Immigration News February 2024

Time Sensitive Reminders for F-1 Students

Graduation and Beyond

Before February 13, 2024. 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 Major

Beginning Census Day, January 31, 2024. Students whose primary major will change to a different Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) code for the Spring 2024 semester, will be issued a Change of Major I-20 by the International Center beginning Census Day of the Spring 2024 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.

Limited Walk-in Advising Now Available at ISSO and JSOM

A limited number of students can be seen for walk-in immigration advising at the locations and times listed below. You must sign in at the front desk to determine the available advising spaces for that day.

Walk-In Immigration Advising at ISSO: SSB 3.400

– Wednesdays from 9 am to 11 am

Walk-In Immigration Advising at JSOM CMC*: JSOM 12.110

– Wednesdays from 10am to 12pm

*Please note that JSOM students have priority to be seen for immigration advising in the JSOM CMC offices.

Post Completion OPT I-765 Form Filing Workshop (February)

Need help completing your online application for OPT? Join the ISSO’s I-765 Form Filing Workshop. Computer lab seating for the workshop is limited, so registration is required at the link below.
Register here.
Fridays, 2/16 and 2/23 from 10am to 12pm
JSOM 1.211

International Student Circle
Join our International Student Circle – a collaborative effort by the Counseling Center and ISSO.  Connect with fellow international students, share experiences & tips, cultivate a supportive community, and access professional guidance. ISC is  more than just a support group; it’s your weekly dose of camaraderie and empowerment.
Beginning Friday 2/9/24 at 2 pm, virtually.
Drop in here.

Pizza and Academic Honesty: an academic success workshop
Join our workshop and enjoy FREE PIZZA – first come, first serve. Attend in person or virtually. Presented by experts from ISSO, Intercultural Programs, the Office of Graduate Education, the Office of Community  and the Writing Center Learn the art of avoiding plagiarism, master proper citation like a pro, discussions around AI, and explore effective strategies in academic writing.
Register to attend here.
March 19, 2024 at 12 pm
FA2.206

Understand the Immigration Impact of a Withdrawal from Classes

If you request an academic or non-academic withdrawal of your courses, and your enrollment drops below full-time as a result (12 credits for undergraduates, 9 credits for graduates), this can jeopardize your immigration status if you are not authorized for a Reduced Course Load by the ISSO prior to the withdrawal. This action could cause a termination of your F-1 record, regardless of whether the withdrawal occurs during the semester or at any point after the end of the semester. In order to maintain your F-1 immigration status, you must obtain RCL authorization from the ISSO first, before completing a withdrawal.

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 2024 graduates on February 10, 2024. USCIS must receive your OPT application no later than July 9, 2024. 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 Announces H-1B Integrity Measures Final Rule

USCIS announced a final rule to strengthen the integrity of and reduce the potential for fraud in the H-1B registration process, including by reducing the potential for gaming the registration system and ensuring each beneficiary would have the same chance of being selected, regardless of the number of registrations submitted on their behalf. USCIS is also announcing the initial registration period dates for the fiscal year (FY) 2025 H-1B cap, and the launch of an online filing option for Forms I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker, and Form I-907, Request for Premium Processing Service, for H-1B petitioners.

USCIS Announces Fee Adjustment Final Rule

USCIS published a final rule to adjust certain immigration and naturalization benefit request fees for the first time since 2016. The final rule will allow USCIS to recover a greater share of its operating costs and support more timely processing of new applications. Every fee in the final rule is the same or lower than in the proposed rule. With the new revenues the rule will generate, USCIS will start using innovative solutions to improve customer experience and stem backlog growth.

Received income in 2023? F-1 Taxes

All non-resident aliens who resided in the United States between January 1 and December 31 of 2023 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.

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.

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.

Report Visa Fraud and Unauthorized Employment

If you are aware of visa fraud or international students working unlawfully in the U.S., report it here: Email or Call 1-866-DHS-2-ICE. The ISSO will initiate unauthorized employment investigations that are reported by campus stakeholders, or where there is a student admission of their own unauthorized employment, all others will be referred directly to DHS.

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 social media such as Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn here: https://linktr.ee/UTDisso. 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!