Rice welcomes all its international students and scholars and is committed to supporting them.
This page includes immigration updates and resources that may have an impact on our Rice faculty, students, and staff.
Current Updates
Visa Appointment Scheduling Resuming After Pause
After the pause in visa appointments that went into effect on May 27the, the U.S. Department of State has announced their new guidance on expanded screening and vetting for F and J visa applicants. They have also directed consular posts to resume scheduling visa applications soon, and encourage applicants to check the relevant embassy and consulate website for appointment availability.
For more information on the new guidance, we recommend that you review the information provided by NAFSA: Association of International Educators.
Travel Ban
On June 4, 2025, President Trump issued a presidential proclamation instituting a new travel ban affecting 19 countries, effective at 12:01 a.m. EDT on June 9, 2025. The Department of State has also officially suspended visa processing for impacted individuals from the listed countries. OISS has reached out directly to students and scholars from the impacted countries with guidance. For more information on the travel ban, please visit NAFSA's summary page.
OISS Communications
For prior OISS-Announce messages regarding immigration updates, please see https://oiss.rice.edu/communications (Rice login required).
Executive Actions from the Current Administration
Executive and Regulatory Actions Under the Second Trump Administration (NAFSA)