F-1 Transfers to Another School
May 8, 2023
On April 21, 2023, we held a group advising and information session about transferring your SEVIS record to another school. Along with sharing the recording with you, we wanted to give you a few pro tips to ensure you have a successful transfer. Pro-Tips for F-1 SEVIS Transfer Success Upload a copy of your admission…
Special Student Relief for Students from Hong Kong
May 5, 2023
The Department of Homeland Security announced that students from Hong Kong will be granted Special Student Relief if they are impacted by the crisis in Hong Kong. Here is a summary of what is listed in the Federal Registry Notice: Eligibility You must have been in F-1 nonimmigrant status as of January 26, 2023, to…
Special Student Relief for J-1 Students
April 24, 2023
The State Department posted a notice to the Federal Register on April 5, 2023, granting Special Student Relief to J-1 Exchange Students. They have stated that this action was effective on August 18, 2022, and will remain in effect until October 23, 2023. Details of Special Student Relief: Ukrainian students may pursue course work at…
J-1 Students and Work Opportunities
April 24, 2023
J-1 students are advised to revisit the rules of their J-1 visa. We have a few reminders here to help with some common questions. Online Courses J-1 students are not allowed to count any online classes towards full-time enrollment. While hybrid courses may be counted towards full-time enrollment, if J-1 students learn that their course…
Premium Processing for OPT and STEM OPT Applications to USCIS
April 24, 2023
On April 3, 2023, F-1 students were given the opportunity to submit their I-765s for OPT and STEM OPT to USCIS together with Form I-907. Information about the time it may take for approval is listed on USCIS's website. While many students ask us whether we think that students should file for premium processing, our…
SEVP's COVID-19 Flexibilities Upcoming Expiration Date
April 21, 2023
SEVP's COVID-19 guidance for F-1 students lasts for the full 2022-23 academic year. This past week, the ISS Leadership Team met to confirm that as UW considers summer 2023 to be part of the 2022-23 academic year, that summer 2023 allows for the continuation of the guidance issued by SEVP on April 18, 2022. Though…
J-1 Travel Signature Clinic is Thursday, April 27!
April 18, 2023
We've moved the J-1 Travel Signature Clinic next week to Thursday, April 27th from 10 AM to 12 PM in Schmitz 490. If you'd like to get your DS-2019 signed in person, please come between 10 AM and 12 PM. As a reminder, J-1 Virtual Advising begins this Thursday, April 20, and will continue weekly on…
Understanding Your Grace Period and Unemployment Days on OPT
April 3, 2023
OPT can be difficult to navigate even without all of the dates and deadlines to remember. One of the questions we get a lot is about the grace period students get after their program and the unemployment days students have once their OPT begins. We’ve created a graphic that will hopefully help you understand the…
Digital Signatures for DS-2019s
March 31, 2023
On March 28, 2023, the Department of State announced that effective April 27, 2023, DS-2019s may be digitally signed and electronically transmitted. This will allow AROs in ISS to issue your DS-2019s through MyISSS with our digital signatures. All J-1 forms will be updated in MyISSS on April 26, 2023 to prepare for this change.…
Signing Bonuses
March 30, 2023
With the recent challenges with lay-offs in the tech industry, we have also heard of students on OPT or STEM OPT asking questions about receiving lump sums of money to start their jobs later than expected. Lump sums from potential employers are often called signing bonuses. The sign-on bonus is not considered employment and you…
H-1B Season is Here!
