International Student Meeting: New International students on non-immigrant visas Fall 2017 Presented by: Akilah Moy, International Visitor Advisor & Jennifer Perez, International Affairs Coordinator

Have you checked in with us? New F-1 students are required to Check-In with OIA to present all original immigration documents: I-20 I-94 Visa (if applicable) Passport All international students that have not checked in will be prohibited from registering for classes

Overview Maintenance of Status SEVIS Travel Student Government Contact Information

Maintenance of status All F and J Students must maintain their status by engaging only in the activities, locations, and time periods identified on Form I-20 or DS-2019. The defined information is as follows: Institution Level of Education Major Program Start and Program End Dates Failure to comply could result in the loss of your status

Sample I-20

Sample DS-2019

Passport Biodata Page

Visa Stamp

D/S = Duration of Status Form I-94 D/S = Duration of Status

www.cbp.gov/i94

Maintenance of status: F-1 Enrollment The F-1 Status applies to students enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate program of study which leads to the attainment of a specific educational or professional objective F-1 Students must be enrolled full-time for the duration of the Fall and Spring Semesters Full-time enrollment for graduate students is 9 credit hours Full-time enrollment for undergraduate students is 12 credit hours Individual programs/schools may require summer enrollment

Maintenance of status: F-1 enrollment – Continued No more than 3 credit hours per semester may count towards the full-time enrollment requirement for On-Line & Distance Education Courses Failing a course is considered completion for SEVIS enrolment reporting purposes Incomplete grades must be completed by the end of the next semester, or next available semester the course if offered Audit courses offer 0 credit hours and consequently do not meet the immigration requirement of full-time enrollment

Maintenance of status: J-1 enrollment The J-1 college or university student category applies to students admitted by an “accredited educational institution” to a degree academic program for a full course of study or to a non-degree academic program for a prescribed course of study with a specific educational objective J-1 Students must be enrolled full-time and make normal progress toward their academic objective, as set forth at 22 C.F.R. § 62.23(e), and further defined at 22 C.F.R. § 62.2.

Maintenance of status: F-1 & J-1 Enrollment Compliance Failure to comply with full-time enrollment requires reporting in SEVIS that can result in: Termination of F-1/F-2 and J-1/J-2 SEVIS record Inability to continue studies Loss of employment benefit Inability to change visa status Potential removal from the U.S.

MAINTENANCE OF STATUS: Other Visa Status Enrollment Students in a valid immigration status that is not tied to enrollment, may enroll in courses that are incidental to their primary purpose in the U.S. Examples include: J-1 Research Scholar category H-1B L-1 O-1 TN Visa Statuses with no restrictions on enrollment: H-4 L-2 TD Permanent Resident Pending Immigrant students Students in visa status other than F or J must still “check-in” with the Office of International Affairs (OIA) and obtain OIA clearance prior to enrolling in an academic program at UTHealth

Maintenance of status: Change of Address 10 DAY NOTIFICATION REQUIRMENT All F and J Students Submit Change of Address Form to their International Visitor Advisor All other non-U.S. citizens Submit AR-11 or AR-11SR Change of Address Form to U.S. Government Available on-line at: http://www.uscis.gov/ar-11 (http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis) All F, J and Other non-U.S. Citizens notify the following departments: School or program sponsor where you study or work Registrar’s Office (myUTH) – Please note that OIA does not receive notification when you change your address in myUTH. Other program offices (e.g. Institute of International Education – IIE, VEF, etc) Payroll, if applicable

Maintenance of status: F-1 Employment On Campus/Offsite Employment Can begin working upon entry to U.S. Part-time only with maximum 20 Hours a week during regular semesters Paid or unpaid Curricular Practical Training (CPT) Must be enrolled for at least 1 academic year Part-time or Full-time Paid or unpaid Must be related to major and tied to a course Must reapply every semester Optional Practical Training (OPT) After graduation Full-time or part time Paid or unpaid Processing time at USCIS is approximately 90 days All employment (paid or unpaid, on or off-campus) must be cleared with OIA prior to the start date of the appointment

