To: Campus Community
From: International Faculty & Scholars
Date: March 13, 2020
Subject: Government (DOS) Suspension of all J-1 Exchange Visitor Travel
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Dear Colleagues,
We are writing to you to inform you that the Department of State has instructed that all J-1 exchange visitor program travel to, through and/or from all countries be suspended until May 10, 2020. This means that the University will not be able to issue any new DS-2019s for exchange visitors with a start date prior to May 11, 2020. We will continue to follow all guidance provided by the Department of State and update departments throughout this unprecedented time.
We have created a page on our website to address the impact of the Corona Virus on our international faculty, scholars and their host departments. COVID-19 Update contains helpful information, updates and guidance regarding immigration issues. If you have any questions, please reach out to any member of the IFS Team at ifs@email.arizona.edu or 520-626-6289.
We have also included the guidance from Department of State below.
Regards,
Dana Bleau, International Faculty & Scholars
Brent White, VP, Arizona Global
Dear Sponsors,
This email contains important updates regarding the rapidly evolving COVID-19 situation.
Yesterday, the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) announced that all ECA-funded exchange program travel to, through, and/or from countries at CDC Alert Level 2 and above, or State Department Level 3 and above, are suspended for 60 days beginning March 11, 2020. As the State Department has now issued a Global Level 3 travel advisory, this suspension applies to all countries.
Although private sector programs are not specifically governed by this suspension, ECA asks all private-sector Exchange Visitor Program sponsors to follow this guidance as they make decisions regarding exchange visitors who have not yet entered the United States. ECA also encourages sponsors to continue to follow guidance for ECA-funded programs as the situation evolves, particularly with respect to future exchange visitor recruitment (e.g., for summer or fall programs).
This approach should help to protect the health, safety, and welfare of program participants and the American public, and to avoid undermining U.S. foreign policy objectives, compromising national security, and bringing the Department or the Exchange Visitor Program into notoriety or disrepute.
ECA refers sponsors to the CDC’s guidance encouraging institutes of higher education to consider postponing or canceling student foreign exchange programs and President Trump’s March 11, 2020, 30-day travel ban (effective March 13, 11:59 p.m. ET) on foreign nationals traveling to the United States from 26 European countries.
ECA also encourages sponsors to provide their current exchange visitors with CDC and other official travel guidance regarding their personal travel decisions.
Sincerely,
Office of Private Sector Exchange