150 likes | 424 Views
TIPS: May 17, 2006. Visa and Immigration Related Issues John Pearson Bechtel International Center icenter.stanford.edu. Some handouts. Fall 2005 student stats Some data comparisons What we have to report to SEVIS Advice to students on staying in status. Overview of Last Year’s Meeting.
E N D
TIPS: May 17, 2006 Visa and Immigration Related Issues John Pearson Bechtel International Center icenter.stanford.edu
Some handouts • Fall 2005 student stats • Some data comparisons • What we have to report to SEVIS • Advice to students on staying in status
Overview of Last Year’s Meeting • What visas we work with • F-1 (international student visa) • J-1 (international scholar/student visa) • H-1(temporary worker visa) • Permanent Residence (PR or “green card”) • Family visas • F-2 • J-2 • H-4 • Visa Issues • Entering the U.S. • 60 Plus Federal Regulations passed since September 11, 2001 • Social Security Issues • SEVIS Reporting
S e n d s S e n d s S e n d s S e n d s I - 2 0 o r a p p l i c - a c c e p t - e n r o l l - D s - 2 0 1 9 a t i o n a n c e m e n t I I n n t t e e r r n n a a t t i i o o n n a a l l P e n n S t u d e n t P e n n S t u d e n t P e n n S t u d e n t P e n n S t u d e n t S S t t u u d d e e n n t t C o n f i r m . d e p o s i t A p p l i e s f o r v i s a I s s u e s R e p o r t s S t u d e n t V i s a c h a n g e s U S E m b a s s y / U S E m b a s s y / r e g i s t e r s i n s t a t u s U S A P e n n I N S U S A P e n n I N S C o n s u l a t e C o n s u l a t e f o r c l a s s e s u s S t u d e n t e n t e r s Our World Before 9/11 Requirements: • Application and Acceptance at Stanford • Stanford issues 1-20/DS-2019 • US Visa Application (could vary from 3 weeks to 6 months) • Entry to USA • Begin classes at Stanford T H E P R E - S E V I S S Y S T E M T H E P R E - S E V I S S Y S T E M Stanford Stanford Stanford i n g p a p e r f o r m s
Our World After 9/11 • SEVIS increases workload • Navigating two branches of government • Technical difficulties of national SEVIS database • SEVIS fee • Visa process (appointment delays, security screening) Stanford prints I-20/DS 2019 and sends I20/DS2019 issued SU SU SU SEVIS Benefits Accurate data on international students SU
Federal Regulatory Changes • As of 9/11, there have been nearly 60 proposed or implemented regulations and policies that affect international students and scholars including: • The Patriot Act (SEVIS) • State Department Cables on admission of foreign students • Enhanced Border Security and Visa Entry Reform Act • Homeland Security Act • Special Registration of nationals of selected countries • Changes to eligibility requirements for F-1 students to apply for Social Security Numbers • Changes to the process of applying for permanent labor applications for faculty and researchers • New changes currently in Congress
How does I-Center comply with changing Federal Regulations? Regular and ongoing communications with • Department of Homeland Security • Department of State • Social Security Administration • Congressional offices • District, local and national immigration offices • Government relations and Office of General Counsel on campus • NAFSA and other peer organizations/ colleagues around the country
I-Center Service Goals • Ensure we do all we can to keep international students and scholars in legal immigration status • Enable international students/scholars and their families assume responsibility to maintain legal immigration status at status at all times • Provide student/scholar services in an efficient, proactive, and timely manner • Provide schools/departments timely and efficient services and periodic updates of changing regulations • Promote international opportunities throughout the Stanford community
What Has Changed? • SEVIS • Number of alerts: From September 1 2005- May 5, 2006 : 13,208 or approx. 1600 alerts per month. • Whether the student enrolls, or fails to enroll • Change of name or address • Academic program and changes to the program • Graduation prior to end date on I-20 • Academic or disciplinary actions due to criminal conviction • Whether the student drops below a full course of study without university authorization • Termination date and reason • Employment authorization - pre and post completion • Information of any student who fails to maintain status or complete program • Quarterly enrollment confirmation on 2800 F-1 students • Number of individuals in SEVIS: As of Monday May 8, Stanford had 3223 F-1 records in SEVIS (active and initial) and 479 dependents. Stanford also had 2117 active J students, scholars and dependents. Total : 5819 • Number of 1-20s expiring in June: 531 Students with 1-20s expiring in next 45 days • Internal Audit of SEVIS • Consequence of Error • The necessity for professional advising • The responsibility of the individual to maintain their own status • The viewing of data by numerous federal agencies both in the present and in the future
What has changed? • Visa Issues • 120 day window to apply before program start date • J-1 Professors and Research Scholars 5 Year Rule---but………. • Visa Condor • Visa Mantis • Overview of the process • DOS cables for students/scholars and immigrant intent • Security Checks. http://www.uscis.gov/graphics/publicaffairs/pachron.htm for information on security checks
What has changed? • Service Centers • Bi-specialization • Old software
What has changed • Permanent Employment Visas • PERM: Program Electronic Review Management • Visa Regression
Most Common Way to Get an Employment-Based Green Card Adjustment of Status in US (USCIS) Labor Certification (DOL) I-140 Immigrant Visa Petition (USCIS) Consular Processing Overseas (DOS)
What has changed? • Congressional and Administration Interest • Real ID Act May 2005 • H.R. 4437 December 2005 • President’s Meeting January 2006 • Senate Interest
So how is Bechtel responding? • New and wonderful staff • Responsibility for removing of F-1 enrollment holds • Slow Move to paperless • More formal appointment systems • More surveys and analysis of data • Move to using Peoplesoft/PASS for J-1 • More information sessions around campus • Ongoing review of Web site