International Students Essentials
The foremost essential requirement of international students studying in foreign country is to keep up-to-date their immigration status, legal documents, extension of your stay and your traveling details inside and outside US. It is your own responsibility to look after it.
Maintaining Immigration Status
- Keep your passport valid.
- Maintain full-time enrollment and progress towards your degree. Verify with your campus about the requirement of credit hours for each semester to consider a full course. This is required by undergraduate and graduate students to complete credit hours to consider it as “full time” program.
- Remember not to work off-campus without taking the authorization of employment.
- If you are looking for transfer to another university, or want to change the level of your current academy, contact to the International Advisor for guidance. The INS should be informed about it.
- If required obtain the extension for the stay. Keep in mind to see the date of expiration mention on the form I-20 or IAP-66 and then apply in International Student Service Office for the extension period. If necessary apply it before 30 to 45 days from the date of expiry.
Maintaining Legal Documents
A copy of Form I-94 the small white card and Form I-20D is required along with Form IAP-66 which shows the date of arrival of the person in USA. All this forms need to be stapled with your passport till the date when you return to your country. These documents are also seems to be the proof of your visa status like F-1, J-1, B-2 etc. and the predictable leaving date from USA. Duration of Status (D/S) means the student is allowed to live 60 days in case of F-1 Visa and 30 days in case of J-1 visa in USA after the actual completion of their current program of study. The student copy of Form I-20 is considered to be an ID which is the permanent record for your F-1 status. It is used for re-entering USA, record work authorization, approval of transfer and practical training. Always keep these forms along with your passport which need not required to surrender at the time of leaving USA. The IAP-66 copy which is in pink color is used travel outside US and re-enter in USA, getting work permit in USA. It is mandatory to keep all the copies of I-20 and IAP forms till the date of departure from USA.
Extension for Staying
According to the rules and regulations of INS (Immigration and Naturalization Service) states that the students of F-1 and J-1 Visa can stay in USA till the duration of the educational program or series of education programs like undergraduate, graduate or masters degree program plus the period of completing your academic/practical training plus additional 60 days to leave USA for F-1 Visa students and 30 days to J-1 Visa students. If the student is not able to complete his/her course in the time mentioned in their I-20 or IAP-66 form should contact to International Student Office to apply for the extension period.
Travel outside from USA
To re-enter USA after the temporary absence, the international students will need following documents:
- Form I-20 ID authorized by the International Students Office or from any other authorized office in case of F-1 students. A valid IAP-66 copy in pink color authorized by International Students Office in case of J-1 students and scholars.
- A Valid Passport
- A Valid visa
When the student re-enters in USA, he/she may be asked for if you have taken any kind of public assistance. This becomes more important if your child has been born in USA. If you do not have taken public assistance then there is no issue. But if you have it then the officer will ask for the proof for pay-back of the assistance in return of which you have received. If any person has joined any WIC program then assistance needs to be paid. This policy decision is made by Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS), but some of the agents are not aware of it. It is better to contact to the International Student Office for inquiring regarding this policy.
Traveling to Canada:
If a student wishes to travel Canada for maximum 30 days and re-enters in USA within the time period mentioned in the visa. Following documents are needed for traveling to Canada:
- Check out with International Student Office that whether a separate visa is needed for traveling to Canada.
- Check whether you are having adequate documents needed for re-entering in USA.
Permission to Work:
Students of F-1 visa have permission to work at on-campus basis and can also apply at INS for working at off-campus basis to earn their living. But F-2 visa students are not allowed to work off-campus under any situation. J-1 visa holder students can work at both on-campus and off-campus after obtaining permission from the sponsors of their program. While J-2 visa students must get INS permission to take job at both off-campus and on-campus. However, F-1 and J-1 visa holders can work maximum of 20 hours in a week during their course of studies.
Transferring of Schools:
The students of F-1 visa should inform to INS to take institution transfer or change the level of education. In this case new school will be accountable for providing assistance in the transfer process. The students taking transfer should submit Form I-20 and a letter from the former school indicating that they have accepted student in a full-time course prior coming to the other institution to the International Students Office. In case of J-1 visa holders, an approval needs to be obtained from the sponsor of the program in case of transferring the school.
Public Assistance:
Public assistance is not available to International Students, Scholars, and their families. Low income or subsidized housing, food-stamps, Medic-care or Medic-aid, W.I.C. program, subsidized utilities, etc. are some of the examples of Public Assistance. If any student or his family needs any of the assistance, then his F-1 or J-1 status may be at risk. Public assistance is only for citizens of USA and some specified category of immigrants.
Note:
To prepare Form I-20 and Form IAP-66, a request should be made to International Student Office before minimum 5 working days from the date when they are needed. You should carry all the necessary documents like I-20 ID, IAP-66, I-94 etc. and passport to submit those to International Student Office along with the questions of Immigration.
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