US Govt Revokes Most Criticised Immigration Rule for International Students Pursuing Online Studies

During a Federal Court hearing on 14-July-2020, US Government has withdrawn its Guideline for International Students published on last 06-July-2020 for International Students taking Online Study. Thus the previous guideline which has banned international students who are planning for ONLINE Study from entering and remaining in the US has been overruled now.

On last 06-July-2020, Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) announced a rule change explaining modification to temporary exemptions for international students taking online classes due to the pandemic for Fall 2020 term. As per that new rule, international students on F-1 and M-1 visas would no longer be permitted to enter or remain in the USA if their program of study is delivered online fully. It was also a concern for international student who began an in-person study in the Fall 2020 which can later move to online study because of the pandemic, they also need to leave the country.

The new rule was rescinded during a federal court hearing on 14 July-2020. The court was considering a lawsuit filed by Harvard University and MIT that asked for a temporary injunction against the implementation of the Rule Change declared on 06-July-2020. The Court has advised US Government to follow their previous guideline declared on 09-March-2020 for international students. That old directive set out exemptions to allow international students to maintain their visa status and enter or remain in the US while pursuing their study Online.

Along with Harvard and MIT, about 200 more US Universities as well few state governments and international students have filled a lawsuit asking Federal Courts to ban US Government’s Change of Policy declared on 06-July-2020 which was criticized nationally and internationally by most of the students and stake holders greatly. It was started knowing as Horrible Change among international students community and was became talk of the towns as well highlight in many newspapers across the globe

Though the Change of Policy was rescinded by the Court, it had created big mash among international students’ community and lead to unbelievable damage to US Education as a whole. Now prospective international students are concern about whether they will be able to enter the US and similarly current international students are also concern about their future status. This has created tremendous threat among prospective students planning to study in US. They see all of these decisions around H-1B, and the threat to OPT as well. Prospective Students do not like instability and so that they are re thinking about their decision to study in the USA.

Due to these sequential changes, US Education has lost the trust of prospective international students and It will absolutely take a long time for the US Higher Education Sector to regain it.