Maintenance of status: J-1 Employment All employment (paid or unpaid, on or off-campus) must be cleared with OIA prior to the start date of the appointment. Types of potential J-1 employment: On-Campus J-1 Academic Training No employment (paid or unpaid, on or off-campus) can take place without prior OIA written approval

Maintenance of status: Other Visa Status Employment Pending Immigrants, L-2, and J-2 must present an unexpired Employment Authorization Document (EAD) TN, H-1B, or J-1 other category should consult with your visa sponsor No employment (paid or unpaid, on or off-campus) can take place without prior OIA written approval

Maintenance of status: Graduation F-1/J-1 students must schedule an appointment with their International Visitor Advisor at least 1 semester prior to graduation to discuss options and benefits: Optional Practical Training (OPT) and/or Academic Training Transfer to another institution Change in education level at the same institution Change of visa status Departure from the U.S.

SEVIS Student and exchange visitor information system SEVIS is a web-based system developed to provide real-time information on all international students, exchange visitor, and their dependents on F and J visas. SEVIS facilitates information sharing between students, schools, and the federal government.

SEVIS (continued) SEVIS allows for the maintenance of accurate, timely and complete records for all international students attending the MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, to include: Arrival in the United States Full-time/part-time/no enrollment Employment Authorization Dependent(s) Extensions of Stay Completion of Program/Departure Violation of Status

Travel Outside the U.S. Contact OIA at least 5 business days before traveling abroad to schedule an appointment to meet with your International Visitor Advisor At the time of your appointment, you will read, complete, and sign the Travel Instructions and Travel Request Form Instructions and Forms may be accessed through the OIA Website: F-1 Travel Endorsement Instructions J-1 Travel Endorsement Instructions OIA Travel Request Form In the case of an emergency, contact your International Visitor Advisor immediately

Travel Instructions Documents required: Passport (must be valid six months into the future) Current visa stamp (If not valid, student must renew visa before returning to U.S.) Current signature from IVA on I-20 or DS-2019 for travel purposes All previous immigration documents Evidence of maintenance of full-time enrollment (e.g. transcript, letter from academic advisor) Evidence of financial verification dated within last six months Evidence of strong ties to home country F-1 OPT students must have a valid EAD and a letter verifying employment before departing the U.S., or the student will be denied a return to the U.S.

Emergency Preparations Secure all valuable documents in a plastic bag and keep in safe location e.g. SEVIS Form I-20, passport, visa, I-94 card, EAD card, Social Security Card, financial records, plane tickets, checks, and credit cards Always have the contact number or e-mail addresses of Office of International Affairs International Visitor Advisors F and J visa holders – In the event you cannot get in touch with your International Visitor Advisor (IVA), contact the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) and let them know where you are and how your IVA can reach you SEVP Email: SEVIS.source@DHS.gov SEVP Toll-free phone number: 1-800-961-5294 SEVP Alternate phone number: 703-603-3400

Website: https://www.uth.edu/sic/ Student Governance Student InterCouncil (SIC) is the UTHealth student governance organization and is the recognized forum of student opinion and the primary vehicle for student participation in school governance. The SIC contributes to the quality of student life at UTHealth by participating in the development and implementation of policies and procedures affecting students. The SIC is comprised of 24 UTHealth student representatives: 3 student representatives from each of the six UTHealth schools 3 international students 3 under-represented student members   The SIC currently has vacant positions to be filled for the international and under-represented members DEADLINE for submission of completed applications is Friday, August 25, 2017!  Student InterCouncil 6901 Bertner, SON-SCC Rm 108 713-500-9104 FAX 713-500-0933 Email: sicgov@uth.tmc.edu Website: https://www.uth.edu/sic/

https://www.uth.edu/international-affairs/

OFFICE OF INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS Location University Center Tower 7000 Fannin Street, Suite 130 Houston, Texas 77030 Office Hours Monday to Friday 8am to 5pm With the exception of Thursdays when the office is closed from 2pm-5pm. Contact Information Main Number: (713) 500-3176 Fax Number: (713) 500-3189 After Hours Emergency Pager: (713) 200-1825 Email: utoiahouston@uth.tmc.edu Appointments are encouraged to ensure an Advisor is available to assist.

Questions?