Office of International Students and Scholars

As we look ahead to 2025, we recognize that there may be many questions about possible changes that may come with a new administration.  As happens with every federal election, there can be changes in policies, regulations, legislation and procedures that can impact anyone in the US on a temporary visa (F-1, J-1, H-1B, etc), those without immigration status or those in a more tenuous status (i.e. TPS, applicants for asylum, etc).  

It is unlikely that we will see changes prior to the new President being sworn into office on January 20, 2025 and therefore it is still too early to know what the immediate impacts of a new administration will be on immigration and visa issues. Please be assured that the Office of International Students & Scholars (OISS) is using this time to prepare.  

We carefully monitor updates and changes, and this page will be updated regularly as changes occur.  As always, OISS staff will continue to work closely with other offices, Colleges and departments to ensure that the information international students and scholars need  is communicated in a timely manner and shared with faculty and staff that support them.  OISS staff has experience with these transitions and will be available to help explain how any changes are likely to impact individual students and scholars.  Until more details are known, we encourage everyone to keep these things in mind:

• Avoid making decisions based on social media and news reports or rumors that predict new policies/regulation.  Legislative and regulatory changes take time.

  • While social media and news agencies may predict what may be implemented in a new administration, please know that, as past experience has shown, not everything that has been talked about during an election will be implemented.  Additionally, there are formal procedures to issue Executive Orders, legislation, regulations and policy changes. While Executive Orders can be issued and implemented quickly, legislation through Congress or new regulations through government agencies must go through formal procedures that can take some time between the proposal, approval, and implementation stages.

• Each international student and scholar immigration situation is unique.

  • We encourage you to speak with your OISS Advisor if you have questions about your specific situation. Do not rely on a google search or your friends for advice.  Read any updates from OISS carefully.  If you are unsure about something, please contact us at intnl@lehigh.edu.

• Assess your Winter Break travel plans carefully and make every effort to return to campus prior to January 20, 2025.

  • International students and scholars on a Lehigh-sponsored visa already received information about traveling over Winter Break.  Please review that information to make sure you understand considerations for traveling over Winter Break.  New Executive Orders that may impact travel and visa processing may be implemented on or after the new Presidential administration is sworn in on January 20, 2025.  We will not know the full extent of any Executive Orders until they are published.  Because of this, we encourage everyone to return to campus be the first of of classes for the Spring semester - January 20, 2025.

Please continue to visit this page, as we will update it regularly with any new developments.  OISS will also update students, scholars and other university stakeholders via e-mail when we have more details or when important developments occur.  Please don't hesitate to contact us if you have any questions.  We are here to support the Lehigh community.