ISSS Orientation 2013

An overview of F-1 & J-1 immigration documents, maintaining status, on- and off- campus work, and other international student issues

International Student & Scholar Services

StaffDoris Clausen, Director (dclausen@stevens.edu) Elizabeth Gill, Associate Director (egill@stevens.edu)Fadia Saint-Juste, Assistant Director (fsaintju@stevens.edu)Caitlin Ross, Advisor (cross@stevens.edu) Student WorkersLizhen HuShuangshi HanLocation & Office HoursHowe Center, 5th FloorMonday through Friday, 9 AM to 5 PMOpen office hours: Tues., 1:30-4:30 PM

Check In!

MOST IMPORTANT:

You must check in with our offices during our check-in

session today or for anyone who misses our check-in (tell your

friends!), in our offices on the 5th floor of the Howe Center no

later than August 23, 2013!

Immigration Who’s Who

• The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) consists of three main immigration-related agencies: USCIS, ICE, and CBP• Customs and Border Protection (CBP)

manages arrivals to and departures from the U.S. • United States Citizenship and Immigration

Services (USCIS) grants immigration benefits (such work authorization) in the U.S.

• U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) handles immigration enforcement• ICE is in charge of the Student and

Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS), an online database that stores all information on individuals with F, J, or M status• Stevens is required to report on all F and J

students and scholars in SEVIS

Maintaining Immigration Documents

Visa

• Key to enter the U.S. to study• Multiple entries (M) or limited entries (1 or 2)• Can leave and reenter up to the expiration date• Ok if it expires while you are in the U.S.; not

necessary to renew it unless traveling outside U.S. and returning• We recommend you renew your visa in your

home country• If you changed your status to F-1 while in the

U.S., you must apply for an F-1 visa the first time you leave the U.S.• Name of school on your visa does not have to

be Stevens as long as the visa has not expired and your SEVIS ID is the same

Visa (cont’d)• Give time for the visa renewal; don’t do it during

spring break! We recommend you renew your visa at least one month before you plan to return to the U.S.

• Guidance for renewing your visa is on our website here: http://stevens.edu/sit/isss/travel.

Passport• For most students, passport must be valid

six months into the future at all times, so make sure to renew it early!• Can renew at your country’s embassy or

consulate in NYC or D.C.• After renewing your passport, you must

continue to carry the old passport that contains your F-1 visa.

I-94• Says why you are here (F-1 or J-1) and how long you can

stay: D/S (duration of status; you can stay in the U.S. for as long as you are engaged in full-time study or are engaged in Optional Practical Training or Academic Training) • Always check I-94 stamp before leaving the Port of Entry

(airport or U.S. border). If anything is incorrect, get it fixed before you leave the airport. If you notice an error later, the “Document Correction Instructions” on the ISSS website will tell you how to fix it: http://stevens.edu/sit/isss/forms. • Some institutions (like DMV, SSA, USCIS) may require a

printout of your electronic I-94 information; you can make the printout here: www.cbp.gov/i94.

I-20/DS-2019• Agreement with the U.S. government regarding

your F-1/J-1 status• Tells where you are studying, what your

educational objective is, how long it will take you to complete that objective, and how you are supporting the costs of studying and living here.

Any document that changes must be

photocopied for ISSS files.

You should carry copies of your immigration documents or the

originals with you at all times!

Maintaining Status: Full Course of Study

• Required credits for fall & spring for each program

(summer is not a required term)• 12 per semester for undergraduates• 9 per semester for graduates• This means 9/12 credits EVERY SEMESTER,

not an average of 9/12 credits over the year• Full course of study equivalencies (with

permission from ISSS)• First semester: If you are taking an English

Language Communication (ELC) course, you only need 6 additional credits, but all classes must be on-campus.

• Preparing for Ph.D. “qualifying exam” (one-semester limit)

• Research, thesis, or dissertation (must register for D-999)

• Final semester of undergraduate/graduate study• Web Courses (online)• Can only register for 3 required credits

online per semester

Full Course of Study (cont’d)• Class registration is assessed at end of drop/add period• If registered for the correct number of

credits, student is registered in SEVIS. • If not, student’s F-1 record is terminated

• Final grade evaluation• After final grades have been submitted to

Registrar• Any student who drops below full-time

can be terminated for non-attendance.• Less than full course load permitted

only during final semester of study. If only one class is remaining final semester, it cannot be taken online; it must be on campus.

Reduced Course Load

• All reduced course loads (even during thesis/

dissertation work, etc.) must be authorized by a Designated School Official (ISSS staff)• Only for a very specified list of academic

issues• For medical conditions with

documentation from a medical doctor or clinical psychologist• A student who reduces his/her course

load without authorization will have his/her record terminated in SEVIS!

Changes to the I-20/SEVIS Record• Types

• Change of address: You MUST change your address in your My Stevens account• Change of name• Change of support/sponsorship• Change of major• Addition of minor or second major

• Report change within 10 days of its occurrence• Most changes should also be

reported to Student Services or via your MyStevens account

Travel• Within the U.S.• Take your passport, student ID card, and

Form I-20/DS-2019. Make sure all your immigration documents are always in a safe place.• Outside the U.S.

• Passport valid for at least 6 months into the future

• A valid F-1 visa (unexpired– if expired, you will need to anticipate additional time for visa renewal)

• Form I-20/DS-2019 with a valid travel signature• I-20: The travel signature (3rd page of I-20) is valid

for one year, so you will need one the first time you travel and a new one whenever it expires.

• If you have a paper I-94 card, see our website.• Academic transcripts and documentation

of your financial support are recommended.

• Travel to Canada, Mexico, or contiguous islands- See our website!: http://stevens.edu/sit/isss/travel

Concurrent Enrollment

• F-1 and J-1 students are permitted to take

courses at other SEVIS-approved schools• Consult with the ISSS and your academic

adviser BEFORE registering for a course(s) at another school; you must submit an application to ISSS to do this!

Leave of Absence & School TransferLeaves of absence and school

transfers have specific deadlines and procedures in the SEVIS

system. If you need to take a leave or wish to transfer to another

school, please contact ISSS before moving forward with either of these processes so that we can

properly assist you.

Program End Date• If you decide to leave before your program end

date, you must apply for Authorized Early Withdrawal (contact us!)• If you need more time to complete your

program (i.e., you changed your major or added a second major), you must apply for a Program Extension. You should apply for an extension even if you are not certain you will need it; you cannot extend your I-20 or DS-2019 after your program end date.• If you will graduate early, you must request

that your I-20/DS- 2019 be shortened and must provide proof of anticipated graduation date.

Program End Date (cont’d)• ONLY options after program end

date• Depart the U.S. • Transfer to another school• Change education level or program• Start post-completion OPT

Violations of Status• What are some examples of violations of

status?• Not pursuing a full course of study or

not getting permission to reduce course load• Working without permission or

exceeding the limitations of your authorized work• Not complying with immigration’s

procedures for transferring schools, changing levels, extending the time you need to complete a program of study, or departing the U.S.• If you violate your status, contact ISSS

immediately so you may be advised of your options.• Violations of status must be reported to

immigration in SEVIS by the ISSS staff.

Deadline Overview

Please see our “Deadline Overview” handout

here for a helpful guide to the

various timelines you must follow in order to

maintain your F-1/J-1 status!:

http://www.stevens.edu/sit/isss/forms

On-Campus Work

• 20 hours per week • During fall and spring semesters• Total among all departments, including

R.A./R.D. positions, assistantships, etc.• Full-time work

• During breaks included in the program (Includes winter holiday, spring break, and summer break)• Organizations that operate within the

college to serve students, such as the cafeteria, are counted as “on-campus.”• Volunteer Positions (such as orientation

leaders) not counted, but please check to make sure you are allowed to volunteer.• No on-campus work during the 60-day

grace period• F-1/J-1 students can only work from their

program start dates to their program end dates (not before and not after).

Off-Campus Work

• Four types:• Optional Practical Training• Curricular Practical Training• Employment with an International

Organization• Economic Hardship Employment

• Information and online workshops for OPT and CPT are

located here:• CPT: http://

www.stevens.edu/sit/isss/f1-students#cpt• OPT: http://

www.stevens.edu/sit/isss/f1-students#opt

Social Security

• You must have a job to receive a Social Security #.• Social Security number is required to get

paid for employment but not to start working.• You can get an SSN letter (for your on-

campus employer to sign) and information about applying for the SSN from our website: http://www.stevens.edu/sit/isss/life-in-the-us.

Driver’s Licenses

• Commonly used as a form of U.S. ID• Information located on our website: http://stevens.edu/sit/isss/life-in-the-us • You can also contact the Department of Motor Vehicles: 1-888-486-3339 or http://www.state.nj.us/mvc/• If you are living in NY and attending Stevens, you will probably not be eligible for a driver’s license in either NY or NJ, but you are welcome to try.• Important: To apply for an SSN or driver’s license, your

F-1 record must be registered in SEVIS (made “active”). New students’ F-1 records will not become active until ~9/25/2013, but ISSS will e-mail all students as soon as SEVIS registration is complete.

IRS Reporting• Form 8843 (for all F1/J1 students)• Required by U.S. law to be completed

by students every year• Deadline to file: June 15 (postmark)

• Form 1040 NR/NR-EZ (for students who worked)• For a non-resident (NR) who had

any U.S. source of income• Deadline to file: April 15• We will e-mail more information about tax

filing early in the new year.

Helpful Resources & Best WishesResources:• ISSS Website: http://stevens.edu/sit/isss

• Facebook Page (Stevens Institute of Technology International Student & Scholar Services)• www.one-to-world.org

• Conversation beyond Borders• Phone- 201-216-5189We wish you the best of luck in your

studies here, and we’re happy to answer any of your questions to help you

maintain your immigration status!