International Student, Faculty & Staff Resources

The Human Resources office should determine what, if any, options to continue working are available. Employees should seek guidance from Human Resources to understand the effects of leaving employment. 

The UW immigration advisor can advise on options the employee may have. Employees should notify other departments and offices following existing internal protocol.

However, if the employee is considering departing the U.S. prior to the program end date on the immigration document (if any) and/or prior to the contract end date, strongly encourage the employee to seek guidance from the employee’s UW immigration advisor, if the employee receives immigration advising from the University, and/or from the employee’s personal immigration lawyer, prior to making any decisions.  Immigration lawyers and/or UW immigration advisors may also be able to advise on a case-by-case basis if the employee intends to re-enter the U.S. to return to the University. University decision-makers should consult with the UW immigration advisor.

If the employee does not receive immigration advising from the UW, please notify the campus legal office or the Office of General Counsel.

The individual must stop working immediately. Encourage the employee to seek guidance from the institution sponsoring the employee’s visa and from HR to understand the effects of leaving employment.  Notify other departments and offices following existing internal protocol.

If the student, graduate, or scholar indicates that they have not yet contacted their immigration advisor, notify the of the International Student Services Office (or equivalent) without delay.

In recent weeks, the federal government has terminated, then re-activated, the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) records of international students and recent alumni.  We are working to provide support to those who have experienced terminations.

Our international offices have been in regular contact with international students and visiting scholars, providing resources and advice. They can help students understand how to locate legal resources if they wish but there are legal limitations to the UW universities providing direct legal assistance.

To prepare for any future SEVIS terminations the director of the International Student Services Office (or equivalent) should establish an internal protocol.  UW administration can advise on developing protocol if needed.  UW university administrators and staff should consult with the director of the International Student Services Office (or equivalent).

If a student elects to remain in the U.S., the UW university may permit the student to continue to attend classes.

Unless or until a travel ban is issued, affected countries and populations remain unknown.

Follow any internal protocol on how/when decisions are made relative to program cancellation related to, for example, financial risk, and last-minute replacement of a program leader. Consider the appropriateness of deploying emergency and/or contingency funds as a potential means to mitigate unexpected expenses to make certain all program participants are held harmless from cost increases and/or disruption to the travelers' programs of study. UW administration can advise on developing protocol if needed.  See also our Travel FAQs. 

Program Leaders

Advise program leaders to discuss risks and mitigation strategies for re-entry into the U.S. with an immigration lawyer.  If a program leader is not comfortable leading a program outside the U.S., encourage the program leader to connect with the person to whom they report to discuss options to maintain their course load. Share any contract deadlines that haven't already passed for name changes so that any decision not to leave comes before the next contractual deadline.

If the program leader is comfortable leading a program outside the U.S., identify a back-up program leader or instructor, with a valid passport, from your institution (or another UW). Consider the impact on any courses the program leader was to teach upon return to the U.S., in the case that the program leader cannot re-enter as planned. Consider the financial impact to the institution if the program leader must be changed after contracted name change deadlines and to students if the program doesn't go as planned. Is the course offered on the program a required course and, if so, will the university need to work with one or more students to complete the course prior to an impending graduation date?

Student Participants

Advise the student to discuss risks and mitigation strategies for re-entry into the U.S. with an immigration lawyer. 

On program cost sheets, include a statement on potential costs to be borne by the student, and in application materials include any potential impact on the student’s ability to complete a degree, should the student be unable to re-enter the U.S.

See these FAQs in the Student Degree and Enrollment FAQs section :

• How can students who have left the U.S. with no intention to return complete a degree from a UW university?
• Can students who have left the U.S. take courses offered 100% online?
• How are students who want to leave the country for summer break then return in fall advised?

If the student is not comfortable participating, encourage the student to meet with their academic advisor to discuss alternatives to the course that was to have been completed abroad.  Share any contract deadlines that haven't already passed for withdrawal from the program so that any decision not to participate comes before the next contractual deadline.  Consider the process and terms for potential withdrawal due to uncertainty related to a future potential travel ban and due to an actual travel ban, if implemented.

UW universities follow internal protocol to advise students on academic options. Options vary widely by degree program and depend on the number of requirements a student has yet to fulfill.

While courses offered 100% online are available, for students in jurisdictions outside the U.S. please exercise caution as providing online education may be subject to local regulation. If there is an interruption to instruction close to the end of the semester, please review your policies on completing courses in an emergency. If there is an interruption closer to the beginning of the semester, please review policies on withdrawals and refunds, if appropriate. However, a student’s degree program may or may not offer the specific 100% online courses needed by a particular student. UW university academic advisors can provide resources or advising on a case-by-case basis.

International student services offices follow internal protocol in advising students on the legal requirements for travel followed by re-entry into the U.S. 

