|
|
|
|
||
 |
Frequently Asked QuestionsQuestion and answers for International Students:
What does “full-time status” mean? How do I maintain it? What if I have a good reason for not enrolling full-time? In order to maintain F-1 or J-1 student status, international students must enroll in a full course of study each fall and spring semester.
Summer enrollment is optional. The amount of hours required for full- time status varies according to your level of education. The MINIMUM
amount of hours you can enroll in as an undergraduate and still maintain your full-time status is 12 hours. If you are a graduate student
without an assistantship, the number of hours is 9 hours. If you are a graduate student, and you do have an assistantship, you should
enroll for a minimum of 6 hours.
There are valid academic and medical reasons for enrolling less than full-time. For any semester you are enrolled less than full-time,
please complete the Exemption from Full-time Enrollment Form, and have your academic advisor sign the bottom section. This will clarify
any questions regarding your enrollment status. This form is DUE ON OR BEFORE THE LAST DAY OF THE DROP/ADD PERIOD for the semester.
DO NOT drop to less than full-time until you have approval from International Education and Programs.
What do I do if my I-20 is about to expire? I’m not finished with my degree, so does it really matter if the I-20 expires? YES, IT DOES MATTER. You need to apply for a program extension. You can do it as early as 90 days before the current end date of your I-20
(See #5 on page 1 of your I-20 to find the date).
Your first step is to schedule a meeting with an advisor at the Office of the International Education and Programs. Please remember that
program extensions MUST BE REQUESTED BEFORE THE I-20 END DATE. Because your academic advisor’s recommendation is also needed as part of
this process, students must allow sufficient time for processing and for dealing with any problems that may arise. An extension is granted
up to one year at a time, so you must reapply for another extension if needed.
My passport will be expiring soon, what should I do? Each passport has en expiration date listed. As a student, it is your responsibility to keep your passport valid at all times. If your passport
expiration date is approaching, you MUST contact your embassy or consulate to have your passport renewed.
My visa is about to expire, will I be out-of-status? No. It is legal for you to be in the United States and posses an expired visa. You only need your visa to re-enter the United States. If you will
be traveling outside of the United States and have an expired visa, we recommend that you travel during summer and Christmas breaks which are longer,
so that you will have a better opportunity to renew your visa in time to return to your studies.
I have changed my name. What should I do to update my documents? Begin by updating your passport in your home country, or at your embassy or consulate here in the United States. Once you receive the new or amended
passport, fill out an I-20 Request Form. Submit it to International Educations and Programs, along with a copy of any supporting documentation
(i.e.; a marriage certificate or a court order). Your name will be updated in the school’s system, as well as in SEVIS. You will receive a new
I-20 in your new name.
You should then update your name with the Social Security Administration, the Department of Motor Vehicles, and any other agencies which
have records for you.
I am a special registrant. What do I need to do when traveling?
If you do not register before leaving the country, you will have a problem re-entering, and may be forced to
return to your home country to apply for a new visa.
Interviews in Charleston are no longer required for special registrants.
I am taking a semester break from studies. Who do I need to notify? Under the F and J visas, you are required to be enrolled full-time during the fall and spring semesters. If you decide to take a semester break and
return to your home country, missing one of the major terms of enrollment, you will break your F-1 or J-1 status. If this happens, you will need
to re-establish 9 months of F-1 or J-1 status after you return before you will be able to apply for work benefits, such as CPT
(Curricular Practical Training) or OPT (Optional Practical Training).
If you are an undergraduate, you may need to reapply for admission if you did not enroll at all during the semester
you are absent.
I am currently on an F-2 visa, and I was just admitted to the College of Charleston. Can I for a change of visa status to F-1 in a country other than my home country? Immigration regulations permit an alien to apply for a visa at any other consular jurisdiction in which he or she is physically present,
but only if that consular office has agreed to process visa applications from “third country nationals” (TCNs).
A majority of consular offices do accept non-immigrant visa applications from TCNs. Nevertheless, obtaining a visa at a U.S. consulate outside
your home country may often be more difficult or time consuming, mostly because a consular officer must evaluate the applicant’s ties to a
residence abroad, and consular offices in the country of an applicant’s residence are in a better position to evaluate the applicant’s
ties to that country.
I have heard that I can go to Canada or Mexico to renew or change my visa. Is this true? While it is possible to apply in a Third Country such as Mexico or Canada, it is very risky. If the consular office finds cause to deny your
request, you would need to be prepared to continue your travels to your own home country, because you will not be allowed to return to the
U.S. On the other hand, some students have been successful in their visa renewal or visa status change quests.
What documents do I need to renew my visa? You will need to contact the U.S. Consulate in your home country for a complete list of requirements, but you will definitely need the following:
your current I-20, a current financial statement, and a passport valid for at least 6 months.
What will happen if I am absent from the U.S. for 5 months or more? The five month rule says that if an F-1 student leaves the U.S. for 5 consecutive months or more, the United States Citizenship and Immigration
Services (BCIS) considers the student to have abandoned their F-1 visa status and may lose their eligibility for any benefits. In this case,
you will have to apply for a new student visa and will have to be issue an initial I-20 document to return.
I have just completed my program of student or OPT, what is the length of my grace period? After you have completed your studies at each degree level, you will have a grace period of 60 days after your program end date (listed
on your I-20 document) to either change your status, transfer to a new degree program or leave the country. If you are a student on OPT,
you will have 60 days from the OPT completion date to change your status, transfer into a new degree program or leave the country.
How do I find a local immigration attorney? Go to the South Carolina Bar Website:
Search under Charleston County for a listing of Charleston lawyers and their specialties. There is also a phone number on that website
which serves as a referral service. You can also request a referral through the American Immigration Lawyers Association or check with
your International Student Advisor.
What should I do if my Employment Authorization Document (EAD card) does not arrive in 90 days? You may apply for an Interim EAD card 90 days after your Notice date that is shown on the Notice of Action letter that was mailed to
you by BCIS (form I-797C). You may apply for the interim EAD card at the Charleston BCIS office at 170 Meeting Street, 5th Floor.
Bring:
Students may be authorized 12 months of OPT and become eligible for another 12 months of OPT when they change to a higher educational level.
For example, moving from a Bachelor’s degree to a Master’s Degree.
Can I change employers or work for two companies while on OPT? Yes. A student may work for more than one employer and/or change employers during the period of authorized practical training provided that
each position is directly related to the student’s field of study and commensurate with his or her educational level.
Will use of CPT affect eligibility for OPT? F-1 students who engage in an aggregate of 12 months of full-time curricular training become ineligible for optional practical trining
|
Related Links |
|
|
|
Phone: (843)953.7661 | Fax: (843)953.7663
College of Charleston, Multi-cultural Center | 207 Calhoun Street
Charleston, South Carolina, 29401
|
