USCIS UPDATE: ACICS Loss Of Recognition And Its Impact On Student Visa Holders And Others
The current release by USCIS is a follow-up to an August 19th US Department of Education announcement. The Education Department’s recent step to stop recognising ACICS’s accrediting agency powers. The new USCIS announcement will impact students applying for English language study, 24-month STEM OPT extension programs, and H-1B and I-140 applicants.
As per the release, this determination immediately impacts two immigration-related student programs:
- English language programs, as they required accreditation under the Accreditation of English Language training program Act; and
- STEM OPT extension program, as the F1 students applying for it, would require a degree from an accredited, SEVP-certified school for their extension.
The other impacts of this new release are:
- I-140 petitions filed under the advanced degree and professional classifications, requiring the beneficiary to have a US or equivalent foreign degree. The impact is only practical if the issuance of the degree in question is on or after August 19th 2022.
- The loss of recognition will also impact petitioners claiming an H-1B cap or an ACWIA fee exemption as an institution of higher education.
For further details, check the copy of the USCIS release below, and if you want to discuss your Student Visa case in particular, schedule an appointment with an Immigration attorney. Read More Details About H1B -News and Latest Visa bulletin predictions .
