1. Very Important Documents I-20 Form I-20 Form Passport Passport I-94 Card I-94 Card Please do not lose any of these documents. They can be hard to replace and can be costly. Please do not lose any of these documents. They can be hard to replace and can be costly.

2. Maintaining your immigration status  Maintain a valid passport  Maintain a valid I-20 Form  Maintain full time enrollment  No unauthorized employment  Obtain travel signatures  Report address changes over summer session

3. Maintain a valid passport Check to insure that your passport is still valid. Check to insure that your passport is still valid. Six months prior to your passport expiring, you should contact your country’s embassy in Washington, DC to start processing an extension. You can find information on your country’s embassy contact information at www.embassy.org Six months prior to your passport expiring, you should contact your country’s embassy in Washington, DC to start processing an extension. You can find information on your country’s embassy contact information at www.embassy.orgwww.embassy.org You should not send your original I-94 card or I-20 form when you send your passport for renewal. The cost for replacing a lost I-94 card is $330. You should not send your original I-94 card or I-20 form when you send your passport for renewal. The cost for replacing a lost I-94 card is $330. If you have a valid visa in the expiring passport, your country will attach the expired passport to your new passport so you are still able to use the valid visa. They will invalidate all the other pages. If you have a valid visa in the expiring passport, your country will attach the expired passport to your new passport so you are still able to use the valid visa. They will invalidate all the other pages.

4. Maintain full time enrollment You must be registered as a full time student for every semester you are enrolled at MHC. You must be registered as a full time student for every semester you are enrolled at MHC. - 12 credits per semester for most students -8 credits for Foreign and Language Fellows  If you need to drop below full-time enrollment (generally only allowed for documented medical reasons), you must see Jenny or Donna before dropping below full time. Failure to do this will result in our office having to notify the immigration service that you are out of legal immigration status.

5. I-94 Arrival/Departure Card Please do not lose this card – it costs $330 to replace Please do not lose this card – it costs $330 to replace Every time you leave the US, the airline officials will remove the card from your passport and you will be given a new one when you re enter the US Every time you leave the US, the airline officials will remove the card from your passport and you will be given a new one when you re enter the US

6. US Visa Stamp

7. I-20 Form

8. Travel signatures before leaving the U.S. You should bring in your I-20 form for a travel signature from either Jenny or Donna at least one week before you will be traveling outside the U.S. You should bring in your I-20 form for a travel signature from either Jenny or Donna at least one week before you will be traveling outside the U.S. We will send reminder messages about this during peak travel times (December break, spring break, summer break) We will send reminder messages about this during peak travel times (December break, spring break, summer break) On page 3 of the I-20 is states that travel signatures are valid for one year. However, we have found that if you are traveling outside the US more regularly, the immigration officers would like to see signatures for each semester. On page 3 of the I-20 is states that travel signatures are valid for one year. However, we have found that if you are traveling outside the US more regularly, the immigration officers would like to see signatures for each semester.

9. No unauthorized work On-Campus: If you are at MHC on the F-1 student visa, you can work on campus up to 20 hours a week when school is in session and full time during J Term and the summer. The Village Commons and Stony Brook Childcare are not considered on campus employment. On-Campus: If you are at MHC on the F-1 student visa, you can work on campus up to 20 hours a week when school is in session and full time during J Term and the summer. The Village Commons and Stony Brook Childcare are not considered on campus employment. Off-campus Employment: you can not accept any off-campus employment without permission from the Immigration Service or the McCulloch Center Off-campus Employment: you can not accept any off-campus employment without permission from the Immigration Service or the McCulloch Center There are two types of off campus work permission for F-1 students but you will not be eligible for either until you have been enrolled in F-1 status for one full academic year and have a declared major. Any work you do off campus must be related to your academic major. There are two types of off campus work permission for F-1 students but you will not be eligible for either until you have been enrolled in F-1 status for one full academic year and have a declared major. Any work you do off campus must be related to your academic major. We will have two information sessions on off campus employment – November 7 th and March 6 th. We will send reminder emails. We will have two information sessions on off campus employment – November 7 th and March 6 th. We will send reminder emails.

10. Applying for a Social Security Number Needed for application Needed for application -Valid passport -I-20 form -I-94 card -Employment letter from on campus employer. Please visit our website for the template of this letter. It must be on the letterhead of the department you will be working for. -Support letter from McCulloch Center for Global Initiatives Representatives from the Social Security Administration will be on campus on Friday, September 28 th from 12:30pm-4:30pm in 318 Blanchard to accept applications for social security numbers. If you can not apply during this time, you will need to go to the SS Office in Holyoke at 200 High Street. There are no buses that go to this office and you will need to find your own transportation to get there if you are unable to apply on September 28 th.

11. Income Tax Due Date? Due Date? April 15 or June 15 for previous year April 15 or June 15 for previous year Who Files? Who Files? All international students, spouses and children over 14 years regardless of if you have worked or not All international students, spouses and children over 14 years regardless of if you have worked or not How Much? How Much? Withholding according to W-4 Withholding according to W-4 Tax treaty benefits Tax treaty benefits Social Security Withholding Social Security Withholding Fines? Fines? Underpay, Late filing, Fraudulent claim Pay Too Much? Pay Too Much? Get it back from employer or IRS Help? Help? IRS Website www.irs.ustreas.gov www.irs.ustreas.gov Glacier Software Free to International Students

15. Box ____Blanchard Student Center South Hadley, MA 01075