Immigration News August 2021
August 6, 2021
Appointments and Live Chat Unavailable August 12 and 19
To allow advisors to work on time-sensitive student requests, the ISSO will not be offering appointments or live chats on August 12 and August 19. We recognize that many students are concerned about the extended processing times, and the advisors are taking this time to prioritize your requests. We appreciate your patience and understanding.
Time Sensitive Reminders for F-1 Students
Change of Level
Students who have completed an academic program or end OPT in summer 2021 and who will continue or begin another degree program in the fall 2021 semester, must obtain a Change of Level I-20 to maintain their F-1 status. You must request for your Change of Level I-20 in a timely fashion in order to maintain your F-1 status. See the ISSO Change of Level webpage for more details.
F-1 Optional Practical Training
If you will graduate in the summer 2021 semester, you may be eligible for post-completion Optional Practical Training (OPT). For more information attend an OPT workshop on iComet or visit the ISSO Optional Practical Training webpage.
If you plan to graduate in the fall 2021 semester, the first day to apply for Post-Completion OPT is August 17, 2021. Some students may wish to apply for OPT early, due to the long USCIS processing times for OPT applications. Please keep in mind that prior to requesting your OPT I-20, you must do the following:
- Attend the OPT workshop
- Apply for graduation
Graduation Application Deadline for Fall Graduates
Fall 2021 F-1 graduates must apply for graduation by 11:59pm on September 21, 2021 in order to maintain their immigration status. Please note that the immigration deadline is earlier than the university deadline. For more information about how to apply for graduation visit the Registrar Office.
Enrollment Requirements
The Student and Exchange Visitor Program has announced that the temporary enrollment requirements will continue for the 2021 – 2022 academic year. While the standard enrollment regulations only allow one online or hybrid course to count towards a student’s enrollment requirements, the temporary SEVP guidance allows more than one course to apply towards a student’s enrollment requirements.
If you were in active F-1 status on March 9, 2020 and have continually maintained your status, you may enroll in completely online courses (if available). Regardless of whether online courses are offered for your program of study, you must enroll in at least 9 credit hours as a graduate student or 12 credit hours as an undergraduate unless approved by ISSO for a reduced course load.
If you gained F-1 status after March 9, 2020, you are required to enroll in at least one course with in-person components and you should be prepared to participate in the in-person components. You must enroll in at least 9 credit hours as a graduate student or 12 credit hours as an undergraduate unless approved by ISSO for a reduced course load.
COVID-19 Vaccinations near UTD
While you are not required to be vaccinated in order to attend UT Dallas, we encourage all students to get the vaccine. There may be future opportunities to get vaccinated on-campus. In the meantime, the ISSO has identified several vaccination locations along the 883 Comet Cruiser bus route.
Tom Thumb
1380 W Campbell Rd, Richardson, TX 75080
Pharmacy Phone: (972) 680-6023
Walk-ins welcome
Walmart Supercenter
425 Coit Rd, Plano, TX 75075
Pharmacy Phone: (972) 599-9066
Walk-ins welcome
CVS Pharmacy
1555 East Renner Road Richardson, TX 75082
Pharmacy Phone: (972) 238-1395
CVS HealthHUB
605 W. Campbell Rd. Richardson, TX 75080
Health Hub Phone: (972) 231-3522
Need an SSN letter?
As we approach the fall semester, many students are starting on-campus employment at UT Dallas for the first time. When you get your first job in the U.S., you will need to get a SSN letter from the ISSO so you can apply for a Social Security Number. You can find detailed instructions on the ISSO website – isso.utdallas.edu/ssn/. Keep in mind, you do not need the SSN to start working, but your employer will need your SSN in order to pay you.
MS Marketing CIP Code Change
Effective fall 2021, the MS Marketing CIP code will change from 52.1401.00 to 52.1399.01 (STEM-eligible). Starting on Census day (September 8th, 2021) the ISSO office will re-issue I-20s for students in the MS in Marketing to reflect the new CIP code. Students will not need to do anything to obtain the updated I-20. Watch your UT Dallas email for updates.
USCIS Lockbox Flexibilities
A 06/10/21 USCIS news alert describes additional temporary filing flexibilities for benefits filers impacted by USCIS Lockbox delays. These flexibilities are in addition to the OPT filing flexibilities, still in effect, that were announced on February 26, 2021.
The following temporary flexibilities are effective for 60 days from June 10 until Aug. 9, 2021:
- If you submitted a benefit request to a USCIS lockbox between Oct. 1, 2020, and April 1, 2021, and that request was rejected during that timeframe solely due to a filing fee payment that expired while the benefit request was awaiting processing, you may resubmit the request with a new fee payment.
- USCIS will allow applicants and petitioners to submit documentation with a benefit request resubmission demonstrating that because of the time that elapsed between when a benefit request was originally submitted to a USCIS lockbox and when USCIS rejected it, an applicant, co-applicant, beneficiary or derivative has reached an age that makes them no longer eligible to file for the benefit requested.
Update Addresses in Orion
F and J students are required to update their current local address in Orion within 10 days of the change. Remember to check your current local address in Orion and update if necessary. You may also change your foreign address in Orion. For instructions, visit the Address Reporting webpage.
Not All On-Campus Employment is Allowed for F-1 Students
On-campus employment options depend on where the work is physically located and who the employer is. F-1 students may work on campus, employed by UT Dallas, or by on-campus commercial firms that directly serve the UT Dallas student population (Chartwells, University Bookstore, etc). Positions with third parties not providing services directly to students (alumni call center) or personal services for faculty or staff (housekeeping, lawn care) is not allowed. Refer to information on the F-1 Student Employment page for more information.
Don’t Risk your F-1 Status by Working Without Valid Work Authorization
The types of employment allowed under the F-1 visa are limited by specific requirements. Before engaging in any type of work, 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. The ISSO will investigate some allegations of unauthorized employment, however, others will be referred directly to DHS for investigation and action.
ISSO is here for you
There are many ways to contact the ISSO. You can reach out through your iComet Portal, join us for a Live Chat online, or schedule an appointment. We offer virtual workshops for OPT and CPT in iComet, and we are making plans to resume some in-person workshops on-campus. Watch the Comet Calendar for upcoming events!
Submit Processing Requests to ISSO Early
ISSO receives a high volume of student and alumni requests. Don’t wait until the last minute! Submit requests to ISSO 3-4 weeks in advance of when you need them.
Recognize the Signs of a Potentially Fraudulent Employer
In order to maintain your status it is important for international students to be aware of potentially fraudulent employers and to report suspected fraud. Learn more about red flags that may indicate a fraudulent employer and how to report non-compliant employers at Study in the States.
Beware of Scams
International students are often targeted by scammers, who may pretend to be government officials or threaten legal action in order to get money from scam victims. Watch out for scams! Government officials will not call you and demand payment or information over the phone, and no legitimate organization will ask for payment in the form of gift cards. Learn more about scams from the UT Dallas Information Security Office and UT Dallas Police Department.
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 check its legitimacy. If you have any questions about a potential contact or scam, call the UT Dallas Police at 972-883-2222.
