contact us.

We are Here to Support You

We understand that the visa process can feel complicated, especially with new requirements. We will continue to monitor the situation and will provide updates with any new information.

If you have questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us: