F-1 Intermediate Workshop

1. F-1 Intermediate Workshop James Dorsett, WSU Katie McGee, WSU Rosemary Max, MSU Chris Bargerstock, MSU

2. What is this intermediate workshop about? • Assumes 18 months of experience with F-1 regulations • Basic working knowledge of SEVIS functions • Will not cover everything in the F-1 second step manual • Shortened to half day thus covers key concepts rather than a general overview • Time for Q and A throughout presentation • Will draw on school experience and experience of participants

3. Key intermediate concepts • Reporting Registration • Reporting Reduced Course Load • Employment CPT/OPT/Hardship • Transfer/Extension • Semester Off • Completion/Termination • Out of Status/Reinstatement • Change of Status • Managing Alert Lists

4. Reporting Registration • DHS registration vs. school registration • Initial students-within 30 days based on program start date • Continuing students-within 30 days based on next session start date • “What needs to be updated in SEVIS within the 30 day deadline is that student reported to the academic institution as expected” DHS October 17 2003 Memo • Social security issues and registration

5. Reporting Reduced Course Load • According to the October 17th memo, RCL if not confirmed within the 30 days can be reported thereafter • School experience and procedure

6. Other issues regarding RCL • Definitions of full time • Prior approval: What does it really mean? • Improper course placement: how is it defined? • Resuming full course load in SEVIS

7. Registration and RCL • QUESTION and ANSWER

8. Employment-CPT • Regulations have not changed with SEVIS • Regulations still sparse • Schools need to set policies and be consistent • Batch problem with adding a third CPT • Can now cancel a CPT segment before the start date of that CPT

9. Employment-OPT • Regulation change includes new OPT after each higher degree level • Can now cancel and OPT request that has not been adjudicated (4.10 update) • Can call help desk to change OPT dates if OPT has not been sent in (4.10 update) • Expediting OPT • Interim EAD Card • Travel and OPT • Reporting requirement for students on OPT • I-765/OPT petition received at NSC before completion date

10. Employment-Other Issues • Severe Economic Hardship • Proposed changes at Social Security-need a job offer to apply for a SSN

11. Employment • QUESTION and ANSWER

12. Transfer and Extension • Transfer is a critical transition time and burden falls on the student • Pick an appropriate release date-usually last day of semester • Summer employment issues • Transfer and travel out of US • Transfer out form/Transfer in form • Transfer pending I-20 to Cont. I-20

13. Transfer and Extension • Must begin at transfer in school within 5 months • Transfer during 60 day grace period is still valid • Transfer unnecessary for guest student taking classes during summer • Check in and Transfer: does the student need to attend for one semester?

14. Transfer and Extension • Extension is one year at at time in SEVIS (4.10 update) • Can go in to SEVIS and give several back to back extensions • Academic or medical reason • Verify student eligibility for I-20 extension

15. Transfer and Extension • QUESTION and ANSWER

16. Semester Off-In the US • Two cases in which a student has permission to NOT be enrolled during a normal term and remain in the US • Authorized medical term off • Non-traditional term off-Student has taken two semesters full time. For example full load in summer and full load in fall, winter/spring can be “off” • DSO indicates the semester off by adjusting the next semester start date

17. Semester Off-Outside US • Rule: absent for more than 5 months means a new I-20 • Goal of SEVIS system is to maintain SEVIS ID and continuity of SEVIS record • How to handle this contradiction? • In Salt Lake DHS said they would clear this up and indicated that in some cases DSO would maintain the record and in other cases DSO would re-issue an I-20

18. Semester Off-Outside US • When to maintain when to re-issue I-20? • Problem with identifying these students up front • Registered for credit while outside of the United States • School experiences

19. Semester Off • QUESTION and ANSWER

20. Completion and Termination • When to complete a student in SEVIS? After graduation and no open OPT application • Keep in mind students ability to transfer in 60 day grace period • No need to complete after OPT • For early completion of program can use shorten program

21. Completion and Termination • When to terminate a student? SEVIS offers a multitude of reasons Some often used reasons: • Withdrawn from program • Out of status • Change of status • Absent from country for more than five months

22. Out of Status/Reinstatement • Terminating a student for failing to maintain status. Who and how to notify on your campus? Student, academic advisor and student payroll. • Reinstatement-leave the US and return or filing the I-539 • School experiences with reinstatement

23. Completion/Termination/Reinstatement • QUESTION and ANSWER

24. Change of Status • F2 to F1-no degree course work while waiting for COS to be processed. • ICE vs. CIS, ruling pending • Long processing times in the US. Option to go home and re-enter as F-1

25. Change of Status • Other visa types (H, L, J, etc.) changing to F-1. • Long processing times in US • Can attend school, no F-1 employment benefits until COS approved • COS approved mid-semester

26. Managing Alert Lists • Students within 45 days of program end date • Active students requiring registration-list includes OPT people • Students in initial status with port of entry records • Students on RCL who need update • Nearing OPT/CPT end date • Active students requiring status verification • Terminated students/adjudication results

27. Managing Alert Lists • Which ones are the most important • School experience. How do schools manage alerts? • Audit your data on a regular basis

28. Other Topics and Q & A • FINAL QUESTION and ANSWER