Immigration Overview
Government Agencies
U.S. embassies and consulates in major cities around the world are responsible for issuing visas which permit entry into the U.S. They are part of the U.S. Department of State (DOS).
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) controls all immigration regulations and procedures for F-1 international students while they are physically present in the U.S. (e.g., program extension, practical training, etc.).
The Department of State (DOS) Educational and Cultural Affairs Bureau is the body which governs J-1 Exchange Visitor Programs and establishes the regulations for those programs.
Your country probably maintains consular services at its embassy in Washington, D.C. and may have consulates in Boston, New York City or other major cities. Your consular services can renew your passport or replace it if it is lost or stolen. They also help with approval for foreign exchange and other issues affecting their citizens.
Forms and Documents
Passports are issued by your government and can be renewed in this country by your country's consulate. Your passport must be valid at least six months into the future at all times.
Visas permit you to request enty the U.S. in a particular status (e.g., F-1 student, J-1 Exchange Visitor, etc.) They are issued outside the U.S. at an embassy or consulate. If you are in the U.S. already and your visa has expired, there is no problem because the visa itself is only permission to request entry.
Form I-94 "Arrival and Departure Record" is a small white paper stapled into your passport upon your arrival. This document governs your stay in the U.S.
Many notations regarding your status are made on this document. F-1 and J-1 students receive an I-94 stamped with the name of the port of entry and noted D/S. This "D/S" means you are allowed to stay for the "Duration of status" - the length of your program as written on your I-20 or DS-2019. The I-94 has your admission number. If you lose your I-94, you must request a new one from the DHS on form I-102. An International Student Advisor in ISS can help you with this. When you travel beyond North America, an immigration inspector or airline agent will collect your I-94.
Form I-20 "Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant (F-1) Student Status..." is sent from the university to a new student so that s/he may apply for an F-1 visa from a U.S. embassy or consulate, or so that s/he may transfer to Southern New Hampshire University from another program. The I-20, with a current signature on page 3 by an International Student Advisor from the ISS is also needed for re-entering the U.S. after a temporary absence. It is used also for authorization of off campus work such as curricular or optional practical training. Your spouse and dependent children may also receive I-20's if they will join you in the U.S.
It is very important to keep all I 20's which you have used.
Form DS-2019 is used to apply for a J-1 Exchange Visitor visa for a person coming to the University to study, teach, do research or receive training. It is also used to permit reentry and for family travel independently of the J-1. Your spouse and dependent children may also receive forms DS-2019.
Your Legal Responsibilities
You must attend the school which you are authorized to attend. This is the school indicated on the DS-2019 or I-20 which you used to enter the U.S. or to which you have transfered. You must be registered as a full-time student (12 or more credits per 16 weeks in an undergraduate program; 6 credits per term and 24 per year in most graduate programs). If you are ill and must take time off, please keep medical records and provide a letter from your physician for your file in ISS. There are also valid academic reasons for less than full-time enrollment. These must all be approved in advance by the ISS office.
You must notify ISS of any changes in your address - either your home address or the place where you live during your studies. The regulations require local street addresses, not PO box numbers for U.S. addresses. You must submit any changes within 10 days of your move. ISS is responsible for updating the DHS database.
Extension of Stay
Both F-1 and J-1 students are admitted to the USA for the duration of status. But, you must finish by the date on your I-20 (item 5) or DS-2019 (item 3). Always be sure that you will be able to finish by the date indicated or contact ISS for instructions to extend your form if you will not finish by your estimated end date.
If there is a valid academic reason for delay, F-1 students may be extended by the ISS. A new affidavit of support will be required and a new I-20 will be issued. This process must be finished before the program completion date on your I-20.
If there is not a valid academic reason to extend a program, or if you wait until after the program completion date on your I-20, then F-1 students must apply to DHS for reinstatement of status. This can be a time consuming and frustrating process. See ISS for details.
J-1 Exchange Visitors may apply for extension of stay by requesting a new DS-2019 from their program sponsor. Once granted, the sponsor will notify DOS.
Transfer
In order to transfer to another program, F-1 students must first inform ISS of their plans and the school to which they wish to transfer. The international student advisor will enter your wishes in the DHS internatioanl student database (called SEVIS) and the date you are released from SNHU. After that date, the new school will complete processing your transfer.
J-1 Exchange Visitor students may sometimes change schools without changing programs - if the sponsor is not the school. If your sponsor is Southern New Hampshire University, then you must see an International Student Advisor in ISS to begin the transfer procedure.
