Important Immigration Status Information 3 October 2002

The staff at OIE welcomes new and returning students and scholars for the 2002-2003 academic year. We wish you the best as autumn quarter begins. Please contact us if we can help you in any way.

Topics in this announcement:

NEW ISEAS ELECTRONIC CONFIRMATION REQUIREMENT BEFORE GETTING VISAS

Effective September 11, 2002, US consulates will not issue F or J visas for students, scholars, or dependents without having first received electronic verification from the school via the Interim Student Exchange Authentication System (ISEAS) that the student or scholar has been admitted/invited. If you or a family member in F or J status will be leaving the US and getting a new visa, please tell the OIE adviser about your visa plans when you visit OIE to get your travel signature. We can then can make the electronic confirmation using ISEAS. Please bring to OIE a copy of the I-20 or DS-2019 you will be using to get the visa. (If you hold J-1 documents issued by a sponsor other than OSU, that sponsor will need to do the ISEAS verification.)

INS ADDRESS REPORTING REQUIREMENTS

The INS has begun strictly enforcing the requirement that ALL non-citizens keep the INS updated about the address at which they reside in the US. Failure to do so can result in a $200 fine and 30 days in jail. It is also grounds for deportation. This rule affects all non-immigrants, including OSU students and scholars in F, J, H, TN and O statuses. BEGINNING IMMEDIATELY, NOTIFY THE INS OF ANY ADDRESS CHANGES. The INS already has the address you listed when you filled out your I-94 form upon your most recent entry to the US. Notify them of your most recent address if you are currently living at a different address than the one you listed on the I-94 form. To notify the INS about a change in address, go to http://www.ins.usdoj.gov/graphics/formsfee/forms/ar-11.htm.

Download Form AR-11 (Alien's Change of Address Card). Send your address change to the address on the bottom of the form. Send the form via certified mail or some other method providing proof of delivery. Keep a copy of the AR-11 form you submitted and a copy of the proof of delivery. Each member of a family must submit an individual form. For more information, see the OIE website under International Students or International Scholars AR-11 FAQ. (www.oie.ohio-state.edu) When students notify the INS of an address change, please also notify the OSU Office of the Registrar by going to www.ureg.ohio-state.edu. Scholars should also notify the human resource representative in their OSU academic department.

GREEN CARD VISA LOTTERY PROGRAM

Using a lottery, this US Department of State program (formally called the Diversity Immigrant Visa Program -DV-2004) gives US permanent residence visas each year to applicants from regions of the world with lower rates of immigration to the US. To find out if you are eligible and for easy instructions on how to apply, go to http://travel.state.gov/DV2004.html

CHANGES IN DRIVER'S LICENSE APPLICATION AND RENEWAL PROCEDURES

F-1 AND J-1 STUDENTS AND DEPENDENTS: The expiration date on the driver's license will be the expiration date on the I-20/IAP-66/DS-2019 or 4 years from the date the license is issued, whichever comes first. To obtain or renew a driver's license, take with you the original copy of the I-20/IAP-66/DS-2019 of the student, passport, and your street address (P.O. box numbers are not valid.)

J-1 SCHOLARS AND H-1B WORKERS (AND DEPENDENTS OF BOTH): The expiration date on the driver's license will be the expiration date on the scholar/worker's IAP-66/DS-2019/I-797 H-1B approval notice or 4 years from the date the license is issued, whichever comes first. To obtain or renew a driver's license, take with you the original copy of the scholar/worker's IAP-66/DS-2019/I-797 H-1B approval notice, passport, and your street address. (P.O. box numbers are not valid.)

Please note that if you have never been issued a Social Security number (SSN), you do not need have a SSN in order to get a driver's license. If you do have a SSN, please take it with you.

IMMIGRATION DOCUMENT CONFIRMATION FOR OBTAINING A US SOCIAL SECURITY CARD

The US Social Security Administration (SSA) is now required to verify applicants' immigration documents/status using the INS electronic verification system (SAVE). This verification process may add weeks or months to the time usually required to obtain a Social Security card.

NEW INS ON-LINE CASE STATUS CHECK SYSTEM

The INS has implemented an online case status check system in addition to the automated telephone case status check system now being used. To check on the status of a case being processed at one of the INS Service Centers, go to https://egov.ins.usdoj.gov/graphics/cris/jsps/caseStat.jsp.