GENERAL
Welcome New International Students! (NEW)
The staff at International Student & Scholar Services would like to extend a warm welcome to our new international students for fall 2008! We are happy that you decided to attend The University of Texas at Austin and are looking forward to assisting you while you are here. Please feel free to visit or call our office throughout your academic program with your immigration questions and concerns. Once again, welcome to UT!
ISSS Hours During New Student Check-in/Orientation (NEW)
Hundreds of new students for fall 2008 will be arriving during the month of August. To accommodate our new student Immigration Briefing and Check-in (daily) and International Student Orientation (8/15/08), the office will continue to be closed from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. from now through August 31st. In addition, limited advisors will be available to advise continuing students during this month, so you may experience greater wait times. Only emergency service will be available on August 15th, as all ISSS advisors will be assisting with orientation activities. We appreciate your patience during this very busy time!
MAINTAINING F-1/J-1 STATUS Check the Expiration Date on your I-20 or DS-2019
Please check your I-20 or DS-2019 for the expected completion date/expiration date. If your document expires on 08/31/2008 and you will continue studying at UT Austin next semester, an extension of your immigration document is necessary at this time. You must apply for an extension BEFORE the expiration of your I-20/DS-2019 to maintain valid immigration status. For a list of required documents for the I-20 or DS-2019 extension, please refer to our Virtual Immigration Library. Please also verify that your correct major and level appear on the I-20. If the information has changed, see an Immigration Advisor at ISSS as soon as possible.
Change of Level I-20s
If you are changing your level of study after this semester (e.g. Bachelor's to Master's, Master's to PhD, etc.), you will need to get a new I-20 reflecting the new level. The deadline to process your Change of Level I-20 is 60 days from the end date of the last semester at your current level of study, or within the first 15 days of study at the new educational level, whichever is earlier.
EMPLOYMENT ISSUES
Are You an August Graduate? Apply for Optional Practical Training/Academic Training now!
If you are an F-1 student will be graduating in August 2008, you may apply for Optional Practical Training (OPT) now. We recommend that you apply as early as possible as processing times are variable. J-1 graduates and reciprocal exchange students who will partake in post-completion Academic Training must be authorized for Academic Training by an Immigration Advisor at ISSS before the official graduation date. For more information on either application process, please see our Virtual Immigration Library.
Reporting Requirements for Students on OPT
Students using their 12 months of post-completion OPT or 17-months of OPT extension are required to report the following information to UT Austin: (within 10 days of any change):
*Employer name
*Employer address
*Change in address (can be done in UT Direct)
*Change in legal name
*Interruptions/loss in employment
Reports should be e-mailed to <opt@austin.utexas.edu> within 10 days of any change of the above information.
Additionally, students approved for the 17-month extension of OPT will be required to confirm with ISSS that the above information is correct every six months starting from the date that the extension begins until the F-1 status ends, or they change educational levels or transfer to another school. For more information on this 6-month "validation" report, please contact an Immigration Advisor at ISSS.
Note: It is very important for all students on OPT to report employer information promptly, as the accrual of 90 days of unemployment on OPT is now considered a violation of the F-1 status.
Extension of Work Authorization to Avoid the "Cap-Gap"
F-1 students on OPT who are maintaining their status and have a receipt notice for an H-1B change of status application with a start date of October 1st can apply to have F-1 status and work authorization extended until the change of status to H-1B takes effect. The extension of status and OPT will automatically be terminated if the H-1B petition is rejected, denied, or withdrawn. This extension will apply to all students on OPT, not just those with STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) majors. Please contact an advisor at ISSS if you would like to request this extension.
17-month OPT Extension for Eligible Students with STEM Degrees
Students may be eligible for a 17-month extension of OPT authorization if they meet the following requirements:
*Received a degree in a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) field from a U.S. institution (a list of STEM majors is available at http://www.ice.gov/sevis/stemlist.htm)
*Are currently working on the initial 12-month period of OPT
*Are working for a U.S. company that is registered with E-Verify employment verification system
*Are working in a job directly related to their major field of study
*Have not accrued more than 90 days of unemployment on OPT
*Have not previously received a 17-month extension after receiving a STEM degree
Eligible students may apply for the 17-month extension at any time during the initial 12-month OPT period. Students whose extension applications are received by USCIS before the expiration date of their current OPT will be able to continue employment for 180 days or until the final decision is made on the extension, whichever comes first.
The extension will begin the day after the initial post-completion OPT expires and will last 17 months, regardless of when the extension is approved. For details on applying for the OPT extension, please see an Immigration Advisor at ISSS.
TRAVEL ISSUES
Traveling? Please read the following:
Check your I-20/DS-2019 for a Valid Travel Signature!