Students should discuss risks and mitigation strategies for re-entry into the U.S. with an immigration lawyer prior to deciding to depart the U.S.  Students should also discuss with their academic advisor prior to deciding the impact (if any) that an inability to re-enter the U.S. may have on their ability to complete a degree.

Yes, new student visa applications are being accepted and processed.

• A visa revocation cancels a prior issued visa and means that the individual can no longer use that visa to enter the U.S.
  
  
• A SEVIS record termination means that the electronic SEVIS record of an individual in F-1 or J-1 status has been updated to a status of “terminated.” This results in the loss of valid F-1 or J-1 status.
  
  
• For individuals with F-1 or J-1 visas, their visa may be revoked, their SEVIS record may be terminated, or both actions may happen at the same time.

While most visa holders are not currently impacted, if you receive communication that indicates your visa has been revoked and you are sponsored by a UW university, forward the communication to your UW immigration advisor without delay. If you are not sponsored by a UW university, share the correspondence with your immigration attorney.

If your U.S. visa is revoked

If you are inside the U.S. at the time of revocation:

• You may need legal advice. Contact an immigration lawyer. Your UW immigration advisor cannot advise on this matter.
• You may need consular assistance. Contact the nearest consulate or embassy of your country of citizenship.
• If you remain in the U.S. and the federal government determines that the visa revocation resulted from your actions, your legal status in the U.S. may be affected (see “What happens if my SEVIS record is terminated by an entity other than my university?).

If you are outside the U.S. at the time of revocation, do not attempt to re-enter the U.S. using the revoked visa. A revoked visa is immediately invalid for legal entry/re-entry.

F/J/H-1B/TN/O-1/E-3 visa holders: Immediately inform your immigration advisor and share a copy of your revocation letter.

The U.S. Department of State should inform the visa holder in writing to the email address the visa holder used when they applied for the visa if it has been revoked. The university is not notified when a visa is revoked.

If a SEVIS record has been terminated, UW universities have been or will be in contact with the affected individuals to support them as they can While UW universities cannot provide legal advice, immigration advisors are taking appointments with students and can refer individuals to legal resources upon request. 

If you are inside the U.S.

• If you remain in the U.S., you may be arrested, detained, and/or deported.
• Your UW immigration advisor cannot advise on this Seek legal advice from an immigration attorney. The American Immigration Lawyers Association has a search tool to find immigration attorneys.
• You may need consular assistance. Contact the nearest consulate or embassy of your country of citizenship.
• If you require travel assistance in the U.S. and participate in the UW’s Inbound Short-Term International Student, Scholar, Visitors Insurance Program through CISI, call 1 (855) 327-1411, worldwide (01 312) 935-1703 (collect calls accepted), or e-mail medassist-usa@axa-assistance.us to access 24-hour emergency travel assistance services.

If you are outside the U.S. at the time of termination, do not attempt to re-enter the U.S. You may risk arrest at the U.S. border, detention, and/or deportation.

In late April, SEVIS records of some F-1 individuals, which had been terminated by an entity other than the university, were restored to “active” status without the intervention of a court. UW international student services offices are contacting these individuals as they find updated records. Individuals who have had their SEVIS record restored should retain a screenshot of the SEVIS event history with the exact date/time stamp of the change and any reactivation of OPT/STEM authorization dates. UW universities may permit individuals with restored SEVIS records to resume on-campus employment, if relevant.

U.S. Immigration & Citizenship Services (USCIS) offers detailed advice on scams on their website.  USCIS encourages you to “use this information to avoid common immigration scams. If you suspect you are a victim of immigration fraud, you can report it to the Federal Trade Commission or your state consumer protection office.

International students, faculty, and staff planning to travel outside the United States should carefully consider the complexities of U.S. immigration laws. The Universities of Wisconsin urges international visa holders to consider potential future policy changes—such as possible travel bans currently being reported in the media—that could impact their return. You are responsible for your own decisions. These FAQs are designed to help you make an informed decision.

As of April 7, 2025, the U.S. government has not issued any active travel bans.

On January 20, 2025, President Trump issued Executive Order 14161 directing the U.S. Secretary of State and others to submit a report “identifying countries throughout the world for which vetting and screening information is so deficient as to warrant a partial or full suspension on the admission of nationals from those countries” by March 21, 2025. This is developing information.

If you choose to travel internationally, it is important to plan and frequently check U.S. government sources, as rules and conditions for travel to the U.S. may change rapidly. 

• U.S. Department of State or specific consulate websites  
• Visa appointment wait times
• What to expect when entering the U.S.

While there is no travel ban currently in place, in the coming weeks, the U.S. government might issue travel restrictions preventing certain visa holders from reentering the United States. The Universities of Wisconsin do not have the authority to influence government officials to admit international students, faculty, and staff impacted by any possible travel bans.

