Legal Blogs and Updates

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) posted Federal Register notices announcing the suspension of certain regulatory requirements for F-1 nonimmigrant students from Venezuela and Syria who are experiencing severe economic hardship as a result of emergent circumstances in their country of citizenship. These notices temporarily suspend applicable on-campus and off-campus employment regulations for eligible Venezuelan and Syrian students. DHS will continue to monitor the situations in Syrian and Venezuela and will announce any additional modifications or extensions to these notices in the Federal Register.

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

• Are citizens of Venezuela or Syria,
• Were lawfully present in the United States in an F-1 nonimmigrant status on April 22, 2021,
• Are enrolled in an SEVP-certified school,
• Are currently maintaining F-1 nonimmigrant status, and
• Are experiencing severe economic hardship as a direct result of the humanitarian crisis in Venezuela or ongoing civil unrest in Syria since March 2011.

The suspension of these requirements will remain in effect until:

• Sept. 9, 2022 for Venezuelan students.
• Sept. 30, 2022 for Syrian students.

Please refer to the Venezuela Federal Register notice and Syria Federal Register notice for more information regarding:

• The specific Special Student Relief (SSR) action effective with the notice;
• Who is covered by this SSR action;
• Why DHS took this SSR action; and
• How to apply for employment authorization under this SSR action.

If you have case-specific questions, please contact our office or the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) Response Center at 703-603-3400 or 800-892-4829, Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET, except federal holidays.

Source: Federal Register