March 30, 2023
We've had a lot of students come to ISS to talk about their questions about the H-1B visa recently and we wanted to make sure to communicate clearly about how ISS can help you with your questions. ISS's Purview ISS's mission is to advise students about their F-1 or J-1 visas. While we may have…
Common Issues with STEM OPT Requests in MyISSS
March 29, 2023
We've been seeing some errors in STEM OPT I-20 requests that are causing delays. e-Verify Number Issues Your I-765 requires you to include the e-Verify number for your employer. Our form in MyISSS request also requires it. We're seeing students answer the question that they will upload a letter from their employer about their e-Verify…
Post COVID Guidance for STEM OPT
March 29, 2023
Our advising team recently discussed the upcoming end of the SEVP COVID Guidance which ends after this academic year (June 10, 2023). While remote work for STEM OPT Employers was allowed under COVID guidance, we are anticipating that the regulations will return to normal and require direct supervision/on-site work from your employer. If the COVID…
Spring 2023 Make-Up Orientation for F-1 Students
March 24, 2023
F-1 Immigration Orientation is required for all new students who receive I-20s from ISS at the University of Washington. New students who missed spring 2023's orientation session on March 22 or 23 may make up their orientation requirement by watching a recording of our session from winter 2023 F-1 immigration session and completing the form…
Remember to Report Your Employment While on OPT
March 17, 2023
On March 28, 2023, the Student and Exchange Visitor Program is scheduling an update to the SEVP Portal that will display the number of days you have been unemployed when you log into the portal. We wanted to remind you of your obligation to report your employment within 10 days of starting or ending a…
Non-Resident Tax Information Session Recording
March 9, 2023
On March 7, 2023, we had a Tax 101 Information Session for international students at UW! During the session, presenters shared about how the U.S. tax system operates and talked about some important information about filing non-resident and resident taxes. As a note, though presenters mentioned that you can consult with ISS about your taxes,…
Post-Completion OPT or STEM OPT?
March 6, 2023
We've been noticing that many students and campus staff are coming to our information sessions or sending emails about 3 years of OPT. We wanted to clarify the difference between post-completion OPT and the STEM 24-month extension of OPT. One of our advisors, Alisa Sweet, wrote out a message to help promote understanding. Some of…
Tips for Filing the I-765
February 24, 2023
As we finish out winter quarter, ISS advisors are preparing for the heavy OPT season for spring quarter graduates. To help you prepare, our newest advisor in ISS, Sophia Schuessler, shared some tips for filling out your I-765! When filing the I-765 with USCIS (either with a physical form or online) it is important to…
UW Center for Human Rights Funding Available
February 17, 2023
Our colleagues across campus have reached out to us about funding available through the UW Center for Human Rights! If you're researching human rights or working on projects to advance social justice, this may be available to you! Details for individual funds are listed below: 1) Osheroff and Clark Fund Available to undergraduate and graduate students…
Get ready for spring break! Come to a Travel Signature Clinic!
February 13, 2023
If you're planning on traveling outside of the U.S. during spring break, you need a travel signature on your I-20 or DS-2019! Wait - what is a travel signature? The travel signature is on page two of an I-20 and page one of a DS-2019. An advisor signs it after they've confirmed that you are…
STEM OPT Application Address Issue
February 8, 2023
Some students applying for their STEM OPT Extension are not receiving their EAD cards at their current addresses. This issue may impact students who are applying for the STEM OPT extension if they have moved since filing their last I-765. What is happening? Students who applied for OPT by filing their I-765 online with USCIS…
Filing Taxes? Make sure you have your documents!
February 3, 2023
This year, ISS made Glacier Tax Prep go live a bit earlier than usual. We wanted to make sure it was available for alumni who are on post-completion OPT, STEM OPT, or post-completion AT as early as possible. That said, we wanted to make sure that students understand that UW has not yet issued 1042-S…
Special Student Relief for Haitian Students Extended
January 26, 2023
Today, the Department of Homeland Security published a notice to the Federal Register regarding an extension to Special Student Relief for Haitian students studying on an F-1 visa. Special Student Relief allows students to apply for work authorization off campus and request reduced course loads when approved. More information about Special Student Relief and how…
SEVP Portal Update: Students will be able to edit additional OPT information!