The Universities of Wisconsin cannot speculate on what future changes in immigration policy may be or require. If you are sponsored by a UW university, you are encouraged to contact the UW office that serves your immigration status for assistance and/or review any information your UW campus provides online.

If a Universities of Wisconsin student or employee has questions about their permanent resident status and traveling outside the U.S., they are encouraged to contact a private immigration attorney. The State Bar of Wisconsin has an attorney referral service.

If the device is university-issued, refer to your UW university’s protocol and IT instructions. If the device is not university-issued, use UW university protocol as a resource.

Note that there may be UW university logon restrictions associated with travel outside the U.S. regardless of whether you travel with a university-issued device or a personal device. Follow your UW university’s IT protocol for requesting logon access.

CBP (Customs & Border Protection), ICE (Immigration & Customs Enforcement), and HSI (Homeland Security Investigations) can each require U.S. citizens and non-U.S. citizens to unlock their electronic devices when they cross a U.S. border to review the contents, including password-protected or encrypted contents. CBP may conduct border searches of electronic devices in accordance with statutory and regulatory authorities and applicable judicial precedents.

With reasonable suspicion of a violation of law enforced or administered by CBP or a national security concern, CBP, ICE or HSI may perform an advanced search. An advanced search is any search in which an officer connects external equipment to an electronic device not merely to gain access to the device, but to review, copy, and/or analyze its contents.

See the U.S. Customs and Border Protection webpage on “Border Search of Electronic Devices at Ports of Entry” for more information.

Whether traveling for personal or work reasons, the UW Office of General Counsel will be unable to assist. If you have reason to believe you could be subject to detention at the border, you may need legal advice prior to departing the U.S. Contact an immigration lawyer.

You can find information on the Universities of Wisconsin Freedom of Expression Resources page.

Get more information:

• Universities of Wisconsin’s Response to DHS directive to rescind existing guidelines pertaining to immigration enforcement actions.

• If you receive the request in writing, immediately forward any written request to your UW legal contact. Some requests may be subject, by federal regulation, to a maximum response time.
• If you receive a verbal request from a federal agent physically present on your campus, follow this protocol:
  • Universities of Wisconsin’s Response to DHS directive to rescind existing guidelines pertaining to immigration enforcement actions
• If you receive a verbal request over the phone from a federal agent, follow this protocol:
  • Ask the requestor to email the request to you
    • If the request cannot be emailed, ask the agent to share their name, agency affiliation, identification number, preferred contact information, specific document being requested, and the reason for the request.
  • Immediately forward the email to your UW legal contact.
  • Call the Office of General Counsel (OGC) at 608-262-2995 or your Office of Legal Affairs and speak with one of the attorneys. 
  • Some requests may be subject, by federal regulation, to a maximum response time.

NOTE: Immigration officers may request that documents be provided on the same day. Follow the protocol above. Do not give a timeframe during which the request may be fulfilled.

Requests may include, but may not be limited to:

• Request to inspect I-9 records. (By law, employers have three days to respond to an I-9 Notice of Inspection.)
• Request to conduct an administrative site visit for a compliance review.
• Request to inspect student education or immigration records.
• Request to inspect F-1, J-1, H-1B, TN, O-1, or E-3 employees’ records.
• Request to visit all sites of employment.

NOTE: DHS, ICE and USCIS interact occasionally with immigration advising offices at UW universities for purposes other than enforcement. Guidance in this section does not apply to routine interactions.

U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS) has established a new Form G-325R Alien Registration Form to comply with Executive Order 14159: Protecting the American People Against Invasion.  

Most international students, scholars, faculty, and staff have already met this requirement by having a valid U.S. visa at their time of entry to the U.S. and were issued an I-94 Arrival Record. You can learn more about your I-94 record and how to print your most recent I-94 to prove your “alien registration.” Carry a printed copy of your I-94 with you when you travel off campus. 

• The parent or legal guardian of any dependent of an international student, scholar, faculty, and staff under the age of 14 who was not issued an I-94 Arrival Record and has remained in the U.S. for more than 30 days.  
  • Form G-325R must be filed before the 30 days expires. 

• Any dependent of an international student, scholar, faculty, and staff member who turns age 14 after they entered the U.S.  
  • Form G-325R must be filed within 30 days of the dependent’s 14th birthday. 

• Any alien who did not enter on a U.S. visa, does not have an I-94 Arrival Record, and has remained in the U.S. for more than 30 days.  
  • Form G-325R must be filed before the 30 days expires. 
• Read the full details under the “Who Must File” and “How to Determine if You are Already Registered” tabs on the USCIS Alien Registration webpage.

Form G-325R is only available online. It cannot be submitted by mail. You must create a USCIS online account before filing Form G-325R. 

Step-by-step instructions are found under the “How to Register” tab on the USCIS Alien Registration webpage.