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Immigration Information
for students in F-1 & J-1 status
DOCUMENTS
Your passport must be valid at all times. Keep the passport and other important documents in a safe place. Report a lost or stolen passport to the Office of International & Multicultural Programs and the police, as your government may require a police report before issuing a new passport.
A visa is the stamp placed by a U.S. consular officer on a page in your passport indicating that you are qualified to apply at a port of entry for admission into the U.S. in a particular immigration classification. The expiration date of the visa does not affect your length of stay in the U.S. (see "period of authorized stay", below).
If you were at another U.S. institution and transferred to Heidelberg College without leaving this country and your visa stamp has not expired, it is still valid for re-entering the U.S. even if it lists your previous school on it. If your visa stamp has not expired, it is not necessary to have it renewed while abroad to reflect your new school.
Issued by your college, this document allows you to apply for a visa, enter or re-enter the U.S., and make certain other requests of Immigration. Keep every I-20 & DS2019 for your permanent record.
Upon entry into the U.S. you were issued an I-94, a small white card usually stapled to the passport opposite the visa stamp. This card is surrendered upon leaving the U.S. (except for a brief visit to Canada or Mexico) to notify Immigration of your departure.
Study at the college which issued the I-20 you presented upon entry into the U.S. If you later decide to transfer to another college, you must inform the college you are currently attending of your intention to transfer, obtain an I-20 from the new college, enroll in the new college the first term after leaving the previous college or the first term after vacation, and submit the I-20 to the international student adviser at the new college within fifteen days of beginning attendance at the new college. The international student adviser will notify Immigration, and the old college, that you have changed colleges.
If you are in F-1 status and complete your current program of study and continue at the same college in another program (for example, from bachelor's to master's), this change must be reported to Immigration - contact the Office of International & Multicultural Programs for instructions.
Enroll full-time (undergraduate students: 12 credits per semester; graduate students: 9 credits per semester). You may take fewer credits the final semester of your degree program. Do not take less than the required credit load without consulting the Office of International Programs. Part-time studies could jeopardize your stay in the U.S. and may disqualify you from receiving practical training, travel authorizations, employment, college transfer and program extension.
You may take summer session as a vacation and remain in the U.S., if you continue as a student fall semester.
Your admission to the U.S. is for "duration of status" (marked "D/S" on you I-94 and I-20); that is, for the time during which you are pursuing a full course of study, or engaging in practical training following completion of studies, plus sixty days to depart the U.S. If you are unable to complete the course of study before the completion date noted on the I-20, apply to the Office of International & Multicultural Programs within a 30 day period before the completion date on the I-20 for a program extension. To qualify for the extension, you must justify that the delay was due to compelling academic or medical reasons.
Students with J-1 student status your admission to the U.S. is only good for the dates on your DS2019
Permission is required to work on-campus, provided you have been issued an I-20 or DS2019 by that college. You may work up to 20 hours per week while college is in session, if enrolled in a full course of study. Full-time on-campus employment is permitted during summer vacation and between semesters, provided you are registered for the following semester. Permission must be granted for each semester and vacation period; you will not be paid if you do not follow the correct procedure. See the Office of International & Multicultural Programs for information and permission.
Under various circumstances, permission to work in your field of study for practical training may be authorized both before and after completion of your degree. Generally, employment for practical training may not exceed 12 months. Procedures are complex - contact the Office of International & Multicultural Programs for detailed information.
Upon re-entering the U.S., you must present a current and properly endorsed I-20 or DS2019, valid F-1 visa or J-1 visa and passport.
A violation of the immigration regulations outlined above (for example, failure to maintain a full-time credit load) could place you out of student status.
Effective August 23, 1995, all non-resident students will automatically be covered by the Lewer Agency, Inc. The coverage is for twelve months. Each student will be charged for the insurance along with other institutional fees. You may still carry your own insurance coverage if you want to duplicate coverage.
- U.S Department of State
- U.S. Department of Labor
- U.S. Department of Labor - Employment and Training Administration- (Labor Certification)
- U.S. Department of State International Information Programs (formerly USIA)
- Key Officers of Foreign Service Posts (Phone and Fax Numbers)
- U.S. House of Representatives Immigration Subcommittee Hearing Testimony
- THOMAS at the Library of Congress for immigration legislation
- The Code of Federal Regulations (CFR)
- The Dictionary of Occupational Titles (DOT)
- The Internal Revenue Service (IRS)
- U.S. Customs Service
- CIA World Fact Book
Contact Information
Heidelberg College
Multicultural Programs
310 E. Market St.
Tiffin, OH 44883-2462
Telephone: (419) 448-2053
Facsimile: (419) 448-2124
Internet: global-ed@heidelberg.edu
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Heidelberg College | 310 E. Market St. | Tiffin, Ohio 44883-2462 | 1-800-925-9250 webmaster@heidelberg.edu | Copyright 2007 |
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