U.S. embassies and consulates in major cities around the world are responsible for issuing visas which permit entry into the U.S. They are part of the U.S. Department of State (DOS).
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) controls all immigration regulations and procedures for F-1 international students while they are physically present in the U.S. (e.g., program extension, practical training, etc.).
The Department of State (DOS) Educational and Cultural Affairs Bureau is the body which governs J-1 Exchange Visitor Programs and establishes the regulations for those programs.
Your country probably maintains consular services at its embassy in Washington, D.C. and may have consulates in Boston, New York City or other major cities. Your consular services can renew your passport or replace it if it is lost or stolen. They also help with approval for foreign exchange and other issues affecting their citizens.
Forms and Documents
Passports are issued by your government and can be renewed in this country by your country's consulate. Your passport must be valid at least six months into the future at all times.
Visas permit you to request enty the U.S. in a particular status (e.g., F-1 student, J-1 Exchange Visitor, etc.) They are issued outside the U.S. at an embassy or consulate. If you are in the U.S. already and your visa has expired, there is no problem because the visa itself is only permission to request entry.
Form I-94 "Arrival and Departure Record" is a small white paper stapled into your passport upon your arrival. This document governs your stay in the U.S.
Many notations regarding your status are made on this document. F-1 and J-1 students receive an I-94 stamped with the name of the port of entry and noted D/S. This "D/S" means you are allowed to stay for the "Duration of status" - the length of your program as written on your I-20 or DS-2019. The I-94 has your admission number. If you lose your I-94, you must request a new one from the DHS on form I-102. An International Student Advisor in ISS can help you with this. When you travel beyond North America, an immigration inspector or airline agent will collect your I-94.
Form I-20 "Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant (F-1) Student Status..." is sent from the university to a new student so that s/he may apply for an F-1 visa from a U.S. embassy or consulate, or so that s/he may transfer to Southern New Hampshire University from another program. The I-20, with a current signature on page 3 by an International Student Advisor from the ISS is also needed for re-entering the U.S. after a temporary absence. It is used also for authorization of off campus work such as curricular or optional practical training. Your spouse and dependent children may also receive I-20's if they will join you in the U.S.
It is very important to keep all I 20's which you have used.
Form DS-2019 is used to apply for a J-1 Exchange Visitor visa for a person coming to the University to study, teach, do research or receive training. It is also used to permit reentry and for family travel independently of the J-1. Your spouse and dependent children may also receive forms DS-2019.
Your Legal Responsibilities
You must attend the school which you are authorized to attend. This is the school indicated on the DS-2019 or I-20 which you used to enter the U.S. or to which you have transfered. You must be registered as a full-time student (12 or more credits per 16 weeks in an undergraduate program; 6 credits per term and 24 per year in most graduate programs). If you are ill and must take time off, please keep medical records and provide a letter from your physician for your file in ISS. There are also valid academic reasons for less than full-time enrollment. These must all be approved in advance by the ISS office.
You must notify ISS of any changes in your address - either your home address or the place where you live during your studies. The regulations require local street addresses, not PO box numbers for U.S. addresses. You must submit any changes within 10 days of your move. ISS is responsible for updating the DHS database.
Extension of Stay
Both F-1 and J-1 students are admitted to the USA for the duration of status. But, you must finish by the date on your I-20 (item 5) or DS-2019 (item 3). Always be sure that you will be able to finish by the date indicated or contact ISS for instructions to extend your form if you will not finish by your estimated end date.
If there is a valid academic reason for delay, F-1 students may be extended by the ISS. A new affidavit of support will be required and a new I-20 will be issued. This process must be finished before the program completion date on your I-20.
If there is not a valid academic reason to extend a program, or if you wait until after the program completion date on your I-20, then F-1 students must apply to DHS for reinstatement of status. This can be a time consuming and frustrating process. See ISS for details.
J-1 Exchange Visitors may apply for extension of stay by requesting a new DS-2019 from their program sponsor. Once granted, the sponsor will notify DOS.
Transfer
In order to transfer to another program, F-1 students must first inform ISS of their plans and the school to which they wish to transfer. The international student advisor will enter your wishes in the DHS internatioanl student database (called SEVIS) and the date you are released from SNHU. After that date, the new school will complete processing your transfer.
J-1 Exchange Visitor students may sometimes change schools without changing programs - if the sponsor is not the school. If your sponsor is Southern New Hampshire University, then you must see an International Student Advisor in ISS to begin the transfer procedure.