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What is SEVIS?

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SEVIS, the Student Exchange Visitor Information System, is an internet-based system that is used to maintain accurate and current information on non-immigrant students/scholars (F, M & J) visas and their dependants. SEVIS allows schools and the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) to exchange data on the visa status of international students/ scholars. On July 1, 2002 the INS implemented SEVIS with voluntary enrollment from schools. Rensselaer has been participating in SEVIS since August 2002. Participation in SEVIS has been mandatory for all universities since January 30, 2003.

Background

The following should help you understand what lead to the development of SEVIS. All the following regulations, with the exception of IIRIRA, were implemented in response to the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001.

• The Illegal Immigration Reform & Immigrant Responsibility Act (IIRIRA) of 1996 was implementedby the U.S. Congress as a result of the 1993 World Trade Center bombing. This law requires schools to identify and provide current address of aliens within , to record the date of Visa issuance and when the classification was granted, to determine the academic status of all full- or part-time aliens and to record disciplinary actions taken against the alien due to criminal conviction.
• The Patriot Act was enacted on October 1st, 2001 as a result of the September 11th, 2002 tragedy. This act requires the record of the Port of Entry and the Date of Entry of the students/scholars.
• Interim Student & Exchange Visitor Authentication System (ISEAS) is a result of Enhanced Border Security & Visa Entry Reform Act of 2002 (Border Security Act). ISEAS was implemented on September 11th, 2002. The purpose is to monitor visa issuance to students/scholars until SEVIS is fully implemented. This program ended February 2003.
• National Security Entry-Exit Registration System (NSEERS) was partially implementation on September 11th, 2002 and was fully implementated by October 1, 2002. Under this system, all nationals from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Sudan, Syria, Afghanistan, Algeria, Bahrain, Eritrea, Lebanon, Morocco, North Korea, Oman, Qatar, Somalia, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, Yemen, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Armenia, Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Jordan or Kuwait will be subjected to special registration, fingerprinting & photographing upon entering the U.S.

SEVIS: Student Exchange Visitor Information System

Under INS Regulations at 8 CFR 214.3(g), Rensselaer must provide SEVIS:

1. Name, Date of Birth, Place of Birth
2. Country of citizenship
3. Address
4. Status (full/part time)
5. Date of commencement of studies
6. Degree program & field of study
7. Practical training: beginning and ending dates
8. Termination date & known reasons
9. I-20 and any applications for I-20 (any changes of the information)
10. Number of credits completed per year

Every semester RPI must report to the Immigration Service:

• Name, date of birth, country of birth, country of citizenship, source and amount of financial resources, academic program, level of study, program start and end dates
• Arrival and enrollment or failure to enroll
• A change of the student or dependent's legal name or address
• Graduation prior to the end date listed on the I-20 or DS-2019
• Academic or disciplinary actions taken due to criminal conviction
• Registration for less than a full course of study without PRIOR authorization from the ISSS
• Termination date and reason for termination
• Other data generated by standard procedures such as program extension, school transfer, change in level of study, employment authorization, and reinstatement
• Failure to complete the academic program or program objective

Prior to making any changes, international students must:

• Inform the Registrar & ISSS within 10 days of any change of name or address.
• Inform the Registrar & ISSS within one week of any change to degree or major.
• Remain in full-time status at all times, unless the ISSS office has approved you for less than 12 credit hours per semester. Approval to drop below 12 credits must be given before you drop credit hours.
• Consult with and be given permission by the ISSS office prior to obtaining off-campus work.
• Before transferring, notify ISSS of the name of the new school and the date you will be transferring.
• Notify ISSS if, for any reason, you will not be registering for fall or spring classes, before the beginning of that semester.
• Notify ISSS if you plan to return to your home country and do not intend to return to Rensselaer.
• Inform ISSS office of any change of visa type within 10 days.
• At all times keep the I-20 or DS-2019 (IAP-66) valid (this includes extensions, travel, etc.)
• Notify ISSS office of graduation prior to the program end-date on the I-20 or IAP-66.
• Submit your request for employment on Academic or Practical Training in at least two months prior to completion of study.

As you can see, the major change in the regulations requires you to request approval of an event before you make the change. The staff in the ISSS Office will be issuing you and your dependents new Form I-20/DS-2019. These forms will have a bar code on the right side of the document. You MUST maintain your legal immigration status at all times in order to remain legally in the United States. Here are some ways in which you may do this:

• Fully and properly comply with all laws and regulations of the U.S. Federal, State, and Local Governments.
• Maintain your lawful status. This means working only when you have prior authorization.
• Ensuring that any necessary documents are forwarded to the U.S. Government in a timely manner.
• Making sure you comply with all of the above.

If you don't comply with these laws and regulations, immigration has the authority to send you home. Immigration has already stated that they will not be forgiving if the student forgets to extend the I-20/DS-2019.

International Services for Students and Scholars, Phone: (518) 276-6561, Fax: (518) 276-4839