Immigration News March 2021

Use Your UT Dallas Email

ISSO advisors will only send communications to official UT Dallas emails. All current students and F-1 alumni on OPT should have access to their UT Dallas email account. If you are having trouble accessing your UT Dallas email, please contact the Office of Information Technology for assistance. Check your UT Dallas email regularly for updates from the ISSO.

Journey to H-1B Attorney Seminar, March 9

Join the International Center for a seminar presented by local immigration attorney David Swaim. This session will discuss the journey to applying for an H-1B work visa and how to use the immigration process to your advantage. There will be an opportunity for Q&A after the presentation. This virtual event is hosted through WebEx. Join online March 9 at 5pm (CST). Event password is “journeyh1b.”

H-1B  Electronic Registration Process

Employers must complete an electronic registration process as a part of the H-1B petition process. Registration opens in March. If you need copies of your UT Dallas I-20 forms, complete the Immigration Document Copy Request through the iComet Portal. Please keep in mind, the ISSO can only provide copies of documents that we have on file. It is the your responsibility to maintain your immigration records.

H-1B registration DOES NOT provide Cap Gap Extension eligibility. Any Cap Gap Extension is based on the filing date (when the full application is sent to USCIS), not the registration date. You will receive both a registration notice after electronic registration and a receipt notice after filing the application. Only the receipt notice can be used for Cap Gap Extension benefits.

USCIS Flexibility on Applications

USCIS is experiencing severe delays at their lockbox locations. This means that students are waiting two months or longer to receive their receipt notice. If you are still waiting for a receipt notice, be reassured that it does not indicate there is an issue with your application. Most applications are being affected by USCIS delays.

Due to these delays, USCIS is extending flexibility to students whose applications are rejected after their grace period has ended, allowing students who received a reject to refile their petition even after the 60 day grace period has ended. OPT application rejections are relatively rare. The most common reasons for rejection are issues with the filing fee (wrong amount or can’t cash the payment) and missing signatures. If you have not mailed your application yet, we recommend carefully checking all of your documents before you send it.

Apply for OPT

If you are graduating this semester, you may apply for your OPT I-20. ISSO processing times for OPT applications are 14 business days. USCIS must receive your OPT application no later than July 14, 2021. F-1 students applying for Optional Practical Training (OPT) are required to complete  the online OPT workshop in iComet before applying for post-completion OPT.

Want an OPT packet review? We will be offering OPT packet reviews as small group sessions, starting in February. You will receive a link to sign up for a packet review session in your OPT I-20 approval email. This is an optional service – every year, many students successfully compile their own packet and apply for OPT. In either case, you will want to carefully follow the checklist on page 3 of the OPT guide to create your application packet.

Travel Signatures for Spring Break Travel

If travelling outside of the U.S. for Spring Break, make sure your most recent I-20 has a valid travel endorsement. This signature may be digital or hand signed. If you are a current UT Dallas student, your I-20 should be endorsed within 12 months of your date of reentry. If you are on Post-Completion OPT or STEM OPT, your I-20 should be endorsed within 6 months of your date of reentry.

You can request a travel-endorsed I-20, submit a travel endorsement request through the iComet Portal. The I-20 will be sent to your UT Dallas email address. You can print it and sign it to use while travelling. This I-20 is appropriate for re-entry to the U.S Review the ISSO webpage on Travel for detailed information on what documents to carry with you when you travel. You do not have to request the I-20 before leaving the United States. You will need it when you re-enter the U.S.

When planning your travel, please take into account the guidance issued by the U.S. Department of State and the CDC. Both prior to and during international travel, we recommend to monitor the travel advisories for the country you are travelling to and the country you wish to return to.

Do Not Delay Your Graduation

Postponing graduation when you have completed all the courses required to earn your degree is a violation of the immigration regulations. For more information visit the Graduation and Beyond webpage.

Taxes

All non-resident aliens who resided in the United States between January 1 and December 31 of 2020 must file a U.S. tax form. Refer to the ISSO webpage for resources to help you file your taxes: https://www.utdallas.edu/isso/taxes/. If you have any additional questions about tax filing, contact the UT Dallas Tax Compliance Office at taxcompliance@utdallas.edu.

Business Analytics and Data Science CIP codes

The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) will allow UT Dallas to retain the same CIP codes for both the Business Analytics and Data Science programs. This means there will be no change to STEM OPT eligibility or the major listed on the I-20 for Business Analytics and Data Science students or alumni.

Advising Services

ISSO Live Chats

The ISSO advisors will be available to chat online during regular advising hours. To chat, visit utdallas.edu/ic/issoadvising/ and look for the “We Are Here” widget during advising hours. This chat is for general questions only. Do not share your ID number or other private information, as the live chat is not encrypted.

• Mondays 10am – 11:45am and 3pm – 4:45pm CST
• Tuesdays 10am – 11:45am and 3pm – 4:45pm CST
• Wednesdays 6pm – 7:45pm CST
• Thursdays 10am – 11:45am and 3pm – 4:45pm CST
• Fridays 3pm – 4:45pm CST

Contact an advisor

Advisors are working remotely and can answer your immigration questions in a scheduled appointment or through the Ask an Advisor eForm in iComet (http://utd.edu/t/6085). If you have access to your iComet Portal, you should submit questions through iComet – do not send advising questions by email. You will be able to see responses to your questions in your iComet portal.

ISSO Office Phone Lines

You can call the ISSO! Our welcome desk staff will answer phone calls to our main office line 972-882-4189 between 10 am – 2 pm. The welcome desk staff are not advisors and cannot offer immigration advising.

Workshops

The mandatory CPT and OPT workshops are available online through iComet. In-person workshops are cancelled until further notice.

Don’t “Volunteer” without Work Authorization!

The types of employment allowed under the F-1 visa are limited by specific requirements. Before engaging in any type of work (paid or unpaid), F-1 students should verify they are eligible to work and have the proper authorization. Working without authorization is a serious violation of F-1 status. This is true whether the work is paid or unpaid. Review information regarding on campus and off campus work employment and safeguard your status.

Scam Alert

The ISSO has received reports of scammers calling and emailing students, pretending to be U.S. government officials and threatening deportation. The scammers tell the student that they failed to fill out the AR-11 form and may mention that the student needs to complete a background check. This is a scam. F-1 students do not need to complete the AR-11 form, and U.S. government agencies do not call, text, or email. If you have any questions about a potential contact or scam, call the UT Dallas Police at 972-883-2222. You may also report potential scams to covid19fraud@dhs.gov.

Official communications from UT Dallas about COVID-19 will continue to be provided via UT Dallas email addresses and the UT Dallas website, utdallas.edu/coronavirus/. If you are uncertain about the source of communications you receive, please validate legitimacy. You may also contact the UT Dallas Information Security Office  infosecurity@utdallas.edu.

Student Feedback after Winter Storm

Provide feedback to the ISSO via a one question winter storm survey about your experience during the recent winter storm and how the ISSO can help international students experiencing emergencies in the future.

Tornado Season

While tornados are rare, the International Center would like you to be prepared.  Review the Tornadoes and Watch vs. Warning information on the UT Dallas Emergency Preparedness Information webpage, under the “Know Your Hazards” section. In the event that International Center staff are unavailable due to an emergency, call the UT Dallas Police Department at 972-883-2222. If the UT Dallas Police are unavailable, and you need critical immigration assistance or evacuation, contact the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) at SEVP@ice.dhs.gov, or call 703-603-3400.