Will the Coronavirus Pandemic Affect Your Nonimmigrant Status?

The worldwide pandemic has particularly significant implications for this classification of people.

This is part of a series of posts aimed at informing those that can or have been potentially affected by changes in U.S. government immigration policy in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

We hope that you and your family are safe during these difficult and uncertain times.

This post will cover nonimmigrants (visitors, students, temporary workers etc…) who are currently inside the United States.


Nonimmigrants are admitted into the United States for a temporary period and for a particular purpose. The coronavirus pandemic has significant implications for this classification of people.

As of the time of writing, the United States government has not announced that it will extend the status of nonimmigrants nor has it announced whether nonimmigrant workers that are laid off will be given an additional grace period to change status, find a new employer, or leave the country. 

Do not wait for such announcements because they are unlikely to happen. You can be proactive and take matters into your own hands by consulting with an experienced immigration attorney. 

Nonimmigrants in the following situations find themselves potentially affected by the pandemic:

  1. Visitors whose status will expire in the upcoming months and who are unable to return to their home country due to the pandemic. Visa Waiver Program (VWP/ESTA) visitors are particularly at risk because there are very limited exceptions in which they can extend their period of authorized admission.
  2. Workers who have been fired from their jobs or who have had their hours reduced.
  3. Executives or managers who experienced a significant reduction in their workforce. 
  4. Investors experiencing significant losses and layoffs in their business. 
  5. Students who are considering part-time opportunities to make ends meet or who can no longer afford tuition.
  6. Fiancées of U.S. citizens who are unable to afford the application to adjust status and who are approaching ninety (90) days from their date of entry into the United States. 

If you are a nonimmigrant who has fallen out of status or has questions regarding your immigration status during these uncertain times, please contact an experienced immigration attorney as soon as possible. The sooner you contact an attorney, the likelier the chances are that he or she will be able to help you.


What is the best way to contact your office if I need immediate legal advice regarding my immigration status?

You can e-mail us 24/7 at mail@salehlaw.com with any questions or concerns or call our office at (305) 448-0077 from 9:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M, Monday through Friday. You can also reach us 24/7 by visiting our website at www.salehlaw.com/contact and sending us your contact information.

We promise to accommodate you as soon as possible under the circumstances so that we can provide you with expert immigration advice tailored to the specific needs of each individual, family, or business. We are professionally trained to assess, adapt, and overcome in times of crisis.

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What is a Nonimmigrant Classification?

If the CBP officer grants the person admission into the U.S., the officer will use the classification listed on the visa to determine the period of authorized admission.

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