Proclamation Terminating Restriction of Entry

Posted on by

 

On January 18, 2021 President Trump issued a proclamation that terminates the current restriction of entry to the U.S., of foreign nationals who were present in Brazil, Ireland, UK and Schengen Area countries of Europe prior to arrival, effective January 26, 2021. Read the proclamation here. This coincides with the day that prior COVID-19 testing will be required by airlines for all inbound international travel to the United States.

However, it is unclear at this time if the new Biden administration will allow the termination of this entry restriction to be implemented. ISSS strongly advises all students who are planning upcoming travel to the U.S. to continue to be mindful of updates to travel/entry restrictions, as the new administration could have a different public health agenda and recommendations related to travel, than the prior administration. ISSS will update students and exchange visitors with information related to the termination of the entry restriction for travelers from Brazil, Ireland, UK and Schengen Area of Europe, as it is confirmed.

For more information, contact: ISSS at international@uconn.edu

USCIS Receipt Notice Delays (OPT and other applications)

Posted on by

USCIS Receipt Notice Delays

Many students are reporting delays in receiving a receipt notice after submitting their I-765 to USCIS for the OPT application. If you recently filed an application with USCIS and are experiencing a delay in receiving your receipt notice or the filing fee being processed, please note that this is currently a national trend.

If it has been more than 60 days since filing and you have not received your receipt, you can follow the steps HERE to inquire about your case.

  • Follow step 1 (Ask USCIS for Help) and if that does not work, proceed with step 2 (Submit Request for Case Assistance with the Ombudsman)

We do not recommend that you re-file your application with USCIS unless you are personally advised by an immigration attorney to do so (in which case you must still contact ISSS to obtain the new I-20).

While this is a known issue, we do not know the reason for this, or when circumstances will improve.

New Student? Complete To Do List After Arriving

Posted on by

 

Important reminder for new UConn students!

All international students on F-1 and J-1 visas must complete the New Student To Do list and Submit Arrival Documents online in the ISSS Portal after arriving in the United States, when transferring to UConn from another school or when starting a new program at UConn.

The deadline to submit arrival documents is January 19, 2021.Failure to submit may result in the termination of your SEVIS record and I-20/DS-2019. This is a requirement of your student visa.  

Remember – you must be enrolled in at least 1 in-person or hybrid class!

  • Transfer-in & Change Education Level students need to Submit Arrival Documents, even if you did not leave the U.S. this winter.
  • Graduate students approved for late arrival need to Submit Arrival Documents as soon as you arrive to campus.
  • Change of Status Students should wait to submit arrival documents until your change of status is approved.

In order to “Submit Arrival Documents”, you will need to save certain documents in electronic format (.pdf or .jpg). These documents are listed below:

  • Form I-20/DS-2019, signed by you at the bottom of page 1
  • Passport biographical page
  • Visa page in passport (unless you are from Canada/Bermuda)
  • Entry stamp in passport (where immigration stamped upon entry, if applicable*)
  • I-94 admission record.  Print or screenshot your I-94 – select “Get Most Recent I-94”.
  • Proof of Physical Presence in U.S. – Take a photo of yourself in front of a local CT street sign, your residence hall, or other CT landmark to prove you are physically in the U.S.
  • If you have accompanying family on F-2/J-2 visas, you must prepare the same files for them.

If you take a picture of your documents with your smart phone to upload in the ISSS Portal, this is OK, but you must be sure they are clear and easy to read.

If your plans have changed and you will NOT study at UConn, please reply to this message immediately to let us know of your cancellation, and destroy the UConn Form I-20/DS-2019 (do not use it to enter the U.S.).

If you will not arrive to UConn for Spring 2021 semester, but will come for fall 2021, do not Submit Arrival Documents. Instead, complete the SEVIS Defer-Request to Update I-20/DS-2019 Start Date, if you have not already done so.

Finally, for additional information, please visit our Spring 2021 Information & Resources page and our New Student Orientation page.

We want to wish you a Happy New Year and thank you for your prompt attention after you arrive in the U.S.

For more information, contact: ISSS at international@uconn.edu

Other stories from the Soapbox for Monday, December 2

Are you a Resident or a Non-Resident for Taxes?

Posted on by

 

One of the first steps you will need to take to prepare for tax season is to determine your tax residency.  This will affect the types of tax forms you will need to submit to the IRS and the types of treaty benefits you may be eligible for in the U.S.

While all F-1 and J-1 visa holders are nonimmigrants for immigration purposes, your visa status does not determine your tax residency.  Your tax residency is determined by a combination of your visa status and the amount of time you’ve been in the U.S.  In general F-1 and J-1 students are non-residents for tax purposes for the first five calendar years that they are in the U.S. (Note to students that arrived in the U.S. in December – this counts as your first calendar year for counting substantial presence!)

See the VITA program’s information on Determining Tax Residency and use their Substantial Presence calculator to determine if you are a resident  or a non-resident for tax purposes.

For more information, contact: ISSS at international@uconn.edu

Tax Filing Information for International Students

Posted on by

 

As 2020 comes to an end, international students and scholars should review information on tax filing in the U.S.

All non-resident aliens for tax purposes need to fill out at least one form for the IRS (Form 8843), even if you did not work or earn taxable income in the U.S.!

Students and scholars that did work or received a taxable scholarship or fellowship may additionally need to file a U.S. and a CT tax return in 2021.  Tax returns need to be filed between February and April 15.  ISSS will share information about how you can file your taxes either by participating in a free UConn VITA workshop or by using Sprintax software with a free code from ISSS.

Review the general tax information for international students and scholars here, including tax documents, tax treaties, income tax filing and more.

