On June 8, 2023, the U.S. Department of State Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs Private Sector Exchange released Guidance Directive 2023-01 which clarifies guidance regarding exchange visitors’ participation in remote work and enrollment and online classes. As of July 1, 2023, the following policies for J-1 students will be in effect: J-1 students may enroll in one online course towards full-time enrollment. J-1 students may engage in hybrid academic training. Up to 40% of the training may be remote….
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SEVP Portal Update
This Thursday, June 15, 2023 from 8 PM to 11 PM EDT, the SEVP Portal will not be available. During this time, the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) will be making a technical update that will fix issues in the portal. The notice our office received indicates that this update will correct issues related to the OPT start date and student issues with password resets.
Premium Processing Expanded for Form I-539
Today, USCIS announced that they are expanding premium processing for Form I-539 Application to Extend or Change Nonimmigrant Status. This means that F-1 or J-1 students applying to change their status within the U.S. may request premium processing when filing their application. There are two phases for the premium processing implementation. Starting June 13, students who have a pending Form I-539 may file the I-907 for premium processing. Starting June 26, students may file the I-907 for premium processing request…
I-765 Review Ending
Beginning June 12, 2023, ISS advisers will no longer review I-765 documents when processing OPT. Our advisers have discussed this change since 2022 and following spring 2023, we have ended our review process. What does this mean to you? If you’ve already submitted an OPT request to our advising team, they will not review the draft I-765 in your request form. If you are submitting a new OPT request, you will not have an option to upload the I-765 document…
Summer Jobs for F-1 and J-1 Students
Summer is (almost) here and we know that many students are hoping to work on or off campus. Thus, we wanted to share some reminders about what you need to do to work! Know that the rules for F-1 and J-1 students will differ so make sure that you check on the appropriate rules for your visa type. F-1 Students On-Campus Work Students on F-1 visas can work on-campus up to 20 hours a week without requesting additional support or…
Processing, Expedites, and Patience
As we near the end of the quarter, ISS advisers are working diligently to meet with students, respond to emails, and process requests. Our director, assistant directors, and program assistants are also helping us process different kinds of requests to ensure we process things within a reasonable timeline. That said, we wanted to give some updates on current processing times so you know what to expect. How long does it take for requests to be processed? Currently, our staff is…
Understanding Your Grace Period and Unemployment Days on OPT
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 differences a little better! Note: This example is specifically for a student applying for post-completion OPT. The “Grace Period” This period begins after your program…
Digital Signatures for DS-2019s
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. You will no longer be asked if you would like to have your documents shippped to you via e-Ship Global. And, you will not have…
Signing Bonuses
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 should be able to accept the money. If you do have delayed start dates, you may need to find other work. Unemployment days count from…
H-1B Season is Here!
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 knowledge or experience advising on H-1Bs, we are not able to advise you about your petition or your travel related to your H-1B processing. H-1B’s…