Immigration News March 2023

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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. Review the ISSO webpage on Travel for detailed information on what documents to carry with you when you travel.

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.

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 Updates Guidance for Special Student Relief (SSR)

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services is issuing policy guidance in the USCIS Policy Manual to clarify the validity period of employment authorization for F-1 nonimmigrant students experiencing severe economic hardship due to emergent circumstances based on crisis events from a particular region (natural disasters, military conflicts, etc). The update clarifies that in cases of severe economic hardship due to emergent circumstances, off-campus SSR employment authorization may be granted to an F-1 nonimmigrant student for the duration of the Federal Register notice validity period (as opposed to only 1 year/ 18 months). This employment authorization may not extend past the student’s academic program end date. This update notes that USCIS may issue employment authorization documents for the duration of the Federal Register notice, as permitted by the relevant SSR Federal Register notice. For more information, see the policy update.

Received income in 2022? F-1 Taxes

All non-resident aliens who resided in the United States between January 1 and December 31 of 2022 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.

Updated Financial Figures for I-20s

The Estimated Expenses used to issue new I-20 documents and I-20 program extensions have been updated. 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.

Student Success Specialist

The ISSO would like to introduce a new position in office, the Student Success Specialist, and that position is held by Lauren Kobee.  Lauren was previously a senior advisor in the ISSO and has 13 years of immigration experience.

The Student Success Specialist supports our undergraduate and graduate students through proactive advising and programming to facilitate a successful transition from overseas to the United States, retention, and graduation from UT Dallas.  Lauren can assist students with a variety of issues and barriers that can make the transition to the United States easier.  These may include academic, mental health, medical, and financial barriers.  If you would like to make an appointment to speak with our Student Success Specialist, please email InternationalSuccess@utdallas.edu. 

Reminder: 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.

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.

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!