For more information, contact: ISSS at international@uconn.edu

Connecticut Travel Advisory Updated

Posted on by

 

Connecticut’s travel advisory was updated this weekend, which may impact plans for students and visiting scholars traveling to Connecticut from other U.S. or worldwide destinations. Here is an excerpt from the ISSS COVID 19 FAQ, which provides the updated information for travelers:

3. I’m traveling to Connecticut from another U.S. state, or internationally. What are my quarantine requirements? What should I expect at the airport?

The University requires all students living on campus to follow University quarantine rules. Students who live off campus who have on-campus responsibilities must follow university rules for testing before you come to campus. If you live off-campus, but you have on-campus responsibilities starting before January 19, contact SHaW at 860-486-4700 to learn about requirements or accommodations for being on-campus.

Quarantine and arrival rules are established by individual U.S. states. Check the latest rules for travelers to Connecticut, including a very detailed FAQ, on this webpage. Travelers who were present in all U.S. states other than Rhode Island, New York and New Jersey within 10 days prior to arrival to Connecticut, or who were present in any country outside the U.S. within 10 days before arrival,  must complete a travel form (available here), and must either quarantine for 10 days after arrival or submit proof of negative COVID test taken up to 72 hours before, or anytime within that 10 days after arrival, to break quarantine early.  To be exempt from the state of Connecticut self-quarantine requirement, submit a copy of your negative test result to  DPH.COVID-Travel@ct.gov.

Question #7 in the FAQ defines quarantine expectations for the state of Connecticut (where you can and cannot go during quarantine). Remember, if you live on campus, you will also be subject to campus self-quarantine requirements.

What to expect at Bradley International Airport (Windsor Locks, Connecticut).

What to expect at Logan International Airport (Boston).

What to expect at JFK International Airport (New York), LaGuardia Airport and Newark Liberty International Airports

For more information, contact: ISSS at international@uconn.edu

International Student Study Requirements for Spring 2021 (Distance Learning)

Posted on by

 

ISSS has confirmed updated guidance from the U.S. government regarding international students and distance learning for the Spring 2021 semester.

Please note the following rules and requirements:

  • Current students who were enrolled March 9, 2020 or earlier: Students who were enrolled in a U.S. academic program on March 9, 2020 and have continued to maintain F-1 visa status may study fully online while in the U.S. Also, if you are studying full time from your home country, ISSS may keep your SEVIS record active while you are gone, even if your total absence exceeds 5 months.
  • Current students who arrived after March 9, 2020: Students who arrived in the U.S. to begin your program after March 9, 2020 were required to take at least one in-person or hybrid course during Fall 2020 as part of your full-time enrollment. In Spring 2021, this requirement continues, and you must have at least one in-person or hybrid course as part of your Spring 2021 full time course load.
  • New students for Spring 2021: Students who will travel to the U.S. to begin a program for Spring 2021 must have at least one in-person or hybrid course as part of your full-time enrollment.

Special Situations

  • Former students returning on an initial attendance I-20: Students who were present and enrolled in a program of study on March 9, 2020, but who have not maintained continuous F-1 status, and will return to the U.S. on an I-20 issued for initial attendance, should enroll in at least one in-person or hybrid course if returning to the United States for Spring 2021 semester.
  • SEVIS Transfer and Change Education Level Students: Students who are new to their UConn program for Spring 2021, but were in the U.S. on March 9, 2020 studying at another institution, or in a different UConn program, and have continued their F-1 status through the SEVIS Transfer process or Change Education Level process may study fully online while in the U.S.
  • Change of Visa Status Students: Students who are requesting a change of visa status to F-1 with an I-20 start date of Spring 2021 or earlier should enroll in at least one in-person or hybrid course as part of your full-time enrollment. While this situation is not directly addressed in the government guidance, we suggest you follow this, even if you were present and enrolled at a U.S. institution in another visa status on March 9, 2020.
  • J-1 Visa Students: If you are in the U.S. on a J-1 student visa for study, we anticipate the same rules will apply as noted above. We are still awaiting official guidance from the Department of State on this matter, but in past semesters the Department of State has mirrored the guidance for F-1 students.

 

Questions? Please contact international@uconn.edu and your message will be forwarded to your ISSS Advisor.

Updates to OPT litigation, H-1B Rules

Posted on by

Great news for international students on F visas! On November 30th, a federal district court indicated they will deny a labor union’s ongoing litigation against the federal government, which threatened to overturn the post-completion OPT and STEM OPT benefits for F-1 students. This action means the OPT and STEM OPT benefits are no longer threatened by this lawsuit. More information can be found here.

Also, on December 1, 2020 a federal district court locked two new rules impacting H-1B visas from implementation, citing the government agencies behind the rules, did not have just cause to publish the rules without a notice/comment period. More information can be found on the NAFSA website.

Students with Spring 2021 I-20/DS-2019 Program Start Dates

Posted on by

 

We look forward to welcoming you in just a few months. This is a reminder that students who will arrive in the U.S. for Spring 2021 semester must take a full-time course load, and at least one of those courses must be an in-person or hybrid course. Please work with your academic advisor to select a suitable course or set of courses for this option.

If you will not arrive for Spring 2021, you must notify ISSS. Students who will arrive for a later semester must request an updated I-20 form or DS-2019 form by submitting the SEVIS Defer-Request Update to I-20/DS-2019 form. We ask that undergraduate students complete this form by December 7, and graduate students complete this form by December 19, if they know they will not come. We understand that some students may not yet know the outcome of their visa applications by these dates, and if you are unsure, you may submit this form after the deadline. If you will cancel your enrollment, please contact international@uconn.edu as well as your program admission office.