Immigration News August 2022

Time Sensitive Reminders for F-1 Students

Change of Level 

Students who have completed an academic program or end OPT in summer 2022 and who will continue or begin another degree program in the fall 2022 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 2022 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 2022 semester, the first day to apply for Post-Completion OPT is September 17, 2022. 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 2022 F-1 graduates must apply for graduation by 11:59pm on September 20, 2022 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.

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. 

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.

Repatriation Charge/Insurance Waivers

Effective with the fall 2022 term, international students who submit a waiver for insurance and are charged a repatriation fee must pay Academic Health Plans (AHP) the $48.00 repatriation fee directly before their SHIP charge will be waived.  This means UTD will no longer charge the repatriation fee, and students will pay AHP directly. 

Extension and Redesignation of Syria for TPS

The Department of Homeland Security announced the extension and redesignation of Syria for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for 18 months, from Oct. 1, 2022, through March 31, 2024.

Syria’s 18-month extension and redesignation will go into effect Oct. 1, 2022. Refer to the Federal Register noticefor procedures necessary for an individual to re-register and renew their Employment Authorization Document (EAD) or submit an initial registration application under the designation and to apply for an EAD. For the most current information related to Temporary Protected Status, visit our TPS webpage

New STEM Resources Available on USCIS Website

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has published additional online resources on uscis.gov to provide an overview of some of the temporary and permanent pathways for noncitizens to work in the United States in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). This guide also highlights some of the most important considerations for STEM professionals who want to work in the United States.

• Options for Noncitizen STEM Professionals to Work in the United States; 
• Nonimmigrant Pathways for STEM Employment in the United States; and
• Immigrant Pathways for STEM Employment in the United States.

USCIS Extends COVID-19-related Flexibilities

Summarize content here

https://www.uscis.gov/newsroom/alerts/uscis-extends-covid-19-related-flexibilities

Fall 2022 Enrollment Requirements

The Student and Exchange Visitor Program has extended temporary COVID enrollment guidance for the 2022 – 2023 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 or before 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 each semester 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.

Enrollment requirements may be subject to change in spring 2023.

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. .

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 this spring. 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.

Help Keep our Campus Safe and Welcoming

All members of our University community share in a collective responsibility to make our campus peers feel welcome, safe and comfortable. Stand up and step in by recognizing potentially harmful situations (physical, mental, social or emotional)  affecting individuals or groups, and respond in a way that could positively influence the outcome.  For more information, visit Comet Voice.

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.