IMMIGRATION NEWS UPDATE            

December 2003

PREPARING FOR TRAVEL

F-1 and J-1 students who will be traveling during the winter break are reminded that they MUST obtain a signature on their current SEVIS I-20 prior to departing the U.S.  Please bring your I-20 to the International Education Center BEFORE December 12.  Be prepared to leave your I-20 in our office for up to two days for the signature.  If Teresa is not in the office, please leave your I-20 with Mechelle or Joe.

“SPECIAL REGISTRATION” ANNOUNCEMENT

GOOD NEWS for students who have been required to comply with “Special Registration” requirements (or NSEERS)!  Today, the Department of Homeland Security published an interim rule suspending the 30 day and annual reporting requirement effective immediately.  Students who had planned to visit the Arlington office during winter break are no longer required to make this visit!  The departure requirements and port-of-entry regulations will continue, as will the address reporting requirement.  See below for more information.

DHS eases some Special Registration requirements effective December 2, 2003. On December 2, 2003, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) published a rule that amends several requirements associated with the Special Registration program. Under the new rule, individuals subject to Special Registration are still subject to departure controls that require them to use only designated ports of departure when departing the U.S., but they are no longer subject to the requirement to report to DHS offices in between entry and departure (the so-called 30-day and annual re-registrations). The rule also provides that F, M, and J nonimmigrants that report changes in address and educational institution as required through SEVIS are not required to also report those changes using Form AR-11SR. The changes to Special Registration are effective immediately. [69 Fed. Reg. 7578 (December 2, 2003)].

NEW U.S ENTRY PROCEDURES 

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) also recently announced details of the U.S. VISIT program, which will “record the entry and exit of non U.S. citizens into and out of the U.S., and provide officials with information about persons who are in the U.S. in violation of the terms of their admission to the U.S.”[1]  The law requires the system to be implemented at air and seaports by December 31, 2003, at the 50 most highly trafficked land ports of entry by December 31, 2004, and any remaining ports of entry by December 31, 2005. 

The US-VISIT program will collect digital fingerprints of the index finger of arriving and departing international visitors, and will take a digital photograph of the entering visitor.  The visitor will be asked to put the index finger of one hand and then the index finger of the other hand on the scanner.  The Customs and Border Protection Officer (CBP) will also take a digital photograph.  The verification of identity will be compared against watch lists.  At that point, the CBP will either admit the visitor or conduct additional inquires based on the verification results.

Most, if not all, major international airports will have the system in use when student return in January to resume classes.  DHS has indicated that the new system should add very little time to the customary entry process at airports.  The U.S. Visit Program is designed to be easy, and should add minimal time – in most cases only seconds – to the immigration process.  According to DHS, travel data will be securely stored and is made available only to authorized officials and selected law enforcement agencies on a need-to-know basis. Beginning in 2004, international visitors will also be required to “check out” at departure kiosks located within the secure area of major international airports or seaports, which will again include a fingerprint and document scanning process. 

MAY GRADUATES SEEKING OPT

F-1 students completing all course requirements by May 2004 are reminded that they must apply for Optional Practical Training (OPT) prior to the last day of classes.  Students wishing to begin OPT immediately upon graduation should apply in early February to ensure processing time.  The International Education Center will hold two special workshops to complete the paperwork.  The first will be held February 9, 2004 at 4 p.m. in Cook Hall room 310.  The repeat of this workshop will be on February 19 at 4 p.m. at the same location.

IMMIGRATION HAS A NEW NAME – AGAIN!

The departments handling immigration services are now under the direction of the Department of Homeland Security.  The immigration department is now named USCIS (United States Citizenship and Immigration Services).  Formerly known as INS –then BCIS (Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services), USCIS is now the official name. 

USCIS is divided into three major divisions: 

• USICE, better known as ICE, is the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement division.  This division is responsible for immigration investigations, detention, removal, intelligence and SEVIS (the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System reporting database).
• USCBP, or CBP, is the U.S. Customs and Border Protection division.  CBP is responsible for immigration inspections at U.S. ports of entry, for the Border Patrol and for the Customs Service
• DOS, the Department of State, is responsible for managing U.S. embassies and consulates abroad.  This department interprets and administers statues that affect visa issuance, and has an important role in the academic environment.  Within DOS, the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs administers the Exchange Visitor Program (J-1 visa program for international visitors/lecturers/short-term scholars to U.S. schools).

CASE STATUS ON-LINE

Students who may have applications pending with USCIS can check the status of their application on-line with their receipt number.  You can access this on-line update of your application at the USCIS website at: http://uscis.gov/graphics/index.htm, then click “case status on-line” in the right hand column of selections.  You’ll also find some very useful information and regulation updates at the USCIS website.

ADDRESS REPORTING

Students are reminded to update their address with the Immigration Counselor immediately upon moving, as required by the F-1 visa regulations.  The Immigration Counselor will then submit your change of address, required within 10 days of your move.  Students currently on OPT are also required to comply with this change of address regulation.

The Immigration News Update is published by the International Education Center.  Please contact Teresa Underwood for clarification or for any immigration questions at 831-6200 or tunderwo@radford.edu.