Look at page 3 of the I-20 (F-1 students) or page 1 of the DS-2019 (J-1 students) and check the date that the document was last signed for travel by an Immigration Advisor. If you see that your signature will be more than 12 months old by the date that you plan to re-enter the U.S., please stop by ISSS to have your I-20/DS-2019 signed before you leave. We recommend that you get a new travel signature AND carry your immigration documents with you even if you are traveling WITHIN the U.S. anywhere CLOSE TO THE BORDER, such as South Padre, Big Bend, South Texas or Galveston. You could be stopped at an immigration checkpoint!
Need to Renew Your Visa?
If the visa stamp in your passport has expired, or you think you might need a visa to visit the country of your destination, please come to ISSS and speak to an Immigration Advisor. Be advised that even though border posts in Mexico and Canada are taking appointments for visa renewal for third country nationals, it becomes a complicated issue if you are subject to a security check or your visa is denied. Please come to ISSS and speak with an Immigration Advisor BEFORE you make the decision to go to Ciudad Juarez or any other border post to renew your visa.
Traveling to Mexico, Canada or the Caribbean with an Expired Visa? Use Automatic Visa Revalidation (AVR)!
If you plan to travel to a country that is contiguous* to the U.S. (but not Cuba!), stay there for less than 30 days, and you will not apply for a new U.S. visa on your trip, you may re-enter the U.S. on an expired visa stamp using Automatic Visa Revalidation (AVR). Please note that citizens of Iran, Syria, Libya, Sudan, North Korea, and Cuba are not eligible for AVR. Citizens of these countries will not be allowed to re-enter the U.S. with an expired U.S. visa stamp, even if the trip is to a contiguous country. To use AVR to re-enter the U.S., you MUST keep your I-94 card with you upon your exit. Tell the Immigration Officer at the port of exit (border) that you intend to stay outside of the U.S. for less than 30 days and that your U.S. visa has expired. Make sure to have your I-20 or DS-2019 signed by an Immigration Advisor at ISSS before you travel and present that document along with your valid passport, I-94, and expired visa to re-enter the U.S.
*Saint Pierre, Miquelon, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Bermuda, the Bahamas, Barbados, Jamaica, The Windward and Leeward Islands, Trinidad, Martinique, or other British, French or Netherlands territories or possessions in, or bordering the Caribbean Sea.
Traveling abroad while on OPT or Academic Training?
The following are the documents you will need to take with you:
- Passport valid for at least for 6 months from the date of entry
- Valid U.S. visa (except for Canadians)
- I-20/DS-2019 signed by an Immigration Advisor within the past 6 months
- Valid EAD (Employment Authorization Document, also known as 'work card' or 'OPT card') or Academic Training authorization letter
- Verification of employment or offer letter to start employment shortly after re-entry to the U.S.
Note: Before applying for a visa while on OPT or Academic Training, please consult with an Immigration Advisor at ISSS.
Special Registration Students Exiting the U.S.
Students who went through Special Registration at the port of entry need to register with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) when leaving the U.S. It is VERY IMPORTANT that you find a DHS Officer at the FINAL airport/port of exit that you are leaving from to register your exit. Please see detailed instructions on how to find a DHS Officer at various ports of exit on the DHS web site (click on 'Walkaway Materials' to download the document). If you do not register with DHS when leaving the U.S., you WILL NOT be able to re-enter the U.S. in the future. Please contact an Immigration Advisor at ISSS if you have any questions.
QUESTIONS & 'MYTHS' (NEW)
QUESTION: I am a new F-1 student for Fall 2008. How many hours of class must I register for to maintain my F-1 status?
ANSWER: If you are a new graduate student, you must register in 9 credit hours each long semester to maintain your F-1 status. An undergraduate student must register in 12 credit hours. Concurrent enrollment in another school is allowed under immigration regulations, however, at least half of your required hours must be taken as regular UT courses. To maintain your status, you must show proof of your concurrent enrollment to ISSS no later than the 12th class day of the semester.
If you have questions or have heard 'myths' that you would like to see addressed in this section of the newsletter, please submit them to shannonk@austin.utexas.edu (your name will not be cited in the newsletter, so feel free to ask any questions).
Don't forget to check out our Virtual Immigration Library....
- You can download our handouts and application forms at this site. It could save you a trip to the I.O.!
View International Office Updates automatically though UTDirect.
UT Direct is an important way to be informed of news from the International Office. Unfortunately, the automatic default configuration of your UTDirect homepage may not provide you with the International Office channel. Please go to your UTDirect Homepage. Go to the [Customize] Menu of UTDirect and then to [Homepage Categories] and Choose "Internat'l Student and Scholar Services". |