The order only applies to those currently outside the United States, who do not have a valid immigrant visa or other document (advance parole) that allows them to travel to the U.S.

It does not apply to:

  1. permanent residents
  2. Those seeking an immigrant visa as a physician, nurse, or other healthcare professional; to perform medical research or other research intended to combat the spread of COVID-19; or to perform work essential to combating, recovering from, or otherwise alleviating the effects of the COVID-19 outbreak and any spouse and unmarried children under 21 years old of any such alien who are accompanying or following to join the alien.
  3. Those applying for green cards as EB-5 investors.
  4. Spouses of U.S. Citizens
  5. Unmarried children of U.S. citizens under the age of 21
  6. anyone whose entry would assist the United States law enforcement objectives.
  7. any member of the United States Armed Forces and any spouse and children of a member of the United States Armed Forces.
  8. any alien seeking to enter the United States pursuant to a Special Immigrant Visa in the SI or SQ classification, and any spouse and children of any such individual; or
  9. any foreign national whose entry would be in the national interest.
  10. asylum seekers.
  11. anyone applying for temporary visas (H-1B, L-1, TN, F-1, J-1, E-2, E-1, E-3, etc)
  12. anyone applying for an extension of status, or a change of status in the U.S.
  13. anyone seeking to apply for adjustment of status within the U.S. (including employment-based applications, Petitions by permanent residents, petitions for parents, adult children or siblings, applications by asylum seekers, U visa status holders etc.)
  14. anyone applying for citizenship.
  15. anyone in the U.S. today.

The order is effective for only 60 days, and will be reviewed to determine if it should be extended. Due to the current coronavirus crisis, the consulates have not been scheduling visa interviews (with exception of for health care workers) before this order, so this order, for now, has no significant effect!

The concerning part of the order states, within 30 days non-immigrant visa programs (H-1B, OPT J-1 etc) will be reviewed. The outcome of any such second-order maybe more substantial.