Advisory notice regarding federal government shutdown

Jan. 3, 2019



A partial U.S. government shutdown may affect some immigration related processes; however, most services continue without issues.

  • Airports and Customs and Border Protection will not be affected. However, certain government websites may not be updated during the shutdown.
  • The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service, which handles F-1 OPT and H-1B processing, is not affected by the shutdown because it is a fee-funded agency.
  • If you are outside the United States during the winter break and are awaiting issuance of an initial or renewed visa to enter the United States, be sure to check with the U.S. consulate for any changes in operations or visa processing. In general, visa operations are fee-funded and should not be impacted by a federal government shutdown. In the event that encounter unexpected delays, please contact your international student or scholar adviser for guidance.
  • An updated summary of the government shutdown’s possible impacts may be viewed on the NAFSA website.
  • The International Center will continue to monitor the effects of the shutdown and will update this announcement accordingly. Center services and processes, e.g., issuance of F-1 Form I-20s, J-1 Form DS-2019s and other transactions involving the Student Exchange Visitor Information System, as well as routine advising and document services to the MU international community, are unaffected by the shutdown.