03/03/2022 Special Student Relief for F-1 Students

Cameroon

Effective Date: June 7, 2022, through December 7, 2023

Details on 87 FR 34701

General Eligibility criteria:

Summary:

  • Citizens of Cameroon regardless of country of birth (or individuals having no nationality who last habitually resided in Cameroon);
  • Lawfully present in the United States in an F-1 nonimmigrant status on June 7, 2022;
  • Enrolled in a Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP)-certified school;
  • Currently maintaining F-1 nonimmigrant status; and
  • experiencing severe economic hardship as a direct result of the current crises in Cameroon.

Afghanistan

Effective Date: May 20, 2022, through November 20, 2023

Details on: 87 FR 30971 (5/20/2022)

General Eligibility criteria:

Summary:

  • Be a citizen of Afghanistan, regardless of country of birth (or be an individual having no nationality who last habitually resided in Afghanistan);
  • Have been lawfully present in the United States in F-1 nonimmigrant status on May 20, 2022;
  • Be currently maintaining F-1 nonimmigrant status;
  • Be enrolled in an SEVP-certified academic institution; and
  • Be experiencing severe economic hardship “as a direct result of the current situation in Afghanistan”

Ukraine

Effective Date: April 19, 2022, through October 19, 2023

Details on: 87 FR 23189 (4/19/2022)

General Eligibility criteria:

Summary:

This notice announces that the Secretary of Homeland Security (Secretary) is suspending certain regulatory requirements for F-1 nonimmigrant students whose country of citizenship is Ukraine, regardless of country of birth (or individuals having no nationality who last habitually resided in Ukraine), and who are experiencing severe economic hardship as a direct result of the ongoing armed conflict in Ukraine. The Secretary is taking action to provide relief to these Ukrainian students who are lawful F-1 nonimmigrant students, so the students may request employment authorization, work an increased number of hours while the school is in session and reduce their course load while continuing to maintain their F-1 nonimmigrant student status. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will deem an F-1 nonimmigrant student who receives employment authorization by means of this notice to be engaged in a “full course of study” for the duration of the employment authorization, if the nonimmigrant student satisfies the minimum course load requirement described in this notice.

Criteria:

  • Are a citizen of Ukraine regardless of country of birth (or an individual having no nationality who last habitually resided in Ukraine);
  • Were lawfully present in the United States in F-1 nonimmigrant status under section 101(a)(15)(F)(i) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), 8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(15)(F)(i), on the date of publication of this notice;
  • Are enrolled in an academic institution that is Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) certified for enrollment for F-1 nonimmigrant students;
  • Are maintaining F-1 nonimmigrant status; and
  • Are experiencing severe economic hardship as a direct result of the ongoing armed conflict in Ukraine.

South Sudan

Effective Date: March 3, 2022, until November 3, 2023

Details on: 87 FR 12182  (March 3, 2022)

General Eligibility criteria:

  • Be a citizen of the Republic of South Sudan regardless of country of birth or “an individual having no nationality who last habitually resided in South Sudan”
  • Have been lawfully present in the United States in F-1 nonimmigrant status on March 3, 2022
  • Be enrolled in an institution certified by SEVP for the enrollment of F-1 students
  • Be currently maintaining F-1 status; and
  • Be experiencing severe economic hardship as a direct result of the humanitarian crisis in South Sudan

Hong Kong

Effective Date: November 26, 2021

Details on: 86 FR 67485 (November 26, 2021)

General Eligibility criteria:

  • Be a resident of Hong Kong, regardless of country of birth;
  • Have been lawfully present in the United States in F-1 nonimmigrant status on November 26, 2021;
  • Be currently maintaining F-1 nonimmigrant status;
  • Be enrolled in an SEVP-certified academic institution; and
  • Be experiencing severe economic hardship “as a direct result of the emergent circumstances in Hong Kong”

Yemen

Effective September 4, 2021 until March 3, 2023

Details on: 86 FR 36288 (July 9, 2021)

General Eligibility criteria:

  • Be a citizen of Yemen, regardless of country of birth;
  • Have been lawfully present in the United States in F-1 nonimmigrant status on September 4, 2021;
  • Be currently maintaining F-1 nonimmigrant status;
  • Be enrolled in an SEVP-certified academic institution; and
  • Be experiencing severe economic hardship as a direct result of the current crisis in Yemen

Venezuela

Effective April 22, 2021 until September 9, 2022

Details on:  86 FR 21328 (April 22, 2021)

General Eligibility criteria:

  • Be a citizen of Venezuela, regardless of country of birth;
  • Have been lawfully present in the United States in F-1 nonimmigrant status on April 22, 2021;
  • Be currently maintaining F-1 nonimmigrant status;
  • Be enrolled in an SEVP-certified academic institution; and
  • Be experiencing severe economic hardship as a direct result of the current humanitarian crisis in Venezuela

Syria

Update

Redesignation of Special Student Relief (SSR) effective October 1, 2022, through April 1, 2024,

Details on: 87 FR 46975 (08/01/2022)

[Initial SSR designation effective April 22, 2021, through September 30, 2022]

General Eligibility criteria:

The notice applies exclusively to F-1 nonimmigrant students who meet all of the following conditions:

  • Are citizens of Syria regardless of country of birth (or individuals having no nationality who last habitually resided in Syria)
  • Are lawfully present in the United States in an F-1 nonimmigrant status on Aug. 1, 2022
  • Are enrolled in a Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP)-certified school
  • Are currently maintaining F-1 nonimmigrant status; and
  • Are experiencing severe economic hardship as a direct result of the civil war in Syria.

The suspension of these requirements will remain in effect until April 1, 2024, for Syrian students.

Somalia

Effective September 18, 2021 through March 17, 2023

Details on: 86 FR 38739 (July 22, 2021)

General Eligibility criteria:

  • Be a citizen of Somalia, regardless of country of birth;
  • Have been lawfully present in the United States in F-1 nonimmigrant status on September 18, 2021;
  • Be currently maintaining F-1 nonimmigrant status;
  • Be enrolled in an SEVP-certified academic institution; and
  • Be experiencing severe economic hardship “as a direct result of the current crisis in Somalia”

 Haiti

Effective August 3, 2021 through February 3, 2023

Details on: 86 FR 41857 (August 3, 2021)

General Eligibility criteria:

  • Be a citizen of Haiti, regardless of country of birth;
  • Have been lawfully present in the United States in F-1 nonimmigrant status on August 3, 2021;
  • Be currently maintaining F-1 nonimmigrant status;
  • Be enrolled in an SEVP-certified academic institution; and
  • Be experiencing severe economic hardship “as a direct result of the current crisis in Haiti”

Burma/Myanmar

Effective May 25, 2021 until November 25, 2022

Details on: 86 FR 28128 (May 25, 2021).

General Eligibility criteria:

  • Be a citizen of Burma (Myanmar), regardless of country of birth;
  • Have been lawfully present in the United States in F-1 nonimmigrant status on May 25, 2021;
  • Be currently maintaining F-1 nonimmigrant status;
  • Be enrolled in an SEVP-certified academic institution; and
  • Be experiencing severe economic hardship “as a direct result of the current crisis in Burma”