Immigration / Visas

Immigration/Visas: Undergraduate Int'l Admissions

International students/scholars in the U.S. must be aware of the Immigration regulations applicable to their stay here and must keep appropriate documents updated and valid.

Passport: A passport is an internationally recognized travel document that verifies the identity and nationality of the bearer. The passport must be valid for at least six months beyond the time of your authorized stay in the United States. If your passport expires while you are in the United States, it is usually possible to renew it by sending materials or visiting your home country's embassy/consulate here in the US. Contact your country's embassy or consulate for instructions and guidelines. You can find the nearest embassy or consulate at the website http://www.embassy.org. If you need to mail your passport and other documents required by your embassy, it is advisable to use certified return-receipt mail.

Visa: Most citizens of foreign countries need visas to enter the United States. A visa is a permit for a person to apply to enter the United States. The U.S. Department of State (DOS) is responsible for visa adjudication at U.S. Embassies and Consulates outside of the United States. A consular officer decides whether you are qualified for a visa.

A U.S. visa allows the bearer to apply for entry to the U.S. in a certain classification. Most non-immigrants at The University of Akron are holders of F, J, and H-1 visas.

A visa does not authorize entry to the U.S. A visa simply indicates that your application has been reviewed by a U.S. consular officer at an American embassy or consulate, and that the officer has determined you are eligible to travel to the port-of-entry for a specific purpose

Visa expiration date is shown on the visa. The visa can be used from the date it is issued until the date it expires, for travel for the same purpose. The period from the visa issuance date to the visa expiration date is called visa validity. The visa validity is the length of time you are permitted to travel to a port-of-entry in the United States to request permission of the U.S. immigration inspector to enter the United States. Though your visa may still be valid, it is the decision of the border official whether or not to admit you to the U.S. and in what visa status.

Depending on the alien's nationality, visas can be issued for any number of entries, from as little as one entry to as many as multiple (unlimited) entries, for the same purpose of travel.

The form I-94 and duration of status (D/S)

The immigration officer at the U.S. port of entry makes a decision on your admission, the length and conditions of your stay, and will record the terms of your admission on the form "Arrival/Departure Record" (I-94 Form) as well as in your passport.

The I-94 Form is a small white card. The immigration officer usually staples this form into your passport.
In certain visa categories such as students and exchange visitors, the alien may be admitted into the U.S. for as long as the person is still doing the activity for which the visa was issued, rather than being admitted until a specific departure dates. This is called admission for "duration of status."

Students arriving on F-1/J-1 visas are generally admitted for "Duration of Status." It is indicated on the Form I-94 as "D/S" (Duration of Status). It means they are authorized to stay in the U.S. while maintaining their visa status (enrolled in a full course of study, engaged in practical training or in their post-completion grace period).

The I-94 form also has a number that the immigration officer will use to keep track of your entry/exits. Make sure that you do not lose this card! Every time you leave the U.S., you must return the I-94 form to the immigration officer. Upon your re-entry, you will receive a new one. As an exception, you can keep your current I-94 form when you travel to Canada, Mexico, or certain adjacent islands for 30 days or less. However, it is always advisable to verify this at the border.

The visa expiration date and the authorized stay

The visa expiration date should not be confused with the authorized length of your stay in the U.S. The authorized period of your stay is indicated on the Arrival-Departure Record, Form I-94 as D/S (duration of status).

Once you are admitted into the US on F-1 or J-1 visa and the form I-94 indicates D/S, you may stay in the country as long as you maintain your visa status and your immigration documents (your passport, the form I-94, and the I-20/DS-2019) are valid. You may stay in the U.S. on expired visa. You need to renew it only if you travel outside the U.S. and plan to come back to continue your study, or practical training. The exception: You can travel for less than 30 days to Canada, Mexico, or Caribbean Islands with an expired visa without having to renew it. However, this exception does not apply to citizens of certain countries.

I-20/DS-2019 Forms and SEVISSEVIS (the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System) is the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) web-based system that maintains accurate and current information on international students (F-1), exchange visitors (J-1) and their dependents (F-2/J-2).

SEVIS enables schools and program sponsors to transmit mandatory information and event notifications via the Internet to the Department of Homeland Security and Department of State (DOS). Schools must report the students and visitor scholars' status throughout their stay in the United States.

All students in an F-1 visa status must have a SEVIS generated Form I-20 "Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant Student Status" issued by an educational institution where they study. All exchange visitors in a J-1 visa must have a SEVIS generated Form DS-2019 "Certificate of Eligibility for Exchange Visitor Status" provided to the applicant by the program sponsor. The main requirements of the visa status are printed on the page 2 of the form. The form I-20/DS-2019 must be valid during your stay here and reflect your current academic status. You must attend the school specified on this form.

All prospective students planning to come to the US on F-1/J-1 visas must obtain a SEVIS generated Form I-20/DS-2019 before applying to the U.S. Embassy/Consulate. The I-20/DS-2019 must be submitted with the visa application. The consular officer will verify the I-20/DS-2019 record electronically through the SEVIS system. All students/exchange visitors entering the USA initially or applicants for changing status to F-1/J-1 must pay a SEVIS I-901 Fee to the Department of Homeland Security before their visa application is processed. See SEVIS-901 Fee for further information on the SEVIS Fee requirements and procedures.

For initial admission, students/exchange visitors must attend the school specified on the form I-20/DS-2019 and the visa stamp in the passport.