January 23, 2023
The Student and Exchange Visitor Program has a planned update for the SEVP Portal tomorrow, January 24, 2023. The release will allow students on post-completion optional practical training to see and edit supervisor information including last name, first name, telephone number and extension, and email address. SEVP anticipates a three-hour SEVP Portal outage from Tuesday,…
Getting ready for Tax Season
January 23, 2023
Tax season is upon us! By now, you may have started to see messages from tax preparation companies and you may have even received your W-2 tax form from your employer. While ISS is not able to meet with you about or advise you on your tax obligations, we provide information to all students about…
Recording of F-1 Immigration Orientation Make-Up Session
January 20, 2023
We are always excited to welcome new international students to the University of Washington! Today, we held our make-up immigration orientation session for new F-1 international students. During this session, students were able to learn about the basics of their F-1 status. Immigration Orientation is required for all new students. Students who did not attend…
USCIS Proposes Fee Changes Impacting International Students
January 19, 2023
The Department of Homeland Security proposed a rule change on January 4, 2023 that could affect UW students - those who are applying for OPT and STEM OPT or those who are applying to change their status within the U.S., or submitting reinstatement applications. The proposed rule is currently open for public comment through 03/06/2023.…
USCIS Plans for Premium Processing for I-765 OPT and STEM OPT Applications this Spring
January 19, 2023
USCIS has announced that beginning in March, they will expand premium processing to certain F-1 students seeking Optional Practical Training (OPT) and F-1 students seeking STEM OPT extensions with pending applications. Beginning in April, they will expand processing to F-1 students seeking OPT and F-1 students seeking STEM extensions who are filing the initial Form…
The Make-Up J-1 Immigration Orientation Session
January 12, 2023
We're so excited to welcome students with the J-1 visa to the United States for winter quarter 2023! All students on J-1 visas were required to attend their in-person orientation on January 6, 2023. Students who did not attend were able to attend the make-up orientation on January 12, 2023 at noon. Any student who…
Remember to Complete Your Husky Prevention and Response Student Course!
December 30, 2022
While ISS helps manage your immigration compliance, there are other requirements of being a student at University of Washington. One of those requirements is the husky prevention and response (Title IX) student course. This course is designed to help all students understand how to create a safe and enaging campus environment for all students. Please…
COVID-19 Testing Requirement when Traveling to the U.S. from the People's Republic of China, including Hong Kong SAR and Macau SAR
December 30, 2022
Effective January 5, 2023 at 12:01 Eastern Time, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will require a negative COVID-19 test for people traveling to the U.S. from the People’s Republic of China, including Hong Kong SAR and Macau SAR. For details, please see the announcements from the Department of State and the CDC.…
Special Announcement: Amazon Hiring Delays
December 16, 2022
We've received the following message about students recently hired by Amazon. "As a part of our annual operating planning review, we look at each part of our business and make adjustments as needed. In this macro-economic environment, it’s more important than ever for our company to be thoughtful with our business decisions. As a result,…
Winter 2023 Orientation Dates
October 31, 2022
Post updated: January 4, 2023 In Winter 2023, we're excited to welcome new students to Seattle! All new international students are required to attend orientation events. During orientations, students have a chance to meet their peers, learn about campus resources, and most importantly, learn about their immigration responsibilities! Mark your calendars and get ready for…
J-1 Immigration Orientation Session for Late Arrivals
October 14, 2022
It was great to meet most of the incoming J-1 students at the J-1 Orientation Session on September 22, 2022. We hope that those of you who attended enjoyed the Costco treats CIRCLE provided. As Felipe Martinez mentioned, Costco gives a great introduction to American-style pastries (which may lack the quality some of you are…
Visiting Virtual Drop-Ins? Learn about how they work!
September 28, 2022
In Autumn 2022, the International Student Advising Team is hosting virtual drop-in advising sessions for you. Because all of our ISS team is working hard to process your requests and respond to your other inquiries, we won't have a host during our Zoom meeting. Please review the information on this post to know what to…
What's the best way to contact ISS?
September 28, 2022
We often receive questions from students and campus partners asking us, "what is the best way to contact ISS?" We're writing this post to help you understand a bit more about how ISS works and how we can help you. I have a question about CPT, OPT, or a Leave of Absence. What should I…
F-1 Immigration Orientation Sessions for Autumn 2022
September 19, 2022
Note: This post was updated on 9/28/2022 with the recording of the F-1 Immigration Orientation Session for New Undergraduate Students recorded on 9/27/2022. We're so glad that we've had a chance to meet so many of you through the F-1 Immigration Orientation Sessions for New Students. We hosted three different session types: one for new…
Special Student Relief for Ukrainian J-1 Students
August 29, 2022
On Ukrainian National Day, the Department of State emailed Exchange Visitor Program sponsors (UW is a EVP sponsor) that we will soon see a Federal Register Notice announcing Special Student Relief for Ukrainian students studying at UW on a J-1 visa. When we receive more information about the annoucement, we will update J-1 students from…
Graduating Summer Quarter?
