News

ISSS Online Forms Will be Unavailable 8/8/15

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To all international students, scholars, exchange visitors, and Uconn sponsoring departments:

ISSS online forms (online check-in, new student orientation registration and payment, OPT information form, I-20/DS-2019 Online Request Form to name a few) will become unavailable on Saturday, 8/8/15.  Please plan accordingly and avoid this outage period to ensure ISSS receives your information.

Message from UITS:

The UITS Data Center will be down between 5:00 am – 5:00 pm on Saturday, August 8th, and the power in MSB will be shut off between 7:00 am – 3:00 pm.  During this planned outage, facilities will correct systemic issues with power distribution and supply to the Data Center.  We will be maintaining information about this outage, including a detailed timeline and a list of services that will remain available, at datacenter.uits.uconn.edu.

F-2 Dependent’s Eligibility to Study in the U.S.

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This announcement is ONLY for F-1 students and their F-2 dependents: (June 11, 2015)

Great news!  ISSS is happy to announce a recent change to the regulation regarding F-2 dependent’s eligibility to study in the U.S.  The following is a summary of the new rule and this is effective immediately.

  1. F-2 Post-secondary study at a SEVIS-certified school (e.g. community college, university)
    a.  F-2 spouses are permitted to be engaged in study, degree or non-degree & credit or non-credit, as long as it is part-time (less than a full-time course load).  Pursuant to respective regulations, full-time is defined at UConn as:
  • Study at the undergraduate level = 12 credits per semester
  • Study at the graduate level = 9 credits per semester
  • Study at the professional level = varied, confirm with ISSS
  • UCAELI (ESL study) = 18 hours per week
  • Study  during summer = Varied.  Contact an ISSS advisor to learn the full-time definition for a particular summer session in which the F-2 visa holder wishes to enroll

If study by the F-2 takes place at a school other than UConn, including UConn Health Center, the F-2 must confirm with a Designated School Official (DSO) at the attending school, in writing, their full-time definition(s) to avoid any status violation.

b.  F-2 dependents must NOT pursue full-time study at post-secondary institutions.  If the F-2 wishes to study on a full-time basis, s/he must change his/her status to F-1 and full-time study can begin only after obtaining F-1 status.  If the F-2 is engaged in full-time study, s/he is considered to have violated F-2 status and is subject to SEVIS termination.  If the F-2 wishes to change status to F-1 to study at UConn, please contact ISSS for guidance.

  1. F-2 children are allowed to study at elementary and secondary study even on a full-time basis (kindergarten through twelfth grade).
  1. F-2 dependents are NOT permitted to be engaged in employment, including practical training.  If an academic program in which the F-2 enrolls requires internships or practicums for the program, s/he will need to change his/her status to F-1 and comply with all F-1 regulations, including full-time enrollment.

Please note that these are brand new rules, which still require further detailed guidance from the government.  This means that all advice and information provided by ISSS regarding F-2 study is subject to change upon future guidance releases.

Should you have any questions, please contact ISSS.

Happy Summer!

J Visa Holders – New Medical Insurance Requirements (5/1/15)

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IMPORTANT UPDATES (MAY 2015): J VISA HOLDERS – NEW MEDICAL INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS 

This message is for J-1 visa holders, students and scholars, and their dependents:

As you may already know, the U.S. Department of State substantially changed J-1 exchange visitor program rules and regulations recently.  One of the  changes is about medical insurance requirements.

Effective from May 15, 2015, the medical insurance requirements will change and you can find the new requirement information at http://international.global.uconn.edu/medical-insurance/.  You and your J-2 dependents, if any, are required to have insurance coverage meeting the new requirements on and after 5/15/2015.

If you participate in UConn’s student insurance plan (even as a scholar through Bailey Agencies), your plan meets the new regulatory requirements.  If you have different insurance plan(s) and have questions about your insurance coverage, please refer those questions directly to your particular insurance provider.  Your insurance companies are the best resources for you to confirm your compliance with the insurance requirements.  ISSS is not authorized to analyze individual insurance policy benefits.

Additionally, all J exchange visitors, including J-2 spouses and dependent(s), may be subject to the requirements of the Affordable Care Act.  For more information on the Affordable Care Act, see http://www.hhs.gov/healthcare/rights/ and https://www.internationalstudentinsurance.com/explained/the-aca-and-international-students.php (note that J-1 scholars and J-1 students have different exempt periods: 2 years vs. 5 years).

New Travel Requirements: I-901 SEVIS Fee Receipt

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SUBJECT: New Travel Requirements

Dear Students,

Please be advised that from now on when traveling outside of the U.S. you must carry your I-901 SEVIS fee receipt, in addition to your I-20 (with travel signature), passport and valid U.S. visa.  Several UConn students have reported being stopped and questioned at the airport for failing to travel with proof they paid the I-901 SEVIS Fee and this seems to be a trend nationally.

Prepare yourself when traveling by taking your I-901 fee receipt with you.  If you have lost your fee receipt you can print a new copy online here: https://www.fmjfee.com/i901fee/desktop/checkstatus/loadSearchPage.do

A full list of documents you should carry with you when traveling are listed on our website: http://international.global.uconn.edu/students/current-students/current-students-travel-requirements/

Please contact your international advisor or  international@uconn.edu with any questions or concerns.