1. ISSS Orientation 2015
An overview of F-1 & J-1 student immigration documents, how to maintain status, on- and off- campus work, and other international student issues

2. International Student & Scholar Services
Staff
Doris Clausen, Director
Elizabeth Gill, Associate Director
Caitlin Chavarria, Advisor
Karine Nanagoulian, Incoming Intl. Student Advisor
Jean Lee, Interim Advisor
Trinh Nguyen, Coordinator
Student Workers
Yating Lan
Sushmita De
Location & Office Hours
Howe Center, 5th Floor
Monday through Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM
Open office hours: Tues. and Thurs,
1:30-4:30 PM

3. Points-of-Contact Caitlin Chavarria Elizabeth Gill/Jean Lee
All undergraduate students
All J-1 graduate and undergraduate students
All F-1 graduate students in the Howe School of Technology Management
Majors included under Business Intelligence and Analytics, Enterprise Project Management, Information Systems, Management, Telecommunications Management, Technology Management, and MBA
Elizabeth Gill/Jean Lee
All F-1 graduate students in the School of Systems & Enterprises
All F-1 graduate students in the Charles V. Schaefer School of Engineering & Science
All F-1 graduate students in the College of Arts and Letters

4. Check In!
MOST IMPORTANT:
You must have checked in with our offices during the check-in session today OR in our office before today. For anyone who missed check-in (tell your friends!), you must check in at our offices on the 5th floor of the Howe Center no later than January 20, 2015!

5. Immigration Who’s Who
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) consists of three main immigration-related agencies: USCIS, ICE, and CBP
Customs and Border Protection (CBP) manages arrivals to and departures from the U.S.
United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) grants immigration benefits (such as work authorization) in the U.S.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) handles immigration enforcement
ICE is in charge of the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS), an online database that stores all information on individuals with F, J, or M status
Stevens is required to report on all F and J students and scholars in SEVIS

6. Maintaining Immigration Documents
Visa
“Key” to enter the U.S. to study
Multiple entries (M) or limited entries (1 or 2)
Can leave and reenter up to the expiration date
Ok if it expires while you are in the U.S.; not necessary to
renew it unless traveling outside U.S. and returning
We recommend you renew your visa in your home country
If you changed your status to F-1 or J-1 while in the U.S., you
must apply for an F-1/J-1 visa the first time you leave the U.S.
Name of school on your visa does not have to be
Stevens as long as the visa has not expired and
your SEVIS ID is the same

7. Visa (cont’d)
Give time for the visa renewal; don’t do it during spring break! We recommend you renew your visa at least one month before you plan to return to the U.S.
Guidance for renewing your visa is on our website here:

8. Passport For most students, passport must be valid six months
into the future at all times, so make sure to renew it early!
Can renew at your country’s embassy or consulate in
NYC or D.C.
After renewing your passport, you must continue to
carry the old passport that contains your F-1/J-1 visa.
A valid visa in an expired passport is still useable!

9. I-94 Says why you are here (F-1 or J-1) and how long you can stay:
D/S (duration of status; you can stay in the U.S. for as long as you are
engaged in full-time study or are engaged in Optional Practical Training or
Academic Training after completing your program)
Always check I-94 stamp before leaving the Port of Entry (airport or U.S.
border). If anything is incorrect, get it fixed before you leave the airport. If
you notice an error later, the “Document Correction Instructions” on the
ISSS website will tell you how to fix it:
Some institutions (like DMV, SSA, USCIS) may require a printout of your
electronic I-94 information; you can make the printout here:

10. I-20/DS-2019
Agreement with the U.S. government regarding your F-1/J-1 status
Tells where you are studying, what your educational objective is,
how long it will take you to complete that objective, and how you
are supporting the costs of studying and living here.

11. Any document that changes must be photocopied for ISSS files.
You should carry copies of your immigration documents or the originals with you at all times!

12. Maintaining Status: Full Course of Study
Required credits for fall & spring for each program
(summer is not a required term)
12 per semester for undergraduates
9 per semester for graduates
6 per semester for graduate certificate program
Students must register for the required credits
listed above EVERY fall and spring semester.
Full course of study equivalencies (with permission from ISSS)
Preparing for Ph.D. “qualifying exam” (two-semester limit, must
complete and submit Reduced Course Load form to ISSS in
beginning of semester)
Only thesis or dissertation remaining (must register for D-999)
Final semester of undergraduate/graduate study (must take all
remaining courses)
Web Courses (online)
Can only register for 3 required credits
online per semester

13. Full Course of Study (cont’d)
Class registration is assessed at end of
drop/add period
If registered for the correct number of
credits, student is registered in SEVIS.
If not, student’s F-1 record is terminated
Final grade evaluation
After final grades have been submitted to Registrar
Any student who drops below full-time can be
terminated for non-attendance.
Less than full course load permitted only during final
semester of study. If only one class is remaining
final semester, it cannot be taken online; it must be
on campus.

14. Reduced Course Load All reduced course loads (even during thesis/
dissertation work, etc.) must be authorized by a
Designated School Official (ISSS staff)
Only for a very specific list of academic issues
For medical conditions with documentation from a
medical doctor or clinical psychologist
A student who reduces his/her course load without
ISSS authorization will have his/her record terminated
in SEVIS!

15. Changes to the I-20/DS-2019/SEVIS Record
Types
Change of address:
You MUST change your
address in your My Stevens
account
Change of name (must provide proof)
Change of financial support/sponsorship
Change of major
Addition of minor or second major
Report change within 10 days of its occurrence
Most changes should also be reported to
Student Services or via your
MyStevens account

16. Travel Within the U.S. Outside the U.S.
Travel
Within the U.S.
Take your passport, student ID card, and
Form I-20/DS Make sure all your
immigration documents are always in a safe place.
Outside the U.S.
Passport valid for at least 6 months into the future from date of entry
A valid F-1/J-1 visa (unexpired– if expired, you will
need to anticipate additional time for visa renewal)
Form I-20/DS-2019 with a valid travel signature from ISSS
I-20: The travel signature (3rd page of I-20) is valid for one year, so you will need one the first time you travel and a new one whenever it expires.
DS-2019: The travel signature (1st page) is valid for either 1 year or the duration of your program, whichever is shorter.
If you have a paper I-94 card, see our website.
Academic transcripts and documentation of your financial
support are recommended.
Travel to Canada, Mexico, or
contiguous islands- See our website!:

17. Concurrent Enrollment
F-1 students are permitted to take
courses at other SEVIS-approved schools
Consult with the ISSS and your academic
adviser BEFORE registering for a
course(s) at another school; you must
submit an application to ISSS to do this!

18. Leave of Absence & School Transfer
Leaves of absence and school transfers have specific deadlines and procedures in the SEVIS system. If you need to take a leave or wish to transfer to another school, please contact ISSS before moving forward with either of these processes so that we can properly assist you.

19. Program End Date
If you decide to leave before your program end date, you must
apply for Authorized Early Withdrawal (contact us!)
If you need more time to complete your program (i.e., you
changed your major or added a second major), you must apply
for a Program Extension. You should apply for an extension
even if you are not certain you will need it; you cannot
extend your I-20 or DS-2019 after your program end date.
If you will graduate early, you must request that your I-20/DS-
2019 be shortened and must provide proof of anticipated
graduation date.

20. Program End Date (cont’d)
ONLY options after program end date:
Depart the U.S.
Transfer to another school
Change education level or program
Start post-completion OPT or Academic Training

21. Violations of Status What are some examples of violations of status?
Not pursuing a full course of study or not
getting permission to reduce course load
Working without permission or exceeding the
limitations of your authorized work
Not complying with immigration’s procedures
for transferring schools, changing levels, extending
the time you need to complete a program of study,
or departing the U.S.
If you violate your status, contact ISSS immediately so you
may be advised of your options.
Violations of status must be reported to immigration in
SEVIS by the ISSS staff.

22. Deadline Overview Please see our “Deadline Overview” handout here
for a helpful guide to the
various timelines you must follow in order to maintain
your F-1/J-1 status!:

23. On-Campus Work 20 hours per week During fall and spring semesters
Total among all departments, including
R.A./R.D. positions, assistantships, etc.
Full-time work
During official school breaks included in the program (Includes winter holiday, spring break, and summer break)
Organizations that operate within the college to serve
students, such as the cafeteria, are counted as “on-campus.”
Volunteer Positions (such as orientation leaders) not counted,
but please check to make sure you are allowed to volunteer.
F-1/J-1 students in their first semester cannot start working
more than 30 days before the first day of classes
No on-campus work during the 60-day grace period (after
I-20 end date) for F-1 students or the 30-day
grace period for J-1 students (after DS-2019
end date)

24. Off-Campus Work
F-1:
Optional Practical Training (OPT)
Curricular Practical Training (CPT)
Employment with an International Organization
Economic Hardship Employment
Information and online workshops for OPT and CPT are located here:
CPT:
OPT:
J-1:
Academic Training
Both paid and unpaid work/internships require work authorization!

25. J-1-Specific Issues Health Insurance On Campus Employment
All J-1 students, including any J-2 dependents, are required to have health insurance that meets certain standards of coverage for sickness, accident, medical evacuation, and repatriation of remains throughout the duration of their program. Please contact Caitlin Chavarria if you have any questions about this requirement.
On Campus Employment
Any on-campus employment, including assistantships, fellowships, and work in conjunction with scholarships, must be authorized by the ISSS/program sponsor in the SEVIS system before J-1 students can begin working and authorization must be renewed every 12 months, if employment
is on-going.

26. Social Security You must have a job to receive a Social Security #.
Social Security number is required to get paid for
employment but not to start working.
You can get an SSN letter (for your on-campus
employer to sign) and information about applying for
the SSN from our website:

27. Driver’s Licenses Commonly used as a form of U.S. ID
Information located on our website:
You can also contact the Department of Motor
Vehicles: or
If you are living in NY and attending Stevens,
you will probably not be eligible for a driver’s license
in either NY or NJ, but you are welcome to try.
Important: To apply for an SSN or driver’s license, your F-1/J-
1 record must be registered in SEVIS (made “active”). New
students’ F-1 records will not become active until ~2/18/2015,
but ISSS will all students as soon as
SEVIS registration is complete.

28. IRS Reporting Form 8843 (for all F1/J1 students)
Required by U.S. law to be completed
by students every year
Deadline to file: June 15 (postmark)
Form 1040 NR/NR-EZ (for students who worked)
For a non-resident (NR) who had
any U.S. source of income
Deadline to file: April 15
We will more information about tax filing early
in the new year.

29. Helpful Resources & Best Wishes
ISSS Website:
Facebook Page (Stevens Institute of Technology
International Student & Scholar Services)
Conversation beyond Borders
Phone
We wish you the best of luck in your studies here, and we’re happy to answer any of your questions to help you maintain your immigration status!