Search  CIP Home  UD Home

Immigration SEVIS Students and faculty entering the United States on either an F or J visa are documented in the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System, known as SEVIS. The US Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (BICE) has created this internet-based system in order to maintain current information on nonimmigrant students, exchange visitors, and their dependents (i.e. all those in the F or J Visa status). SEVIS will track F and J visa holders from the time they receive their documents (I-20, Visa, etc.) until they complete their programs. SEVIS links with colleges and universities, US embassies and consulates, US ports of entry, the Department of State, and exchange visitor programs. SEVIS tracks certain information about all students, and requires institutions to report the following: Failure to enroll Failure to maintain full-time status or complete program A change in legal name or address Start date of student’s next session Termination date and reason for termination Transfer Program extensions Any other major changes to a student’s program More information about SEVIS and immigration can be found at http://www.nafsa.org or http://www.ice.gov/graphics/sevis/students/index.htm. Maintaining status Students must maintain status during their time in the United States. Examples of failure to maintain status include dropping from full-time to part-time enrollment, missing over 20 percent of classes, attending a school other than the one a student is authorized to attend, failure to apply for a timely transfer or I-20 extension or change in level of study, unauthorized employment, and failure to report a change of address. The student's record will be updated with SEVIS every term. Students who fail to maintain status lose the privileges of their student visa and become subject to deportation. Specific consequences may include denial of re-entry to the US, inability to move from ESL status to either undergraduate or graduate status, denial of requests for Practical Training, denial of requests to change visa status, and possible denial of all future visa applications. The student may apply to BICE for reinstatement if the violation resulted from circumstances beyond his or her control. Reinstatement is intended to be a rare benefit for exceptional cases. The student may not apply for reinstatement under any circumstances if he or she is out of status longer than five months. If BICE does not reinstate the student, he or she may not appeal that decision. Change of address Students with a change of address must notify the DSO (Coordinator, International Student and Scholar Services) within ten days. Travel outside the US Before students depart, they must have their I-20 signed by the Coordinator for International Student and Scholar Services Coordinator.  Helpful hints Plan course schedules carefully so that you maintain full-time enrollment Keep all documents up-to-date Transfer, extensions, and travel validations must be done in a timely manner and on SEVIS documents Allow time for processing new forms Bringing family members to the US A spouse and unmarried, minor children may also be classified for a non-immigrant visa to accompany or follow the student. Family members must meet all visa eligibility requirements, including evidence that they will have sufficient funds for their support, and that they will depart the U.S. when the student's program ends. Spouses and children of students may not accept employment at any time. To get an I-20 issued to bring a spouse and or children, you must first make an appointment with the international student advisor. At the appointment, you must show that you have, in addition to the funds to support yourself, $3000 (USD) to support a spouse and $1000 (USD) for each dependent child. All family members must be covered by medical insurance.

Center for International Programs · University of Dayton · 300 College Park · Dayton, OH 45469-0315 Telephone: (937) 229-3514 Questions and comments: Webmaster