SEVIS and SEVP: Current Issues Thursday, May 28 2:00—3:15 pm Room 210BC
Presenters Louise M. Baldwin, Chair University of Michigan Ann Balough Student and Exchange Visitor Program Mihwa Lee University of Connecticut Gwyneth A. Smith Columbia University Katie Westerlund Student and Exchange Visitor Program
Virtual Presenters SEVP Response Center Catherine Abad-Santos SEVP Policy Unit Mike Hallanan, Policy Analyst Tim Futoran, Policy Analyst SEVP Systems Management Unit Amy Moffitt, Program Analyst Office of the Chief Information Officer Ron Monson, Technical Architect. Paula Wagner, IT Specialist – Program Manager
Breaking News 10 DSO limit removed F-2 and M-2 Part-time Study Effective May 29 but DSO limit won’t be removed from SEVIS until late June upgrade
SEVP Crystal Ball • President Obama’s Executive Action on Immigration • OPT (POST) • OPT (STEM) • Upcoming changes? • Any pending guidance / draft guidance for comment?
I-17 Updates • DSO Updates • Wait time for additions? Deletions? • Expedite Process? • Would SEVP consider returning to previous process of “notification” by PDSO without adjudication?
I-17 Updates • Recertification Round 2: • Updates and progress reports • Adjudication time • RFEs • Denials of I-17 updates for new programs at well- established schools ( Not an initial certification I-17 )
Unpaid I-901 Fee Notices • Summary of Broadcast Message and Poll • Issues • Lists sent to DSOs include students: • who actually did pay • who are not in active status • who transferred their SEVIS fee to a new SEVIS record • Actions DSOs should take if student’s record is terminated but student then pays? If student’s record is incorrectly terminated? • Is SEVIS updated if the student provides proof of payment?
SEVIS Release 6.21: Names / Address Standardization, New Form I-20 • Summary and updates • Coordination with other agencies about new name standards? • Impact on batch users • Are batch specifications final now (no more changes?) • New Form I-20 • Changes • When will it be required?
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New Forms I-20 and DS-2019 • The change to the new Forms I-20/DS-2019 will require printing (and signing) a very large number of forms. Since the electronic SEVIS record is the authoritative record for the student or scholar’s name, current status, etc., would SEVP consider allowing both old and new forms to be used for a longer period of time? • How has SEVP communicated with DOS, CBP, USCIS, DMV, SSA etc. to inform them that new Forms I-20 and DS-2019 are coming? • Will these agencies realize that there will be a period of time when both old and new versions of the forms are valid and I-515As and RFEs should NOT be issued?
SEVP Response Center (SRC) • Some of our pre-submitted questions involve the “SEVP Response Center” (SRC)* and the training SRC staff receive. * SEVP no longer uses the term “SEVIS Help Desk”
Pre-Submitted Questions and Concerns Premature completion of F-1 OPT records in SEVIS Q: SEVIS automatically completes the SEVIS records of OPT students with an I-797 H-1B Consular Notification Approval Notice. Since these F-1 students have not yet obtained H-1B status by re-entering the U.S., their SEVIS records should stay active. • Is SEVP planning any enhancements to SEVIS that will correct this problem? • Does the training SRC (Help Desk) analysts receive include this long- standing issue so that when DSOs request a data fix to change the student’s status back to active, the analyst will understand why the request is being made?
Pre-Submitted Questions and Concerns Correction requests Q: DSOs have reported that an SRC analyst told them to use the program extension function when they requested a correction to the program end date for reasons not related to an extension. Is it appropriate for the SRC to recommend this workaround when the result will be that the SEVIS record will not show an accurate reason for the date change?
Pre-Submitted Questions and Concerns OPT Information in SEVIS Not Always Accurate Q: DSOs both for F-1 and M-1 schools report that they have had to request data fixes for many students with approved OPT (EAD received) but whose SEVIS record still showed their OPT request as “pending” or “requested”. Accordingly, their records don’t show data in the SEVIS employment page. Is there any reason why this is happening so frequently and with so many records?
Pre-Submitted Questions and Concerns DSO Deletion/Reactivation Q: What is the correct procedure to follow when a DSO has been accidentally deleted during the DSO verification process? What if the I-17 is locked during recertification? Is a data fix required? How long might that take?
NAFSA Resources: Immigration Information Web Portal Go to http://www.nafsa.org/acimmigration to find: • List of immigration-related conference sessions and open meetings • Week-at-a-glance immigration session calendar • Handy immigration session notebook • Link to NAFSA Annual Immigration Update 2015 • Covers changes in immigration law, policy, procedures, and practice over the past year. Free to NAFSA members.
NAFSA Resources: International Student and Scholar Regulatory Practice Committee ISS-RP and its subcommittees prioritize issues for liaison and conduct liaison engagement activities with various government agencies involved in international education. www.nafsa.org/issrp ISS-RP Committee Chair, Jennifer McNabb • Student Subcommittee (SEVP, ECA) Mihaela Metianu, Chair of the International ISS-RP Subcommittees: Student Subcommitte • Employment-Based Scholar Subcommittee (USCIS, DOL) • Regulatory Ombudspersons Subcommittee Liz Goss, Chair of Employment-Based (USCIS) Subcommittee Jenny Bowen, Chair of Regulatory Ombud Subcommittee • Exchange Visitor Program Subcommittee (ECA, SEVP) • Travel Subcommittee (CBP, DOS) Richard Porter, Chair of Exchange Visitor Elizabeth Chaulk, Chair of the Travel Program Subcommittee Subcommittee
Report government policy & practice issues of concern and/or contact NAFSA regional volunteers for assistance with USCIS-related work.
NAFSA Resources • NAFSA Adviser’s Manual • ISS resource page on NAFSA website www.nafsa.org Find Resources|Supporting International Students and Scholars • KCISSS Regional Liaison • Discussion Forums: International Student Advising Network (ISTA) and International Scholar Advising Network (ISCA)
SEVP OUTREACH AND RESOURCES SEVP Schools Page http://studyinthestates.dhs.gov/schools
SEVIS Help Hub • Demo of Help Hub Beta Site • Request from SEVP: after the conference, test the beta site and report back • You can respond to the “Was this helpful” survey on each page or email comments to SEVPCommunications@ice.dhs.gov
SEVP Resources • Contact the SEVP Response Center – By ph phon one: • 703 03-603 603-34 3400 00 • 800 00-892 892-48 4829 29 – By e email: l: • For or c case se-spe peci cific q c questions: SEVP@i @ice ce.dh dhs.gov • For or t technical i issu ssues: s: SEVIShelpde lpdesk@i @ice ce.dh dhs.gov – Mon Monday th throu ough Friday, 7 7 a.m. a and 8 p. p.m. ET ET, e except pt holida days ys • For additional contact information – Studyinthe heStat ates.d .dhs hs.g .gov/contac act-us us 26
Wrap-Up and Closing Closing comments from Lou Farrell Louis M. Farrell, Director of the Student and Exchange Visitor Program
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