New International Student Orientation : Immigration Rules & Regulations International Student Services General alias:

Welcome to the LASC Southwest College ! International Student Services and Education Abroad is here to serve YOU. WELCOME to LASC - we’re glad you’re here!

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Have you checked in yet? New F-1 students are REQUIRED to check in with LASC ISS within 10 days of the start of the semester Bring your documents to ISS Office - Room 116 Student Services Building I-20 Passport I-94 card

Biographical data Program of study Funding Barcode SEVIS ID Form I-20 (F-1 students)

Your I-20…must be valid at all times! You must ensure that your I-20 is valid, the program dates are current, and the program information is correct. We can extend your I-20 BEFORE it expires. We cannot extend your I-20 AFTER it expires. You may receive an alert from LASC ISS before your I-20 expires. If your I-20 ends, your F-1 student status will terminate.

Visa Information

 After you received your Form I-20, you applied for an F-1 visa at a US consulate.  Your F-1 visa has an expiration date. If the VISA expires while you are in the US, it is not a problem.  Travel outside the US requires a valid visa to reenter the US.  LASC ISS provides international travel and immigration information throughout the semester. Visa Information

I-94 Card 11-digit ID number White card that was completed for you by a US customs official at port of entry If you were admitted on an F-1 visa, your I-94 card is marked “D/S” (Duration of Status). Make a copy of your I-94 card. Do not lose your card. There is a USCIS fee of $300 and a lengthy process to replace it! Advise LASC ISS if you lose your passport and/or I-94.

Passport

Maintain a Valid Passport  Your passport must be valid at least 6 months into the future  Passport renewal procedures vary, depending on country – typically, you may renew your passport 6 months prior to the expiration date  Contact your country’s embassy in the US to determine the procedure for obtaining a new passport  You may receive an automated from the LASC ISS office when your passport is about to expire

Special Registration (NSEERS) Certain nonimmigrant's must Special Register: ◦ Some nationals of Iran, Libya, Sudan and Syria. ◦ Certain nonimmigrant's designated by the US State Department. ◦ Any other nonimmigrant who is identified by immigration officers at ports of entry. Nonimmigrant's who must special register and do not comply with special registration requirements will be considered out of status and may be subject to penalties. Contact LASC ISS if you are subject to Special Registration. We can advise you on this issue.

SEVIS Student & Exchange Visitor Information System  Personal Address Information  Financial Information—education funding  Academic Program Information—full time/part time enrollment, major changes, disciplinary actions, extension of program  Employment information: optional/curricular practical training, off campus employment authorization  Termination or completion of study  Dependent information SEVIS reports the following information to USCIS (United States Citizenship and Immigration Services) and ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement):

Are you a new transfer student? A SEVIS transfer (transfer of your SEVIS record) is different from an academic transfer (transfer of past academic credit and current program) If you attended another institution in the US in Fall 2010 and have not obtained an LASC I-20, you must transfer your SEVIS record to LASC. Contact LASC ISS to complete this process.

Full-time Enrollment  F-1 degree-seeking students must enroll and complete full-time credit in the fall and spring semesters to maintain lawful immigration status.  ENROLL IN and COMPLETE the required number of units.  There are limited reasons for under-enrollment. You must have permission from LASC ISS prior to under-enrollment.

Full-time Enrollment STUDENTS Must enroll in and complete 12 Units every fall and spring semester

ONLINE Courses US immigration regulations limit international students to only ONE online course per semester toward the minimum full-time enrollment requirement. However, exceptions are being made to Community College Students. You can take more than one online course, but only one will meet your full-time enrollment requirements.

Independent Study Courses Do not generally count toward the full-time enrollment requirement. They are not required to be completed within a given semester, nor do they require in-class time. An Independent Study course must be a degree requirement to count toward full-time enrollment. The LASC ISS office must have documentation in your file from your academic advisor regarding the necessity of the independent study course.

