In That Case: Department of State v. Muñoz
Episode 315 - Boeing Pays $51 Million for ITAR Violations
Matt Silverman on Export Compliance
On May 27, 2025, the Department of State issued a cable instructing U.S. Embassies and Consulates to pause scheduling new visa appointments for foreign nationals seeking to obtain student and exchange visitor visas (F, M, and...more
In recent weeks the Department of State (DOS) has taken steps to revoke visas and terminate the status of international students who have criminal infractions and/or who have engaged in activism. In light of this intense...more
The Department of State (DOS) has recently increased scrutiny of existing student visa holders and those requesting new student visas at U.S. consulates abroad. Some F-1 visas and SEVIS records have been rescinded or...more
As the second Trump administration takes office, we offer the following considerations for visa holders (F-1, H-1B, L-1, E-2, TN, and others) who are seeking to travel internationally....more
On April 1, 2024, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that it had selected sufficient H-1B visa preregistrations to reach the congressionally mandated 65,000 regular H-1B cap (bachelor’s degree cap)...more
Over the past week, the State Department and USCIS have issued several significant updates, including the return of U.S. stateside visa processing and the expansion of premium processing for F-1 students....more
On January 21, 2022, the Department of State and the Department of Homeland Security jointly announced a flurry of new actions and policy changes relating to various visa classifications that open new potential pathways and...more
On April 26, 2021, the U.S. Department of State issued updated guidance on “National Interest Exceptions for Certain Travelers from China, Iran, Brazil, South Africa, Schengen Area, United Kingdom, and Ireland,” which should...more
On March 2, 2021, the U.S. Department of State issued revised guidance further limiting eligibility for National Interest Exemptions (NIEs) for travelers from the Schengen Area, the United Kingdom and Ireland whose...more
The US Department of State announced on February 10 that students possessing valid F-1 and M-1 visas who are seeking admission to the United States from the Schengen area countries, the United Kingdom, and Ireland no longer...more
COVID-19 has caused significant disruptions in every aspect of our daily lives. Several policies have been enacted, affecting millions of foreign national workers, both in the U.S. and abroad, along with the businesses that...more
On June 22, 2020, the President signed Presidential Proclamation (P.P.) 10052, which suspended the entry to the United States of certain nonimmigrants, including H-1B, L-1, and J visa holders. In a statement posted on July...more
The Department of State has recently announced that U.S. Embassies and Consulates will begin a phased resumption of processing routine nonimmigrant and immigrant visas. Such cases will include travelers with urgent travel...more
On July 16, 2020, the U.S. Department of State (DOS) announced that business travelers, investors, treaty traders, and academics from the Schengen Area countries, the U.K., and Ireland may qualify for “national interest...more
On July 16 and 17, 2020, the U.S. Department of State (“DOS”) announced changes to two existing COVID-related travel restrictions. The first creates new exceptions to the Proclamation barring anyone who has been within a...more
On July 6, 2020, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)’s Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP), which runs the U.S. student visa program, announced that international students will not receive U.S. student...more
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced a policy change on July 6 that will substantially disrupt higher education for the fall semester. This major change in policy was issued without any opportunity for...more
The Student and Exchange Visitor Program, a part of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement, on July 7 announced several modifications to temporary exemptions for nonimmigrant students taking online classes due to the...more
On July 6, 2020, the Trump Administration announced that due to continued public safety concerns surrounding COVID-19, it is imposing far-reaching restrictions on the F-1 and J-1 programs. These restrictions have significant...more
As COVID-19 forced colleges and universities across the country to abruptly close their campuses and pivot to online-only instruction models for the remainder of the spring and the entire summer semesters, Immigration and...more
Late on Friday, January 31, 2020, President Donald Trump issued a Presidential Proclamation (“the order”) barring entry to the United States for most foreign nationals who have visited the People’s Republic of China (PRC)...more
USCIS Announces Implementation of Its H-1B Electronic Registration Tool - After several months of vetting public commentary, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”) will roll out its H-1B electronic...more
US companies that employ foreign students in F-1 STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) Optional Practical Training (OPT) status should be aware of a recently announced practice by Immigration and Customs...more
According to multiple new press reports, and as part of the continuing trade tensions between the United States and China, the U.S. Department of State (“DOS”) has issued guidance to consular officers that will impact U.S....more
The U.S. Department of State (“DOS”) recently updated its Foreign Affairs Manual (“FAM”) guidance regarding what the agency perceives as “willful misrepresentations.” The guidance revises what was previously known as the...more