SEVIS: A Guide for F-1 Students

SEVIS stands for the "Student Exchange Visitor Information System." It is an Internet-based system which collects and maintains current information on non-immigrant students (F and M visas), exchange visitors (J visa), and their dependents (F-2, M-2, and J-2). SEVIS enables schools to transmit electronic information and event notifications via the internet, to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and the Department of State (DOS). The system will collect data regarding changes in student records that may or may not affect a student's status. The following rules apply to F-1 and F-2 visa status:

• New students may enter the U.S. up to 30 days before the start date on the I-20.
• Students who withdraw from school with approval from their Foreign Student Advisor/Primary Designated School Official (PDSO) or the Designated School Official (DSO) have a 15-day grace period to leave the U.S. before they fall out of status.
• If the PDSO/DSO did not authorize the withdrawal, the student has no grace period to leave the U.S. and is immediately out of status.

Distance Education

Students may only take one 3 unit distance learning online class per 12 units in a semester, if the class does not require physical attendance for classes, exams or other purposes on the campus where it is offered.

Concurrent Enrollment

To enroll part-time at another college while under an I-20 from SBVC, the student must meet with the PDSO/DSO, providing information regarding the part-time college and the course(s) requested. Students who are allowed to enroll at a second school in addition to the school that issued the I-20 must provide the PDSO/DSO with copies of their class schedules from both schools to verify combined full-time enrollment each semester. The PDSO/DSO must receive the class schedules no later than 15 days after the primary school semester has begun.

Reduced Course Load

Students must first obtain authorization from the PDSO/DSO before they drop classes that will take their total number of units below 12 units. Reduced course load may only be authorized for the following reasons:

• Academic Reasons: Initial difficulties with English language.
  Initial difficulties with reading requirements.
  Unfamiliarity with American teaching methods.
  Improper course level placement.
  These reasons permit the PDSO/DSO to authorize the student to reduce his/her course load to 6 hours for one semester only per academic level. Such students must resume a full course load the next semester.
  
  
• Medical Reasons: Students who fall ill or need to take maternity leave may be authorized by the PDSO/DSO to reduce their course load or take no classes at all for up to 12 months total per academic level. Such students must provide the PDSO/DSO with a letter from a licensed Medical Doctor, Doctor of Osteopathy, or a licensed Clinical Psychologist before dropping courses. The PDSO/DSO must re-authorize reduced course load for illness before each semester after discussion with the student.
  
• Program Completion: Students may take a reduced course load in their final semester if only one or two classes are needed to complete the degree. The student may not continue to be enrolled if all degree requirements have been met.

Students must notify the PDSO/DSO at the beginning of the semester in which they return to class full time after taking a reduced course load to avoid falling out of status.

I-20 Extensions

Students must apply for an extension of form I-20 prior to the current I-20 end date. An extension may not be granted if students do not request one prior to their current I-20 end date. Extensions may be granted at any time prior to the I-20 end date.

Transfer

• Students wishing to transfer should notify the PDSO/DSO of the date they wish to transfer and the name of the new school. The PDSO/DSO will release the student record to the new school in the SEVIS system. The release date must be no more than 60 days after the end of the last semester.
• Upon completion of a degree program, students may remain in the U.S. for up to 5 months maximum when transferring to a new degree program. The 5-month period begins on the completion date of the first degree program.
• Students who have fallen out of status are ineligible for transfer. They must either apply for reinstatement from USCIS or depart and re-enter the U.S. with an initial entry I-20 for a new program from their new school.

Employment

• International Students may not work off campus without authorization. For more information, please contact the International Student Office.
• On-campus employment may not begin earlier than 30 days prior to classes starting. For more information please contact the International Student Office.
• Students may get 12 months of Optional Practical Training (OPT) at each higher degree level. Students may apply for 12 months of OPT after completion of two semesters and a certificate or vocational program or an Associate Degree. The student may also apply for OPT after completion of each higher degree level (i.e.: Bachelor's degree, Master's degree, Doctorate degree). The student may work for up to one year anywhere in the U.S. in a job related to his/her major.
• Students must apply for OPT before the program completion date. Applying 120 days prior to the program completion date is optimal. Students must meet with the PDSO/DSO in the International Student Office to apply for OPT.
• OPT is automatically terminated when students transfer to another school or begin study at a different academic institution.
• Students on OPT must report any change of name, address and interruption of employment to the PDSO/DSO for the duration of authorized OPT. Failure to report will cause the student to be out of status.

Reinstatement

• Reinstatement applications to USCIS must be filed within 5 months of the status violation, unless exceptional circumstances can be demonstrated by the student.
• The status violation must have resulted from circumstances beyond the student's control - which may include injury, illness, closure of school, natural disaster, or oversight or neglect on the part of the PDSO/DSO.
• If the student has been employed without authorization, no reinstatement is possible.

Name & Address Reporting

• Students must notify the PDSO/DSO of a new name, address, telephone number, or e-mail address within 10 days after the change. The PDSO/DSO must update SEVIS with this information within 21 days.
• Students registered with the USCIS for Special Registration must also submit an address change form to the USCIS as mandated by that program.
• Students must provide their physical home address unless it is impossible to receive mail there, in which case students may provide a mailing address.
• If students provide a mailing address, they must also provide their physical home address to the PDSO/DSO.

School Reporting

The school must report to SEVIS within 21 days of the occurrence of the following:

• Students failing to maintain status or complete their program.
• Change in students/dependents name and/or address.
• Students graduating prior to I-20 end date.
• Disciplinary action taken against students convicted of a crime.
• Any other request made by SEVIS regarding student's status.

Each semester, no later than 30 days after the semester begins the school must report to SEVIS:

• Registration: if students are enrolled, dropped below full course of study without PDSO/DSO authorization, or failed to enroll.
• Current address of all enrolled students.
• Start date of the student's next term.

To comply with these regulations AND maintain status, students should consult with the PDSO/DSO before making any reportable changes to their records.

F-2 Dependents

F-2 spouses may not engage in full-time study. Only part-time study that is avocational or recreational, which means study undertaken for a hobby or study that is "occasional, casual or recreational in nature."

F-2 children may only engage in full-time study in grades K-12.

F-2 spouses or children enrolled full-time beyond the K-12 level prior to January 1, 2003, may continue studying full time but must submit an I-539 for Change of Status to F-1 to USCIS on or before March 11, 2003, or he/she will be in violation of F-2 status. F-2 spouses or children (have graduated high school) and want to study full-time, must complete the change of status process from F-2 to F-1.