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Update: Suspension of Entry as Nonimmigrants of Certain Students and Researchers from China

June 2, 2020

On May 29, 2020 President Trump issued a “Proclamation on the Suspension of Entry as Nonimmigrants of Certain Students and Researchers from the People’s Republic of China.” 

This proclamation went into effect June 1, 2020 and will continue until further notice. It suspends the entry of certain students and researchers from the People’s Republic of China (PRC). Specifically, the proclamation prohibits entry into the United States as a nonimmigrant by individuals who satisfy all of the following criteria:

  • Chinese national;
  • Traveling to the United States on an F or J visa;
  • Studying or conducting research beyond an undergraduate level (this does not apply to undergraduate students from China);
  • Have past or present ties to an entity in the PRC that implements or supports the PRC’s “military-civil fusion strategy,” defined as any actions by the PRC to acquire and divert foreign technologies to incorporate into and advance the PRC’s military capabilities. Please note that we do not yet have information on which PRC entities the U.S. government considers tied to the PRC’s military-civil fusion strategy. We will update this page with information on this as soon as it is available.

Again, we wish to emphasize that this proclamation applies only to those who meet all of the above criteria. Unless certain exceptions apply, it is unlikely that the U.S. Department of State will approve F or J visa applications for those who meet all of the above criteria. Additionally, the U.S. Department of State could revoke visas already issued to individuals who meet all of the above criteria. 

Among others, the proclamation does not apply to:

  • Lawful permanent residents of the U.S.
  • A spouse of a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident
  • Anyone in an immigration status or with a visa other than F or J
  • New and continuing undergraduate students
  • Any F or J graduate student or J scholar who “is studying or conducting research in a field involving information that would not contribute to the PRC’s military-civil fusion strategy.”

If you have an F or J visa stamp and think you might be impacted by this Proclamation, please contact the consulate that issued your visa stamp to confirm if the visa stamp has been or will be revoked as a result of the proclamation. This should be done prior to travel. The Northwestern Office of International Student and Scholar Services (OISS) also stands ready to support you. If you have any questions or concerns regarding your status, please do not hesitate to reach out to your OISS advisor. 

OISS will continue to issue immigration documents (I-20 and DS 2019) for any Chinese national. 

We will update this website as we learn more.