COVID-19 and Emergency Information

Please review our newly admitted international student FAQ page.

US government guidance indicates that I-20s issued electronically or with electronic signatures remain valid until students have a need for an updated I-20. This same guidance indicates that both the US Department of State (the unit that issues US visas) and Customs and Border Protection (the unit that checks documents at US borders and entry points) are in support of this action.

Please review how to get a travel signature.  

It’s possible for you to get a travel signature from outside of US. Please review how to get a travel signature.  

We recommend you continue to review the website of the consulate or embassy you intend to apply for your US visa at to be aware of any further updates in their services. To find the website of the consulate or embassy nearest you, review this listing of websites of US Embassies, Consulates, and Diplomatic Missions. Please note, we are still processing I-20/DS-2019 applications for newly admitted students during this time. We encourage you to apply as soon as you’re able. Newly admitted students can also review our information on how to get a US visa.

The US government’s guidance from March 13 indicates that they will allow students in F-1 status to temporarily count online classes towards a full course of study. This temporary provision is in effect for the “duration of the emergency.” As long as you are full-time enrolled, NYU will continue to maintain your student status for the duration of this semester.

The US government’s more recent guidance indicates that as long as you continue to make normal progress on your course of study, you will not need to apply for a new F-1 or J-1 visa if you still have a valid visa (even if you will be outside of the US for five months or longer).

Finally, you should be aware of what you would need to bring and/or be prepared for when entering another country at this time. The IATA Travel Centre has a comprehensive list of updates associated with COVID-19.

Unfortunately, there is no clear answer to this question. It’s more complicated and will depend a lot on your destination. Furthermore, things can change very quickly, so even if there are no travel restrictions in place for a given country today, there may be tomorrow.

First, several countries have placed restrictions on travelers arriving from the United States, so please be sure to confirm whether you may face any obstacles – such as a mandatory self-isolation period – before you depart for home.

Second, even if you are able to return home without significant obstacles, there is no clear indication of how soon you would be able to return to the US.

There is currently an entry ban for all non-citizens of the US (except lawful permanent residents and immediate family members of US citizens and lawful permanent residents) who have visited China, Iran, the European Schengen area (which includes: Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland), the United Kingdom and Ireland.

These entry bans apply even to those with valid F-1 and J-1 visas.

We continue to update our travel advisories page as we learn new information.

Please review the information on both our executive order page and our travel advisories related to Coronavirus page for the latest update on how your travels may be affected and what resources exist for you.

If you are a citizen of one of the countries that has at any point been included in the travel ban executive orders, we recommend you to register your travel through the Travel Monitor Program.

Contact your school and/or department to inform them of your situation and find out what the latest possible date is that you can return to begin the new semester. Please also review our information on visa delays and denials.

US government guidance has indicated that there is not currently any flexibility on extending the grace period for F-1 students.

For students completing their academic program soon:
All students in F-1 status have up to sixty days after their program end date (this is the day you complete all requirements for your academic program) to decide what they will do next. This sixty days is also referred to as your “grace period.” Please review the options available to students who are graduating on our alumni page. If you're an F-1 student and want to work, you must apply for OPT within a month of completing your studies. If you are staying on at NYU to do another academic program, apply for a new I-20 or DS-2019 on our Change Major or Degree page. If you are starting an academic program at another school within the US, learn how to transfer out of NYU. These are all options that would permit you to continue to remain in the United States. If, however, you are not interested in pursuing any of these options, we encourage you to schedule an online advising appointment to discuss whether changing from F-1 to another status in the United States may be a viable option for you.

For students completing their Post-Completion OPT soon:
All students in F-1 status who have not yet accrued ninety days of unemployment during the post-completion OPT time period have up to sixty days after their OPT end date to remain legally in the United States. This sixty days is also referred to as your “grace period.” If, however, you wish to see if you can extend your time in the United States even further, one option would be STEM OPT, which may be a possibility for students who are currently on post-completion OPT, and who completed their degree at NYU (or a previous degree from another college or university within the United States) in a Science, Technology, Engineering, or Mathematics (STEM) field. You can find further details, including eligibility requirements on our STEM OPT extension page. If you are currently on post-completion OPT and you have an employer interested in sponsoring you for an H-1B work visa, you may also be eligible to apply for a Cap Gap Extension. If, however, neither of these options are possible for you, we encourage you to schedule an online advising appointment to discuss whether changing from F-1 to another status in the United States may be a viable option for you.

For students completing their STEM OPT soon:
Students in F-1 status who have not yet accrued 150 days of unemployment during the post-completion and STEM OPT time period have up to sixty days after their STEM OPT end date to remain legally in the United States. This sixty days is also referred to as your “grace period.” If, however, you wish to see if you can extend your time in the United States even further, one option would be the cap gap extension. If you are currently on STEM OPT and you have an employer interested in sponsoring you for an H-1B work visa, you may be eligible to apply for a Cap Gap Extension. If this option is not possible for you, we encourage you to schedule an online advising appointment to discuss whether changing from F-1 to another status in the United States may be a viable option for you.

To review the latest update on the status of classes at NYU, please visit the COVID-19 information for classes and academics page. When we have a clearer idea of whether classes will be online, in-person, or some hybrid, information will be posted on that page. That being said, we anticipate that students will be able to begin their Fall semester studies (in whatever form they may take) on time. Please know that the safety of our students is of utmost importance and, should the need arise, we are prepared to make the necessary adjustments to ensure the continuity of the student experience.