Other Enrollment Issues “I”—incomplete—or “N” – no credit assigned - grades do NOT count toward the full-time requirement. Auditing a course does NOT count toward the full- time requirement. Withdrawal from a course at ANY point in the semester does NOT count toward the full-time requirement. Courses that BEGIN in the middle of the semester do NOT count toward the full-time enrollment You must COMPLETE the required number of Units each fall and spring semester to maintain your immigration status.

F-2 Dependents  F-2 dependents CANNOT study in the US.  F-2 dependents must be approved for a change of status to F-1 by the USCIS prior to commencing study at the university. Applications take 6-8 months to be approved by USCIS. Plan Ahead.  LASC ISS provides support for the application procedure for a change of visa status. Apply at least 6 months in advance.  You do not need a private immigration attorney to apply for a change of status. If you wish, you may opt to do so, but the LASC ISS office routinely provides this service at NO CHARGE to students.

Employment in the US  USCIS allows F-1 students to work up to 20 hours per week on campus during the fall and spring semester without special permission  Employment must be on the LASC campus.  F-1 students may work more than 20 hours per week on campus during school vacations (summer break, spring break and fall break)

ON-Campus Employment You can only work on the campus of the school that issued your Current I-20 Must successfully complete one (1) semester with 12 units Minimum GPA-2.0, may vary Must be enrolled in 12 units for Fall/Spring (per UCSIS and LACCD)

ON-Campus Employment Cont… To find a job, student should visit each department and ask if they are hiring. Campus is on limited budget but there are several international students working on-campus Most on-campus jobs involve customer service or assisting other students Assignment renewal is done every semester based on performance

On-Campus Employment-ISS Office Request for On-Campus Employment Permission Form is found in our office or online.

CAUTION ! Employment in the US You must receive permission from the USCIS or the LASC ISS office to be LEGALLY employed off-campus

Off-campus Employment Authorization You may work off-campus ONLY with permission from USCIS or LASC ISS Most students cannot apply for off-campus work authorization until they have been in full-time student status for one academic year LASC ISS provides numerous employment authorization workshops each semester – schedule will be posted on LASC ISS website on or after the third week of semester

Social Security Numbers  SSNs are issued for tax purposes only. You cannot receive a SSN for identification purposes.  Dependents cannot receive an SSN.  You must have a Social Security Number (SSN) to work in the US  ISS provides complete instructions and support on SSN applications

Employment in the US Do NOT work off-campus without permission from the USCIS or LASC ISS.

Termination and Reinstatement  A violation of status will result in a termination of your F-1 status  Students whose F-1 status is terminated may qualify for a Reinstatement of Status  You must apply with the aid of LASC ISS directly to USCIS requesting reinstatement back into F-1 status  This option is not available for all violations, notably employment violations

Travel Information  Travel within the US does not require a travel signature from LASC ISS  Travel outside the US requires that your I-20/DS2019 be signed for travel by LASC ISS  Drop off documents at LASC ISS one to two weeks prior to international travel  Visa expired? You must apply for and receive a new visa before reentering the US  We recommend you carry clear copies of your immigration documents if you travel to US border areas or large metropolitan areas Travel Signature

Change of Address Procedure  International students must update their address within ten days of moving.  Please submit a completed Personal Data form to the ISS office. You can find this document on our web page or in the ISS office. This is a requirement of your visa status

COMMUNICATION IS KEY!  LASC ISS communicates regularly with students by  Bookmark and check ISS website regularly –  CPT/OPT employment authorization workshops

LASC ISS Staff Darren Grosch-Director/ PDSO Blanca Rodriguez- Counselor/ DSO Monica Lanier-Counselor For Nursing Students Only Jackie Hernandez-Office Assistant

LASC ISS Office Hours Monday – Wednesday , Thursday 12-7 We look forward to seeing you soon!

LASC ISS Contact Information International Student Services 1600 Imperial Highway Phone: (323) Fax: (323) Website: General alias: