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International Student Services

Author: Sara Torres

Immigration Check-In Support Sessions

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 resolve errors and clarify next-steps These sessions are limited to topics directly related to the immigration check-in process – we cannot answer questions about additional…

UW leadership announce changes to face coverings, vaccination requirements and other COVID-19 updates

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 exceptions (health-care and child-care facilities, UW shuttles), fully vaccinated individuals do not have to wear a mask on campus. Based on Washington State guidance, physical…

On-campus vaccine pop-ups next week

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 the clinic will receive a free Dick’s Drive-in cheeseburger or hamburger to go. These clinics are in partnership with the Safeway, Dick’s Drive-In Restaurants and…

Vaccinations Available on Seattle Campus

Are you in the Seattle-area and haven’t yet received your COVID-19 vaccine? Here are two specific ways to get vaccinated now, at no cost to you: Get vaccinated by UW Medicine. Their Montlake location on the south side of the Seattle campus is administering the two-dose Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines: Make an appointment by visiting org/schedulevaccine Make an appointment by calling (844) 520-8700 Walk-in to the Montlake location between 8:30 a.m. and 6:00 p.m., seven days a week. No appointment…

UPDATED 5/5/2021: COVID vaccine and in-person requirements for Autumn 2021

Dear Students, We have been receiving many queries about autumn quarter 2021 in-person course and vaccine requirements. We hope the information below will help answer your questions based on what we know right now. UW President Cauce announced in January and again on April 1 that the University intends to return to largely in-person instruction for autumn quarter 2021 as long as conditions continue to improve here in Seattle. Further details and plans will be announced throughout spring and summer…

USCIS Adds Form I-765 To Electronic Forms

USCIS is currently testing an electronic form I-765 for students seeking optional practical training employment benefits. The form is too new for us to have seen many students apply electronically – therefore, we do not have steps or guidance prepared at this time. If you decide to file online, please know that we are unable to help you prepare your application spring quarter 2021. While we will issue you the required I-20 with OPT endorsement, we will not be able to…

Announcement: Extension of ISS Processing Time

Beginning Monday, March 29, 2021, the processing time for all requests submitted to the ISS office will be up to one month.  We are adjusting our processing time to better align with the reality of our current workload. Additionally, we are working to balance changes in staffing by hiring and training additional ISS staff to support our work in serving UW international students. ISS Processing Time General Guidelines Processing requests submitted after March 29 may take up to one month….

Update for Transfer Pending/Change of Education Level Students Studying Outside the U.S.

We wanted to share an update with you regarding studying outside the U.S. with transfer pending and change of level I-20s in initial status. Your study outside the U.S. while your I-20 was still pending/in initial status may be counted towards CPT and OPT recommendation eligibility. In autumn quarter, our advice was based on our reading of the Frequently Asked Questions issued by SEVP on August 7, 2020. Based on the questions 15 and 16 that allowed for a delay in transfer eligibility without…

Scam Targeting International Students

It has come to our attention that there is a new scam targeting international students. There have been TWO reports of UW students falling victim to this scam. We are sharing this information so that you can protect yourself. This is what we know: Students received a call from “U.S. Border & Customs” warning that they “found a package with drugs in it with your name on it.” The cell numbers linked to this call are “206-209-6215” and “206-209-8147” Soon after, the…