The US government’s guidance from March 13 indicates that they will allow students in F-1 status to temporarily count online classes towards a full course of study. Additional more recent guidance, confirms this remains true. This temporary provision is in effect for the “duration of the emergency.” As long as you are full-time enrolled, NYU will continue to maintain your student status for the duration of this semester.

If you need additional time to complete your degree, please review our information on extending your study.

No. Before dropping any courses, please discuss your situation with both your academic advisor and an OGS advisor. If you have the support of your academic advisor, reach out to OGS by scheduling an online advising appointment.

No. As long as you are enrolled full-time and continue to make normal progress on your degree program it does not impact your visa or status if you will receive a pass/fail for the class instead of a letter grade.

A continuing NYU student in F-1 status accrues eligibility for practical training whether they are inside or outside of the United States during the COVID-19 emergency as long as their I-20 remains valid and SEVIS record remains active (meaning that they continue to be full-time enrolled at NYU each fall and spring semester and otherwise maintain their F-1 status).

Newly admitted graduate students who were not previously enrolled in another academic program in the United States, and who complete their first semester remotely outside of the United States would NOT be eligible to apply for Curricular Practical Training (CPT) during the summer following their first academic year, unless their program requires an internship or practicum during that summer. If it is permissible for students to complete their internship or practicum at a later time in their academic program, then CPT would not be possible for students who do the first semester of their program at NYU outside of the United States.

Newly admitted students who were not previously enrolled in another academic program in the United States and do their first semester remotely outside of the United States must complete two consecutive semesters in F-1 status in the United States to be eligible to apply for Optional Practical Training (OPT).

Newly admitted students who previously did another academic program in the United States and transferred their SEVIS record to NYU would be eligible to apply for either CPT or OPT during the summer following their first academic year at NYU even if they do the first semester at NYU remotely outside of the United States.

Please review our OPT FAQ page.

Please refer to our STEM OPT FAQs.

During the current COVID-19 crisis, the US government has indicated that remote employment may be counted for OPT purposes as long as a student’s employer has an office outside of the United States or the employer can assess student engagement using electronic means. See this guidance from the US government for further details.

Before accepting any unemployment benefits, carefully review our Public Charge information and the USCIS Public Charge Fact Sheet. Nonimmigrants (including students in F-1 and J-1 status) are prohibited by US law from becoming a “public charge,” i.e., someone who is financially dependent on government funds, in the United States. Accepting such benefits could potentially result in the loss of student status and a bar to re-enter the United States. For further guidance, we recommend you speak with an immigration attorney.

The US government’s recent guidance indicates that students can engage in CPT during their time outside of the US as long as:

• Students continue to be enrolled in a program of study in which CPT is integral to the program of study;
  
• Students have authorization before the start date of the CPT; and
• Either the employer has an office outside of the US or the employer can assess student engagement and attainment of their learning objectives electronically.
  

Furthermore, guidance from March 13 indicates any associated course enrollment with CPT can be online.

The Social Security Administration has not provided any update as to when their services will resume. We will continue to update this page as soon as there is added information. Keep in mind that a Social Security Number is not work authorization, so you will not necessarily need one to begin work, but you eventually will need a number for tax purposes. Check with the payroll department of your employer for further information on how they are handling this situation.

At this time, consulates in the New York area and in many regions across the world are not issuing visas. Most countries that offer online visas have also put these services on hold. OGS will continue to monitor the situation and update you as soon as visa services resume either at the consulates or online.

You can apply at your local consulate, so long as you are considered within their jurisdiction. Please note that consulate visa requirements may vary based on location. We recommend you reach out to OGS Outbound to let us know where you will be applying so we can assist you further.

Each country will make the decision to lift its entry ban based on how the situation is developing locally as well as globally. As it stands, most bans have been issued “until further notice” (e.g., Australia, the Czech Republic, China, Ghana), while other countries have announced a tentative end date (e.g., April 17 for Germany). Since these dates are subject to change, OGS will keep you updated about any changes in the entry requirements for your study abroad destination.

We encourage you to gather all the documents listed in the document checklist for your study abroad site. If you would like to review these documents with an OGS Outbound Advisor or have any questions about how to obtain these documents, please schedule a virtual advising appointment.

We recommend that you hold off booking your flights at this time. OGP and OGS will update you when it is a good time to purchase flights.

It is correct that the US Passport Agencies currently operate at limited capacity and only issue passports to travelers who need to urgently travel within 72 hours. OGS will continue to monitor the situation closely and update you as soon as regular passport issuing services have resumed.

You should contact the consulate that cancelled your appointment to ask when the next available appointment is. After taking the next available appointment, you should continually monitor the consulate’s website for new earlier appointments. We are unable to secure a new appointment for you and have no authority to influence the processing times or policies of consulates.  

Please refer back to the emails you have received from the OGS. These emails include a link to our comprehensive visa instructions which will give you an idea of where you are in the process. There is also helpful information on our Visas for NYU Study Abroad pages.

Please refer to the visa instructions the OGS emailed to you. Document checklists can be found on the webpage for each NYU Site.

Please refer to the sample application provided in the visa instructions that were emailed to you. Sample applications can also be found on the webpage for each NYU Site.

If a true emergency has developed and you need your passport for international travel, you should contact the consulate where you submitted your application. In some cases, withdrawing your passport may mean you have withdrawn your entire visa application. You may need to start the visa process over again from the beginning. The consulate will be able to inform you about any impact withdrawing your passport would have.