1. International Student Meeting: New International students on non-immigrant visas Fall 2017
Presented by:
Akilah Moy, International Visitor Advisor
&
Jennifer Perez, International Affairs Coordinator

2. Have you checked in with us?
New F-1 students are required to Check-In with OIA to present all original immigration documents:
I-20
I-94
Visa (if applicable)
Passport
All international students that have not checked in will be prohibited from registering for classes

3. Overview Maintenance of Status SEVIS Travel Student Government
Contact Information

4. Maintenance of status
All F and J Students must maintain their status by engaging only in the activities, locations, and time periods identified on Form I-20 or DS The defined information is as follows:
Institution
Level of Education
Major
Program Start and Program End Dates
Failure to comply could result in the loss of your status

5. Sample I-20

6. Sample DS-2019

7. Passport Biodata Page

8. Visa Stamp

9. D/S = Duration of Status
Form I-94
D/S = Duration of Status

11. Maintenance of status: F-1 Enrollment
The F-1 Status applies to students enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate program of study which leads to the attainment of a specific educational or professional objective
F-1 Students must be enrolled full-time for the duration of the Fall and Spring Semesters
Full-time enrollment for graduate students is 9 credit hours
Full-time enrollment for undergraduate students is 12 credit hours
Individual programs/schools may require summer enrollment

12. Maintenance of status: F-1 enrollment – Continued
No more than 3 credit hours per semester may count towards the full-time enrollment requirement for On-Line & Distance Education Courses
Failing a course is considered completion for SEVIS enrolment reporting purposes
Incomplete grades must be completed by the end of the next semester, or next available semester the course if offered
Audit courses offer 0 credit hours and consequently do not meet the immigration requirement of full-time enrollment

13. Maintenance of status: J-1 enrollment
The J-1 college or university student category applies to students admitted by an “accredited educational institution” to a degree academic program for a full course of study or to a non-degree academic program for a prescribed course of study with a specific educational objective
J-1 Students must be enrolled full-time and make normal progress toward their academic objective, as set forth at 22 C.F.R. § 62.23(e), and further defined at 22 C.F.R. § 62.2.

14. Maintenance of status: F-1 & J-1 Enrollment Compliance
Failure to comply with full-time enrollment requires reporting in SEVIS that can result in:
Termination of F-1/F-2 and J-1/J-2 SEVIS record
Inability to continue studies
Loss of employment benefit
Inability to change visa status
Potential removal from the U.S.

15. MAINTENANCE OF STATUS: Other Visa Status Enrollment
Students in a valid immigration status that is not tied to enrollment, may enroll in courses that are incidental to their primary purpose in the U.S.
Examples include:
J-1 Research Scholar category
H-1B
L-1
O-1 TN
Visa Statuses with no restrictions on enrollment:
H-4
L-2 TD
Permanent Resident
Pending Immigrant students
Students in visa status other than F or J must still “check-in” with the Office of International Affairs (OIA) and obtain OIA clearance prior to enrolling in an academic program at UTHealth

16. Maintenance of status: Change of Address 10 DAY NOTIFICATION REQUIRMENT
All F and J Students
Submit Change of Address Form to their International Visitor Advisor
All other non-U.S. citizens
Submit AR-11 or AR-11SR Change of Address Form to U.S. Government
Available on-line at: (
All F, J and Other non-U.S. Citizens notify the following departments:
School or program sponsor where you study or work
Registrar’s Office (myUTH) – Please note that OIA does not receive notification when you change your address in myUTH.
Other program offices (e.g. Institute of International Education – IIE, VEF, etc)
Payroll, if applicable

17. Maintenance of status: F-1 Employment
On Campus/Offsite Employment
Can begin working upon entry to U.S.
Part-time only with maximum 20 Hours a week during regular semesters
Paid or unpaid
Curricular Practical Training (CPT)
Must be enrolled for at least 1 academic year
Part-time or Full-time
Paid or unpaid
Must be related to major and tied to a course
Must reapply every semester
Optional Practical Training (OPT)
After graduation
Full-time or part time
Paid or unpaid
Processing time at USCIS is approximately 90 days
All employment (paid or unpaid, on or off-campus) must be cleared with OIA prior to the start date of the appointment

18. Maintenance of status: J-1 Employment
All employment (paid or unpaid, on or off-campus) must be cleared with OIA prior to the start date of the appointment.
Types of potential J-1 employment:
On-Campus
J-1 Academic Training
No employment (paid or unpaid, on or off-campus) can take place without prior OIA written approval

19. Maintenance of status: Other Visa Status Employment
Pending Immigrants, L-2, and J-2 must present an unexpired Employment Authorization Document (EAD)
TN, H-1B, or J-1 other category should consult with your visa sponsor
No employment (paid or unpaid, on or off-campus) can take place without prior OIA written approval

20. Maintenance of status: Graduation
F-1/J-1 students must schedule an appointment with their International Visitor Advisor at least 1 semester prior to graduation to discuss options and benefits:
Optional Practical Training (OPT) and/or Academic Training
Transfer to another institution
Change in education level at the same institution
Change of visa status
Departure from the U.S.

21. SEVIS Student and exchange visitor information system
SEVIS is a web-based system developed to provide real-time information on all international students, exchange visitor, and their dependents on F and J visas.
SEVIS facilitates information sharing between students, schools, and the federal government.

22. SEVIS (continued)
SEVIS allows for the maintenance of accurate, timely and complete records for all international students attending the MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, to include:
Arrival in the United States
Full-time/part-time/no enrollment
Employment Authorization
Dependent(s)
Extensions of Stay
Completion of Program/Departure
Violation of Status

23. Travel Outside the U.S.
Contact OIA at least 5 business days before traveling abroad to schedule an appointment to meet with your International Visitor Advisor
At the time of your appointment, you will read, complete, and sign the Travel Instructions and Travel Request Form
Instructions and Forms may be accessed through the OIA Website:
F-1 Travel Endorsement Instructions
J-1 Travel Endorsement Instructions
OIA Travel Request Form
In the case of an emergency, contact your International Visitor Advisor immediately

24. Travel Instructions Documents required:
Passport (must be valid six months into the future)
Current visa stamp (If not valid, student must renew visa before returning to U.S.)
Current signature from IVA on I-20 or DS-2019 for travel purposes
All previous immigration documents
Evidence of maintenance of full-time enrollment (e.g. transcript, letter from academic advisor)
Evidence of financial verification dated within last six months
Evidence of strong ties to home country
F-1 OPT students must have a valid EAD and a letter verifying employment before departing the U.S., or the student will be denied a return to the U.S.

25. Emergency Preparations
Secure all valuable documents in a plastic bag and keep in safe location
e.g. SEVIS Form I-20, passport, visa, I-94 card, EAD card, Social Security Card, financial records, plane tickets, checks, and credit cards
Always have the contact number or addresses of Office of International Affairs International Visitor Advisors
F and J visa holders – In the event you cannot get in touch with your International Visitor Advisor (IVA), contact the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) and let them know where you are and how your IVA can reach you
SEVP
SEVP Toll-free phone number:
SEVP Alternate phone number:

26. Website: https://www.uth.edu/sic/
Student Governance
Student InterCouncil (SIC) is the UTHealth student governance organization and is the recognized forum of student opinion and the primary vehicle for student participation in school governance.
The SIC contributes to the quality of student life at UTHealth by participating in the development and implementation of policies and procedures affecting students.
The SIC is comprised of 24 UTHealth student representatives:
3 student representatives from each of the six UTHealth schools
3 international students
3 under-represented student members  
The SIC currently has vacant positions to be filled for the international and under-represented members
DEADLINE for submission of completed applications is Friday, August 25, 2017! 
Student InterCouncil 6901 Bertner, SON-SCC Rm FAX
Website:

28. OFFICE OF INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS
Location
University Center Tower
7000 Fannin Street, Suite 130
Houston, Texas 77030
Office Hours
Monday to Friday
8am to 5pm
With the exception of Thursdays
when the office is closed from
2pm-5pm.
Contact Information
Main Number: (713)
Fax Number: (713)
After Hours Emergency Pager: (713)
Appointments are encouraged to ensure an Advisor is available to assist.

29. Questions?