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 17 th 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