Summer 2020 | Updates from the International Students & Programs Office @ UC San Diego
Hello Students,
 
As new federal and state regulations are released to the public, ISPO strives to provide information on how these will impact our international students currently engaged in employment on Optional Practical Training (OPT), STEM OPT, or Academic Training (AT). See important announcements below.
IMMIGRATION UPDATES & INFORMATION
 
On Monday, June 22, President Trump issued a " Proclamation Suspending Entry of Aliens Who Present a Risk to the U.S. Labor Market Following the Coronavirus Outbreak " that goes into effect on June 24 (12:01 am, EDT) and principally affects the H-1B and H-4 classifications. The J-1 classification's subcategories that were impacted are not typically seen on university campuses, and the F-1 OPT/STEM OPT category was not mentioned.
 
The proclamation limits the entry to the U.S. of individuals in H-1B status and their H-4 dependents who were outside of the U.S. as of the effective date of the proclamation AND who have no valid visa stamp as of the effective date (or other valid document, such as an advanced parole document).  It is in effect through 12/31/2020 with the possibility of extension. Exceptions exist if deemed in the national interest as determined by the Departments of State/Homeland Security (such as national defense, medical care to hospitalized COVID patients, and COVID research).  
 
If you are present inside the U.S. on June 24 or are outside the U.S. but have an H-1B visa stamp valid for June 24, then you will not be subject to the conditions imposed by this proclamation.
 
Everyone's immigration situation is unique; we encourage you to contact ISPO at  icontact.ucsd.edu.
 Planning Ahead in Times of Uncertainty

With so many questions remaining unanswered as you begin to plan for the fall quarter, many of you may ask,  "...how am I supposed to make plans with so much uncertainty? What's the point?".  When the future is unknown, planning ahead can seem counterproductive, but it isn’t! When planning -

  • Plan for ONE quarter at a time: If you know that fall quarter will be another quarter of remote instruction, focus on making sure you have remote learning strategies to succeed academically. If you are outside the U.S. or are unable to return in person for the fall, coordinate with your department and college advisors or graduate coordinators, about how you can continue to receive support while outside the U.S. and methods of communication.

  • Plan A, Plan B, and Plan C: It's important to take a look at various outcomes depending on which actions you take. Be realistic and accept that change is upon us. Create contingency plans for any possible outcome! Visit ISPO's COVID-19 FAQ Page to stay up to date with new changes and impacts to your student status.

  • Plan with ISPO: Whether you are here in the U.S. or in bed having a cup of tea on the other side of the world, ISPO continues to support you and is ready to help you plan ahead. We also offer support services for students through our iTable Program who remain in the U.S. experiencing financial hardships due to impacts of COVID-19.

The bottom line is, you are NOT alone.  ISPO Advisors are here and ready to help!
ISPO Virtual Advising

ISPO continues to offer virtual advising via one-on-one appointment, group advising, and webinars to serve the needs of our students.

OPT REPORTING REQUIREMENTS REMINDERS
Reporting Reminders for Students on Standard 12-Month OPT
 
Keep employment, personal address, and phone number up to date at all times using the  SEVP Portal . If you experience a change in any of these areas, log into the SEVP Portal to update your information within 10 calendar days of the change. You do not need to report these changes to ISPO, only to the SEVP Portal. 
 
If you are unable to add an employer within 10 calendar days of the start date, enter the next day as your employment start date in the SEVP Portal. Then submit the iPortal, “SEVP Portal Assistance Request”. ISPO will then be able to enter your correct employment start date in SEVIS and it will reflect in your SEVP Portal within 48 hours.

If you would like your I-20 to reflect your changes, request an updated I-20 from ISPO by submitting the Updated I-20/DS-2019 Request at  iportal.ucsd.edu .
STEM OPT Extension Reporting Requirements (Validation Reports)
 
  • For changes to your personal address or phone number, use the SEVP Portal. 

  • For changes to your employment information, use the Updated I-20/DS-2019 Request at iportal.ucsd.edu, and an ISPO advisor will update your record for you.   

  • To fulfill your validation report requirement that is due every 6 months while on STEM OPT, use the STEM OPT Report Form at iportal.ucsd.edu, and an ISPO advisor will validate your record for you. The F-1 STEM OPT Reporting form must be submitted within 10 days of the validation report due date.  
  • If you experience a change in your employment information at the same time that you have a validation report due, then you must submit BOTH the Updated I-20/DS-2019 Request and the STEM OPT Report Form on iPortal.  
WHY AM I RECEIVING THIS NEWSLETTER?  All international students studying at UC San Diego are automatically subscribed to the iStudents Newsletter to ensure they receive proper immigration updates from our office. The information sent in this Newsletter is available on ISPO's website, iStudents.ucsd.edu, or may direct students to other external resources.  You have the right to unsubscribe from receiving updates from our office at anytime. You can do this by emailing  istudents@ucsd.edu  .   Note, all international students at UC San Diego are responsible for staying up to date with immigration regulations that may affect them. To learn more, visit our website at iStudents.ucsd.edu