美国移民与海关执法局（ICE）6日宣布，申请2020年秋季班的留学生，若是学校全部实施网路授课，将无法获得签证。已经在美国境内的学生也必须离境，或是转至其他开设常规课程的学校就读。
ICE针对2020年秋季持有F-1或M-1非移民学生签证发布最新规定。申请F-1或M-1非移民签证的学生，若是就读学校实施全面网路授课，美国政府将不会核发签证。
若是学校提供校园授课，持有F-1非移民签证的学生，最多只能选修一门网路授课课程或是3个学分的网路授课课程。
若是学校提供校园及网路混和授课，持有F-1非移民签证的学生，可以选修多於一门或是多余3个学分的网路授课课程，但也需要选修校园授课课程。
如果学校在秋季学期开始校园授课，但后来要求改为线上课程，或者非移民学生更改他们的课程，则学校需要在更改后的10天内通知ICE。
F-1为非移民学生从事学术课程学习，而M-1为非移民学生在美国学习期间从事职业课程学习。
SEVP modifies temporary exemptions for nonimmigrant students taking online courses during fall 2020 semester
WASHINGTON – The Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) announced modifications Monday to temporary exemptions for nonimmigrant students taking online classes due to the pandemic for the fall 2020 semester. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security plans to publish the procedures and responsibilities in the Federal Register as a Temporary Final Rule.
Temporary exemptions for the fall 2020 semester include:
l Nonimmigrant F-1 and M-1 students attending schools operating entirely online may not take a full online course load and remain in the United States. The U.S. Department of State will not issue visas to students enrolled in schools and/or programs that are fully online for the fall semester nor will U.S. Customs and Border Protection permit these students to enter the United States. Active students currently in the United States enrolled in such programs must depart the country or take other measures, such as transferring to a school with in-person instruction to remain in lawful status. If not, they may face immigration consequences including, but not limited to, the initiation of removal proceedings.
l Nonimmigrant F-1 students attending schools operating under normal in-person classes are bound by existing federal regulations. Eligible F students may take a maximum of one class or three credit hours online.
l Nonimmigrant F-1 students attending schools adopting a hybrid model—that is, a mixture of online and in person classes—will be allowed to take more than one class or three credit hours online. These schools must certify to SEVP, through the Form I-20, “Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant Student Status,” certifying that the program is not entirely online, that the student is not taking an entirely online course load this semester, and that the student is taking the minimum number of online classes required to make normal progress in their degree program. The above exemptions do not apply to F-1 students in English language training programs or M-1 students pursing vocational degrees, who are not permitted to enroll in any online courses.
Schools should update their information in the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) within 10 days of the change if they begin the fall semester with in-person classes but are later required to switch to only online classes, or a nonimmigrant student changes their course selections, and as a result, ends up taking an entirely online course load. Nonimmigrant students within the United States are not permitted to take a full course of study through online classes. If students find themselves in this situation, they must leave the country or take alternative steps to maintain their nonimmigrant status such as a reduced course load or appropriate medical leave.
Due to COVID-19, SEVP instituted a temporary exemption regarding online courses for the spring and summer semesters. This policy permitted nonimmigrant students to take more online courses than normally permitted by federal regulation to maintain their nonimmigrant status during the COVID-19 emergency.
F-1 nonimmigrant students pursue academic coursework and M-1 nonimmigrant students pursue vocational coursework while studying in the United States.