Immigration News January 2023
January 11, 2023
Time Sensitive Reminders for F-1 Students
Graduation and Beyond
Before February 14, 2023. If you are an F-1 student, have completed your academic requirements and will remain in the U.S. after graduation, make appropriate preparations such as applying for OPT, starting another academic program or transferring out to another school.
Change of Level
Before Census Day, February 1, 2023. Students who will complete an academic program or end OPT in the Fall 2022 semester and will continue or begin another degree program in the Spring 2023 semester, must obtain a Change of Level I-20 to maintain their F-1 status.
Change of Major
Census Day, February 1, 2023. Students whose primary major will change to a different Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) code for the Spring 2023 semester, will be issued a Change of Major I-20 by the International Center beginning Census Day of the Spring 2023 semester. These students will receive an e-mail notification when their new I-20 has been issued.
Report Your OPT Employment
All students on OPT must report changes in employment within 10 days. Exceeding the limits on unemployment can result in DHS terminating your F-1 record. You may not be eligible for reinstatement for a termination during OPT or STEM OPT. Students on Post-Completion OPT may accrue up to 90 days of unemployment, and students on the 24-month STEM OPT extension can accrue an additional 60 days of unemployment, for a total of 150 days. Although you can update some information in the SEVP Portal, you are still required to report directly to the ISSO through the iComet Portal.
The ISSO strongly recommends reviewing your reporting requirements for Post-Completion OPT and STEM OPT online to ensure you know how to maintain your F-1 status.
ISSO will be closed, MLK Day
The University of Texas at Dallas, and the ISSO, will be closed Monday, 1/16 in observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. Please plan accordingly.
Ensure your Home Address in Galaxy is up to date for Spring 2023 Study
F and J students are required to update their current address in Galaxy within 10 days of the change. Check your Galaxy account to make sure that current physical location is reflected in the ‘Home’ address. Remember to check your current local address and update if necessary. For instructions, visit the Address Reporting webpage.
Spring Graduation OPT Dates
If you are completing your academic program this semester and plan to apply for post-completion OPT, the ISSO will begin accepting and processing OPT applications for Spring 2023 graduates on February 13, 2023. USCIS must receive your OPT application no later than July 11, 2023. 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.
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.
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.
Updated Financial Figures for I-20s
The Estimated Expenses used to issue new I-20 documents and I-20 program extensions will be updated by February 17, 2023. If you plan to request a Change of Level I-20 or program extension in the upcoming semester, be sure to review the current financial requirements before submitting your request. Once the estimated expenses are updated, we will announce the change in the immigration newsletter and update the ISSO website.
Received income in 2022?
All non-resident aliens who resided in the United States between January 1 and December 31 of 2021 must file a U.S. tax form. Refer to the ISSO webpage for resources to help you file your taxes: https://isso.utdallas.edu/employment-and-internships/taxes/. If you have any additional questions about tax filing, contact the UT Dallas Tax Compliance Office at taxcompliance@utdallas.edu.
Reminder: F-1 Enrollment Requirements Changing Spring 2023
As of spring 2023, UT Dallas will have no COVID-19 related operational adjustments and as a result, F-1 students must follow the standard F-1 regulations for enrollment. This means going forward, only one hybrid or online course can count towards your full-time enrollment requirements each semester. For example, a graduate student who is required to take 9 credit hours to be full-time enrolled would need at least 6 credit hours of face-to-face coursework. Hybrid courses are considered online courses. If it is your graduating semester, at least one face-to-face class for the duration of the graduating semester is required. Additional classes needed to complete the degree in the graduating semester may be online, hybrid, or face-to-face.
Inclement Weather Policy
As we approach the winter season, you should stay informed about potential weather related university suspensions or closings. Please see the Inclement Weather Policy web page for how to receive alerts from the university when there may be an interruption of classes or services due to severe weather.
COVID-19 Testing Requirement for Entry from China, Hong Kong, and Macau
Effective January 4, 2023, the U.S. has implemented a requirement for those entering the country by air arrival from China, Hong Kong, and Macau to test negative for COVID-19 no more than two days prior to their departure:
- Applies to all air passengers over the age of two, regardless of nationality and vaccination status.
- This will also apply to persons traveling from the PRC via third country transit and to passengers connecting through the United States onward to further destinations.
- Along with applying this requirement to direct flights from the PRC, passengers transiting Incheon International Airport, Toronto Pearson International Airport, and Vancouver International Airport on their way to the United States will be required to provide a negative COVID-19 test if they have been in the PRC in the last 10 days no more than 2 days before their departure to the United States. These three transit hubs cover the overwhelming majority of passengers with travel originating in the PRC and the Special Administrative Regions.
- Passengers who tested positive more than 10 days before the flight can provide documentation of recovery from COVID-19 in lieu of a negative test result.
More details are available in the CDC’s press release statement: https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2022/p1228-COVID-china.html.
DHS Redesignates and Extends Special Student Relief Employment Benefits to Yemeni and Ethiopian Students Experiencing Severe Economic Hardship
On Dec. 9, 2022, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) posted a Federal Register Notice announcing the suspension of certain regulatory requirements for F-1 nonimmigrant Ethiopian students who are experiencing severe economic hardship as a result of the current crisis in the country. On December 30, 2022, DHS also posted a Federal Register Notice announcing similar suspension for Yemeni students experiencing severe economic hardship as a result of the humanitarian crisis in Yemen.
These notices temporarily suspend applicable on-campus and off-campus employment regulations for eligible Ethiopian and Yemeni F-1 students, allowing additional opportunities for employment in the U.S. during the crises. See the respective notices for eligibility details.
DHS Implements New Processes for Cubans, Haitians, and Nicaraguans and Eliminates Cap for Venezuelans
On Jan. 5, 2023, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced a safe and lawful way for qualifying Cubans, Haitians, and Nicaraguans with U.S.-based supporters to travel by air to and temporarily reside in the United States. Individuals arriving under this new process may also apply for work authorization. DHS also announced elimination of the numerical cap for a similar process for Venezuelans announced earlier this year.
Through a fully online process, individuals can be considered, on a case-by-case basis, for advance authorization to travel to the United States and seek a temporary period of parole for up to two years. For additional information on the process and eligibility requirements, please see the Processes for Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans page.
Problems with iComet Access
There is a known iComet Access issue that is occurring with a small number of current and alumni students. If you find you are unable to log in to iComet, try the following steps in order:
- Instead of clicking a link to a direct eForm, try typing ‘icomet.utdallas.edu’ into the search bar and log in through the main iComet page
- Clear your browser cache
- Try a different browser
- Contact OIT for a password reset and to see if the issue is something they can assist with
- Reach out to ISSO during Live Chat to have an advisor verify your iComet credentials
- See our advising services here for information on Live Chat: https://isso.utdallas.edu/advising/
- If we update your information internally, wait 3 days and try contacting OIT again for a password reset
If after trying all 5 steps you are still unable to log in, the ISSO can direct you on how to submit a ticket to our software specialist regarding your case.
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.
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.
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. You can also check us out on Facebook. 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!
