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International Students
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Immigration:
Now That You Are In SEVIS . . .
The Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) is the Internet-based tracking system that replaced the old paper-based records for F-1 students. In the past, your immigration record was only reflected on the paper documents you carried and when filing applications with the Immigration Service. Now, with SEVIS, your I-20 information is kept electronically and the paper I-20 is used as documentation of the database information. SEVIS also imposes new regulations and reporting requirements for F-1 students.
Our mission at the Office of International Programs (OIP) is to help you, as an international student at California State University Monterey Bay, to achieve your educational goals. We will make every effort to assist you with your immigration needs. However, you are responsible for learning, understanding and complying with U.S. laws and regulations that apply to your F-1 student status. Failure to be aware of and to comply with important Immigration Service regulations could jeopardize both your legal status in the U.S. and your future academic plans.
New SEVIS I-20
Your I-20 information has now been entered into SEVIS and a new SEVIS I-20 has been issued for you. Some of the differences you will notice on the new I-20 are a bar code on the first page and a record of F-1 events and applications and the third page. Please be aware of the following:
- Review your I-20 and make sure the information is
accurate. If you find an error, inform OIP immediately.
- Sign your I-20. Read and sign item #11 on page
1. Print your name, sign your name, and date. If you have F-2 dependents,
you must also sign each dependent’s document.
- Make note of the number printed above the bar code
on your I-20. This is your SEVIS ID number. It will
be your unique ID number with the Immigration Service.
- You should always have your most recent I-20 and keep all
past copies of your I-20. Over time you may accumulate multiple
I-20 copies. We suggest you keep them together in a safe place.
- Make note of your studies completion date on your I-20 (item
#5). If you need an extension you must request a new updated
I-20 before the completion date.
- You must have a current travel endorsement (i.e.,
a signature from an OIP adviser) on page three whenever you are traveling
back into the U.S. (together with a valid F-1 visa). Each travel endorsement
is valid for six (6) months.
- If you have F-2 dependents, a SEVIS I-20 has been printed
for each dependent. Each dependent must have his or her
own I-20 to apply for an F-2 visa to enter the U.S. Each dependent
should carry his/her own current I-20 and keep all copies. Dependents
also need current travel signatures on their I-20s when traveling.
- If information on your I-20 changes, you must request a
new I-20 from OIP. This includes:
- Change of completion date, either early or extension (see below)
- Change of major
- Change of degree level (e.g. Bachelor’s to Master’s
or Master’s to Ph.D.)
- Change of financial sponsorship
- Change of completion date, either early or extension (see below)
New SEVIS F-1 Regulations
SEVIS imposes new regulations and reporting requirements for F-1 students. The Immigration Service is very strict about the rules and requirements. Because SEVIS is an electronic database, it instantly detects late dates and students who fail to register. Missing an application deadline or failure to follow the registration requirements can immediately result in losing your F-1 status.
What You Are Required to Do:
- You are required to be a registered, full-time student EVERY semester (not including summer session). Exceptions to this requirement are allowed if you receive prior approval from your OIP International Student Advisor.
Full-time is: Undergraduate Students = enrolled in 12 units or more
Graduate Students = enrolled in 8 units or more
You must contact OIP BEFORE you do any of the following:
- Withdraw from the University (for any reason)
- Not register full-time (for any reason)
- Drop class(es) below full-time (for any reason)
- Are not registered for a semester because:
- Final semester at California State University Monterey Bay
- Working full-time on thesis
- Any other reason for not being registered
- Final semester at California State University Monterey Bay
If you are not registered or are not full-time each and every semester, do not assume your immigration status is OK unless you have confirmed your status with OIP!!! Failure to contact your International Student Advisor before doing any of the above can result in losing your F-1 status and having to leave the U.S., being subject to deportation, or possibly barred from the U.S. for three years or longer.
- Report any change of address or residence to OIP and Admissions & Records
within 10 days of the change. Report a passport name change directly
to OIP. This is not a change in the name the University uses, but rather
a change in the name on your passport.
- Abide by employment regulations. F-1 students are limited to no
more than 20 hours per week of on-campus employment while school is
in session. More hours are permitted during summer or winter breaks.
You are NOT permitted to work off-campus without receiving prior authorization
from the Immigration Service and/or OIP.
- Report early departure date and reason. Sometimes, for a variety
of reasons, students leave the University early or unexpectedly. These
reasons may include early graduation, a leave of absence for personal
reasons, or academic probation. You are required to inform OIP if you
plan to leave the University before the completion date on your I-20,
and the reason for doing so.
- Apply for extension of program before the completion date on your
current I-20. If you need more time to complete your degree beyond
the completion date on your current I-20, you must request an extension
of program before the completion date on your I-20 (item #5). Extension
is not possible after this date.
- Request an I-20 “release” to transfer to another school. If you are planning to transfer to another school, you should meet with an adviser at OIP well in advance to plan your immigration transfer. OIP must initiate a transfer “release” of your SEVIS record before the completion date on your current I-20.
What CSU Monterey Bay’s Office of International Programs Must Do:
OIP is required to enter and regularly update certain information into SEVIS. Some information will be reported once a semester and other information will be reported as soon as a change happens. OIP must report:
- The information on your I-20
- Your current U.S. residential address
- Registration for each semester at California State University Monterey
Bay
- Full-time or part-time enrollment
- Withdrawal from the University or failure to register
OIP DOES NOT report any other information to SEVIS. This office will only report what is required by law and federal regulation and will take all steps necessary to keep your information secure and confidential. Reporting “registration” only means confirmation that you are registered each semester and that you are full-time. The University does not report courses in which you are enrolled or other information about your studies or activities at the University.
Impact of SEVIS
For the most part, SEVIS will have little impact on your day-to-day life as a student in the U.S. However, failure to comply with the above SEVIS regulations and requirements can result in severe consequences even if the mistake was unintentional. Failure to get OIP clearance on registration matters or missing a deadline can result in an interruption in your studies, visa cancellation, deportation, or being prevented from re-entry to the U.S. Thus, it is very important for you to know and understand the requirements for your F-1 Status. OIP will do everything we can to inform and help you with your immigration status, but it is ultimately your responsibility to maintain your legal status.
In the short-term, the transition into SEVIS may be slow and frustrating. Please be patient! OIP will do everything it can to make the impact of SEVIS as easy a possible, but there will be some processes and problems that are simply beyond OIP’s control. Over time, as the Immigration Service further develops and improves the SEVIS system, some processes such as work permit applications and travel should become easier and quicker than they were in the past.
If you have any questions or concerns about SEVIS, your immigration
status, or your responsibilities to maintain your status, please feel
free to contact OIP. We are happy to help.
Rick Donovan
International Student Advisor & Designated School Official
Office of International Programs
CSU Monterey Bay
831.582.3512
831.582.4502 (Fax)
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