COVID-19 Resources
The COVID-19 pandemic has created significant challenges for international exchange programs due to their heavy dependence on travel and people-to-people interactions. An estimated 6500 jobs and $303M were lost by these employers and others in related fields last year due to the pandemic. Overall, the BridgeUSA exchange community experienced $1.23 billion in financial fallout in 2020. Unfortunately, international exchange programs are still stymied by travel and other restrictions. If continued, the situation will be devastating to exchange employers and to the cultural exchange programs they run, which would in turn hurt the United States’ national security for years to come.
Please see the resources below for information on Alliance efforts, congressional engagement, and the latest updates from the White House and State Department.
RESOURCES
- Congressional letter led by Rep. John Garamendi (D-CA) to Secretary Blinken re: recommendations for addressing delays in student visa processing (10/24/22)
- Bipartisan House letter re: prioritization of BridgeUSA visa processing (5/24/22)
- Governors letter to President Biden urging prioritized visa processing for BridgeUSA programs (5/2/22)
- Alliance comment letter to U.S. Department of Commerce on National Travel and Tourism Strategy (2/11/22)
- House Resolution 901 led by Rep. Blake Moore (R-UT) and Rep. Annie Kuster (D-NH) reaffirming bipartisan support of BridgeUSA programs (2/2/22)
- Alliance letter to U.S. Department of State supporting removal of travel bans and proposing recommendations for international travel (9/23/21)
- AIRC and Alliance Survey re: visa processing challenges (8/9/21)
- Senate letter led by Sen. Padilla to Secretary Blinken re: recommendations for processing of international student visa applications (8/6/21)
- Travel and tourism industry letter to Secretary Blinken re: restoring visa processing to full capacity (7/29/21)
- American Council on Education and associations letter to U.S. Department of State re: application of Presidential Proclamation 10043 (6/10/21)
- Congressional Committee Chairs letter to Secretary Blinken and Secretary Mayorkas re: visa processing (5/18/21)
- State Department Exchange Programs – Interview Waiver: Powerful Tool for Consulates & Visa Backlog (5/18/21)
- Maine Delegation letter to U.S. Department of State re: issuance of J-1 visas for summer 2021 (5/11/21)
- Associations letter to Secretary Blinken re: new State travel advisories (5/5/21)
- Senator Shaheen (D-NH) letter to Secretary Blinken re: J-1 visa applications processing (4/30/21)
- Alliance letter to Secretary Blinken re: exchange visa recommendations (4/22/21)
- Senator Menendez (D-NJ) letter to U.S. Department of State re: J-1 visa programs and consulate appointments (4/13/21)
- Governor Sununu (R-NH) letter to White House urging the immediate opening of visa interview appointments for J-1 applicants (4/1/21)
- Travel industry letter to Jeff Zients, White House coronavirus response coordinator, urging public plan to lift travel restrictions (3/22/21)
- American Council on Education letter signed by an additional 40 higher education groups to U.S. Department of State and DHS requesting support for international students in Fall 2021 (3/18/21)
- Alliance letter to Congress re: relief assistance and international exchange community (7/29/20)
- Alliance letter to Congress supporting Paycheck Protection Program and Economic Injury Disaster Loan assistance (4/17/20)
- Alliance and CSIET letter to U.S. Department of State re: proposed interim measures for high school program (3/23/20)
- Assistance requested for international educational and cultural exchange community impacted by COVID-19 (3/21/20)
- Exchange community letter to Congress requesting assistance for international educational and cultural exchange community impacted by COVID-19 (3/18/20)
- Eureka Facts COVID-19 financial impact on jobs
FEDERAL PROCLAMATIONS AND NOTICES
- U.S. Department of State: Meeting with the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) (1/25/22)
- Biden- Harris Administrative Actions to Attract STEM Talent and Strengthen our Economy and Competitiveness (1/21/22)
- U.S. Department of State: Waivers of the Interview Requirement for Certain Nonimmigrant Visas (12/23/22)
- U.S. Department of State: Visa Services Operating Status Update (11/22/21)
- Biden Administration Releases Additional Detail for Implementing a Safe, More Stringent International Air Travel System (10/25/22)
- Frequently Asked Questions on COVID-19 Vaccinations and Testing for International Travel
- U.S. Department of State: Monthly Nonimmigrant Visa Issuance Statistics
- Kinsley v. Blinken Court Decision (10/5/21)
- U.S. Department of State: Important Announcement on F, M, and Academic J Visas (9/14/21)
- U.S. Department of State: Extension of validity for National Interest Exceptions (NIEs) for Travelers from China, Iran, Brazil, South Africa, the Schengen Area, the United Kingdom, Ireland, and India (7/6/21)
- U.S. Department of State: Meeting with the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) re: visa-related questions (5/27/21)
- U.S. Department of State: National Interest Exceptions for Certain Travelers from China, Iran, Brazil, South Africa, Schengen Area, United Kingdom, and Ireland (5/27/21)
- U.S. Department of State: Presidential Proclamation on the Suspension of Entry as Nonimmigrants of Certain Additional Persons Who Pose a Risk of Transmitting Coronavirus Disease 2019 (5/12/21)
- U.S. Department of State: Travel Advisory Updates (4/19/21)
- U.S. Department of State: Updates to National Interest Exceptions for Regional COVID Proclamations (4/8/21)
- U.S. Department of State: Expansion of Interview Waiver Eligibility (3/11/21)
- U.S. Department of State: National Interest Exceptions (Proclamation 10143) for Certain Travelers from the Schengen Area, United Kingdom, and Ireland (3/2/21)
- Proclamation 10143 on the Suspension of Entry as Immigrants and Non-Immigrants of Certain Additional Persons Who Pose a Risk of Transmitting Coronavirus Disease (1/25/21)
- Executive Order on Promoting COVID-19 Safety in Domestic and International Travel (1/21/21)
- U.S. Department of State: Phased Resumption of Routine Visa Services (11/12/20)
- U.S. Department of State: Lifting of Global Level 4 Health Advisory (8/6/20)
- U.S. Department of State: Temporary Pause of International Exchange Programs Due to COVID-19 (3/12/20)
- U.S. Department of State: Exchange Visitor Program Update on Travel (3/13/20)
- U.S. Department of State: Global Level 4 Health Advisory – Do Not Travel (3/19/20)
- U.S. Department of State: Suspension of Routine Visa Services (3/20/20)
- U.S. Department of State: Exchange programs update (5/12/20)
- Office of Management and Budget: Administrative Relief for Recipients and Applicants of Federal Financial Assistance Directly Impacted by the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) due to Loss of Operations (3/19/20)
- Office of Management and Budget: Managing Federal Contract Performance Issues Associated with the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) (3/20/20)
CORONAVIRUS: HEALTH, GOVERNMENT, AND BUSINESS UPDATES
- Forbes: U.S. Travel: Reports That Biden Will Lift EU, U.K. Travel Ban By Mid May (3/23/21)
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Testing and International Air Travel | CDC
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Requirement for Proof of Negative COVID-19 Test or Recovery from COVID-19 for All Air Passengers Arriving in the United States | CDC
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Global Airline Testing Order
- U.S. Department of State Exchange Visitor Program Information on Coronavirus (COVID-19): https://j1visa.state.gov/covid-19/
- U.S. Department of State Travel Information: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel.html
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/index.html
- World Health Organization: https://www.who.int/
- U.S. Department of the Treasury: Assistance for Small Businesses