August 15, 2022
Students graduating summer quarter will have an I-20 program end date of 8/19/2022. Be sure to review the final year checklist that includes reminders for graduating students about the following topics: Apply for OPT after graduation. Transfer your SEVIS record to a new academic program. Prepare to depart the U.S. and travel home after graduation.…
Changes to ISS Advising for Autumn Quarter
August 15, 2022
We are excited to announce that based on feedback from students and campus partners, we are making changes to our advising availability! Starting Monday, August 22, the ISS will offer F-1 and J-1 drop-in advising for students. Drop-in advising is intended for simple, quick questions about your immigration status. Students will have time-sensitive questions or…
Shih International Student Loan
August 12, 2022
UW international graduate and undergraduate students are eligible to apply for the Shih International Student Loan. The loans are made possible through a generous gift from Jeff Shih, a Seattle and San Francisco businessman and are intended to help international students in financing their education and completing their degree objectives. Eligibility: Students receiving funds from…
Alert: ISS Email Scam
June 22, 2022
The ISS has just learned about an email scam using our uwissnoreply@uw.edu email account sent to students and possibly parents. This email was not sent by the ISS, it is fake, a scam, and should be deleted. If you received an email like this (image below), please do not click on any links or reply…
Focus Group Opportunity for International Undergraduates
March 29, 2022
Academic Support Programs (ASP) and the Center for International Relations and Cultural Leadership Exchange (CIRCLE) are seeking international undergraduate students to participate in a focus group via Zoom (compensation provided) on Thursday, April 14, or Friday, April 15. In short, the aim of the focus group is to better understand the academic experiences of international…
ISS Services Spring Quarter 2022
March 15, 2022
We will offer online and in-person services this quarter. ISS Front Desk Hours Monday – Thursday 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM – Virtual Front Desk 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM – Schmitz Hall 459 Friday 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM – Virtual Front Desk 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM Virtual Front Desk Advising Appointments Students…
ISS Services Winter Quarter 2022
December 22, 2021
All advising and student services will be offered virtually this quarter. ISS Front Desk Hours Monday – Thursday 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM – Virtual Front Desk 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM – Schmitz Hall 459 Friday 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM – Virtual Front Desk 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM Virtual Front Desk Advising…
ISS Services Autumn Quarter 2021
September 20, 2021
ISS staff are excited to return to campus and we look forward to welcoming our international students back or to campus for the first time! We will re-open our reception desk starting Monday, September 27, 2021. Review the changes to our office hours and services for autumn quarter below. All advising and student services will…
University District Community Art & Vaccine Pop-Up
September 20, 2021
The City of Seattle is hosting a vaccine pop-up site on September 24 from 2 - 5 PM in the University District at 1305 NE 47th St, Seattle 98105. For further details, review the Facebook Event page.
Immigration Check-In Support Sessions
September 14, 2021
All new F and J students are required to complete the Immigration Check-In process when they arrive to the United States for the first time. We will be hosting a series of drop-in support sessions for students who have questions about this process. ISS staff are available to help... resolve address validation issues verify documents…
UW leadership announce changes to face coverings, vaccination requirements and other COVID-19 updates
July 8, 2021
In an email to UW community members on July 7, UW President Cauce and Provost Richards shared updated guidance about campus operations and provided instructions for vaccination status verification. Here are the key points: Everyone is welcome to continue wearing masks on campus, but only the unvaccinated are required to wear face coverings. With limited…
On-campus vaccine pop-ups next week
May 14, 2021
Are you in the Seattle area and still waiting for a vaccine appointment? The UW will hold walk-in vaccination clinics with the Johnson & Johnson one-dose vaccine at Madrona Hall (3rd floor) from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Monday, May 17 and Tuesday, May 18. Walk-in during open hours or make an appointment. Everyone who gets vaccinated at…