 

Immigration/Visas

International students/scholars in the U.S. must be aware of the Immigration regulations applicable to their stay here and must keep appropriate documents updated and valid.

Passport: A passport is an internationally recognized travel document that verifies the identity and nationality of the bearer. The passport must be valid for at least six months beyond the time of your authorized stay in the United States. If your passport expires while you are in the United States, it is usually possible to renew it by sending materials or visiting your home country's embassy/consulate here in the US. Contact your country's embassy or consulate for instructions and guidelines. You can find the nearest embassy or consulate at the website http://www.embassy.org. If you need to mail your passport and other documents required by your embassy, it is advisable to use certified return-receipt mail.

Visa: Most citizens of foreign countries need visas to enter the United States. A visa is a permit for a person to apply to enter the United States. The U.S. Department of State (DOS) is responsible for visa adjudication at U.S. Embassies and Consulates outside of the United States. A consular officer decides whether you are qualified for a visa.

A United States visa allows the bearer to apply for entry to the U.S. in a certain classification. Most non-immigrants at The University of Akron are holders of F, J, and H-1 visas.

A visa does not authorize entry to the United States. A visa simply indicates that your application has been reviewed by a U.S. consular officer at an American embassy or consulate, and that the officer has determined you are eligible to travel to the port-of-entry for a specific purpose

Visa expiration date is shown on the visa. The visa can be used from the date it is issued until the date it expires, for travel for the same purpose. The period from the visa issuance date to the visa expiration date is called visa validity. The visa validity is the length of time you are permitted to travel to a port-of-entry in the United States to request permission of the U.S. immigration inspector to enter the United States. Though your visa may still be valid, it is the decision of the border official whether or not to admit you to the U.S. and in what visa status.

Depending on the alien's nationality, visas can be issued for any number of entries, from as little as one entry to as many as multiple (unlimited) entries, for the same purpose of travel.

The form I-94 and duration of status (D/S)

The immigration officer at the U.S. port of entry makes a decision on your admission, the length and conditions of your stay, and will record the terms of your admission on the form "Arrival/Departure Record" (I-94 Form) as well as in your passport.

The I-94 Form is a small white card. The immigration officer usually staples this form into your passport.
In certain visa categories such as students and exchange visitors, the alien may be admitted into the U.S. for as long as the person is still doing the activity for which the visa was issued, rather than being admitted until a specific departure dates. This is called admission for "duration of status."

Students arriving on F-1/J-1 visas are generally admitted for "Duration of Status." It is indicated on the Form I-94 as "D/S" (Duration of Status). It means they are authorized to stay in the U.S. while maintaining their visa status (enrolled in a full course of study, engaged in practical training or in their post-completion grace period).

The I-94 form also has a number that the immigration officer will use to keep track of your entry/exits. Make sure that you do not lose this card! Every time you leave the U.S., you must return the I-94 form to the immigration officer. Upon your re-entry, you will receive a new one. As an exception, you can keep your current I-94 form when you travel to Canada, Mexico, or certain adjacent islands for 30 days or less. However, it is always advisable to verify this at the border.

The visa expiration date and the authorized stay

The visa expiration date should not be confused with the authorized length of your stay in the U.S. The authorized period of your stay is indicated on the Arrival-Departure Record, Form I-94 as D/S (duration of status).

Once you are admitted into the US on F-1 or J-1 visa and the form I-94 indicates D/S, you may stay in the country as long as you maintain your visa status and your immigration documents (your passport, the form I-94, and the I-20/DS-2019) are valid. You may stay in the U.S. on expired visa. You need to renew it only if you travel outside the U.S. and plan to come back to continue your study, or practical training. The exception: You can travel for less than 30 days to Canada, Mexico, or Caribbean Islands with an expired visa without having to renew it. However, this exception does not apply to citizens of certain countries.

I-20/DS-2019 Forms and SEVISSEVIS (the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System) is the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) web-based system that maintains accurate and current information on international students (F-1), exchange visitors (J-1) and their dependents (F-2/J-2).

SEVIS enables schools and program sponsors to transmit mandatory information and event notifications via the Internet to the Department of Homeland Security and Department of State (DOS). Schools must report the students and visitor scholars' status throughout their stay in the United States.

All students in an F-1 visa status must have a SEVIS generated Form I-20 "Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant Student Status" issued by an educational institution where they study. All exchange visitors in a J-1 visa must have a SEVIS generated Form DS-2019 "Certificate of Eligibility for Exchange Visitor Status" provided to the applicant by the program sponsor. The main requirements of the visa status are printed on the page 2 of the form. The form I-20/DS-2019 must be valid during your stay here and reflect your current academic status. You must attend the school specified on this form.

All prospective students planning to come to the US on F-1/J-1 visas must obtain a SEVIS generated Form I-20/DS-2019 before applying to the U.S. Embassy/Consulate. The I-20/DS-2019 must be submitted with the visa application. The consular officer will verify the I-20/DS-2019 record electronically through the SEVIS system. All students/exchange visitors entering the USA initially or applicants for changing status to F-1/J-1 must pay a SEVIS I-901 Fee to the Department of Homeland Security before their visa application is processed. See SEVIS-901 Fee for further information on the SEVIS Fee requirements and procedures.

See the admission requirements for the English Language Institute’s

• English for Academic Purposes Program
• Community and Corporate ESL Program