Important information about Special Registration
Immigration & Visas
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F-type visa information
- 17-Month STEM OPT Extension Request Form
- Termination of Employment Report
- OPT & 17 Month STEM Extension 6 Month Validation Report
- H-1B Visa Cap-Gap extension application
- 17-month OPT Extension as of 5/1/08
- OPT Changes - 4/23/2008
- F-1 reinstatement
- Change of status from H-1 to F-1 student
- Change of status from F-2 to F-1 student
- F-1/I-20 extension of stay
- Inviting an F-2 dependent
- F-1 students: Transferring schools
- Optional Practical Training for F-1 students
- Optional Practical Training for F-1 Undergraduate Students
- Optional Practical Training for F-1 Graduate Students
- J-type visa information
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Immigration updates
- Immigration service and form name changes
- Important information about Special Registration
- US-VISIT
- Information regarding automatic visa updates
- Changing your address with Immigration
- Update on visa issuance in China
- Immigration resources / links
- Checking in with ISSS
- What is SEVIS?
- Maintaining your legal status
- How to get a Social Security Number
As a result of the USA PATRIOT Act passed by Congress and signed into law by the President in the wake of the September 11, 2001 terrorist acts, nonimmigrant from certain countries are required to register their presence with the U.S. CIS.
National Security Entry Exit Registration System (NSEERS) began in Fall 2002 which required males between ages 16 and 45 to report to their district U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services office for an interview, which includes taking their fingerprints and photographs.
What does Special Registration mean?
Special Registration is a system that will let the government keep track of nonimmigrant that come to the U.S. every year. Some of the non-immigrants will be required to register with immigration authorities either at a port of entry or a designated immigration office in accordance with the special registration procedures. These special procedures also require additional in-person interviews at an immigration office and notifications to immigration authorities of changes of address, employment, or school.
Nonimmigrants who must follow these special procedures will also have to use specially designated ports when they leave the country and report in person to an immigration officer at the port on their departure date.
Citizens and nationals (primarily adult males) from the following countries are currently affected:
Afghanistan, Algeria, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Egypt, Eritrea, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, North Korea, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, Yemen.
People from the countries listed above must report every year to the Immigration and Naturalization Services office listed below:
Immigration and Naturalization Services
1086 Troy-Schenectady Road
Latham, NY 12110
Hours: 8:00am - 4:00pm
Phone number: 220-2100
Some tips to remember before reporting to the local Albany INS office
- If at all possible, avoid going to the INS on Wednesdays. The office is very busy that day. However, Friday afternoons tend to be less busy and so may be a good time to visit.
- Allow at least one hour per person.
- You do not need an appointment.
- Don't go in groups.
What to bring when you report to the INS office
- Your passport
- I-94
- All copies of your I-20 or DS-2019
- An official copy of your transcript
- Your Rensselaer ID card
- If you are supported by RPI, bring a copy of your award letter.
- if you have transferred to RPI, bring a copy of your transcript from your old school or a copy of your diploma.
- If you are on Co-op, Optional Practical Training (OPT), or Academic Training, bring a letter from your employer stating your dates of employment and what kind of work you are doing.
If you have not traveled, but did go through special registration at a U.S. district office sometime during the Fall 2002 or Spring 2003, you are required to report once again to the district U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Office having jurisdiction over your place of residence within ten days of the one-year anniversary date of your special registration. This is very important!! Failure to report carries immigration and criminal penalties.
PLEASE NOTE: It is always best to bring more information than required in case the officer asks for more information.
Please refer to the Department for Homeland Security website for detailed immigration information.
Please inform the ISSS Office when you have had your interview with the INS office.