It is safe to say that many applicants for US visas have been facing problems in getting their applications approved. Plus, the pandemic led to a stop in visa processing due to the restrictions imposed by the US government in order to control the spread of COVID-19.
On top of that, US Citizenship and Immigration Services, or USCIS, have made the visa requirements even more strict than before, making it harder for applicants to get their visa and immigration applications approved successfully.
Needless to say, international students interested in pursuing higher studies in top colleges and universities in the US are pretty disheartened by the current situation.
In light of so many queries from international students flooding USCIS, a webinar was conducted in August 2022 by the Office of the Citizenship and Immigration Services Ombudsman to address questions concerning the issues faced by overseas students.
For those who don’t know, the Office of the Citizenship and Immigration Services Ombudsman is an independent entity serving as a liaison between USCIS and the public.
Here’s a list of topics that were discussed in the webinar;
- Employment authorization applications
- Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements
- Optional Practical Training or OPT and F-1 status
- The student and exchange visitor information system
- Changes of address
- Issues related to COVID-19
Click here to view the answers provided by USCIS to all the questions concerning international students.
