SEVP COVID Guidelines No Longer In Effect

After 3 years, SEVP (Student and Exchange Visitor Program), the government agency that controls F-1 international student immigration records, has announced the upcoming end to the flexibilities implemented at the start of the COVID pandemic in March 2020.

COVID-19 flexibilities were originally offered to accommodate national emergencies including restrictions and disruptions to travel and broad changes in teaching methods at the time. These flexibilities were always intended as a temporary measure to allow you to continue your studies with the fewest disruptions, and did not signify or result in a permanent change to the regulations.  They are now scheduled to sunset and will no longer be in effect starting in the Fall semester, with a return largely to pre-pandemic rules for F-1 students.

This has some important impacts for you and the in-person requirements that you will have to meet.  Primarily:

• Remote Instruction: Beginning in the Fall Semester, you may count only one remotely taught course toward your full-time enrollment requirements.   This is a change from the allowances of the previous three years in which you were only required to enroll in at least one in-person course each semester.   When choosing your Fall courses, please make sure that you meet your full-time enrollment using no more than one remotely taught course.  If you have already chosen your courses, please add a course or change your courses to meet this requirement. 

• Physical presence in the US: Students will no longer remain in active F-1 status while taking classes online outside of the United States. With the exception of thesis/dissertation students and students studying abroad on a Tulane affiliated program, F-1 students will be limited to 5 months outside of the US before their SEVIS record will terminate.  If you have been studying from abroad and you wish to continue your studies in F-1 status, please make plans to return to New Orleans in time for the Fall Semester. 

One permanent change that will remain is the allowance for digital signatures on immigration documents.  We may continue to sign and transmit your I-20 documents electronically. 

For a full list of SEVP updates, you can check out this summary or list of FAQs.