Fall 2021 | Updates for Alumni and Students on Post-Completion Training
Immigration and Regulation Updates
White House Announces Lifting of Geographic Travel Bans on November 8, 2021

On October 25, 2021, the White House announced a Presidential Proclamation ("A Proclamation on Advancing the Safe Resumption of Global Travel During the COVID-19 Pandemic") that went into effect on November 8, 2021. This proclamation:  

  1. Ended the geographic travel restrictions under Presidential Proclamations (suspending entry into the U.S. of persons physically present in Brazil, China, India, Iran, Ireland, the Schengen Area, South Africa, and the UK); and  
  2. Put in its place a global vaccination requirement for all adult non-U.S. citizens or non-U.S. immigrant travelers who wish to enter the U.S. by plane on or after November 8, 2021.  
  
What does this mean for nonimmigrant F-1 and J-1 students? 
 
  • You must be fully vaccinated to travel to the U.S. by plane on or after November 8, 2021  
  • You are required to show a negative COVID-19 test result or documentation of recovery from COVID-19 when traveling to the U.S. by air  
  • Limited exceptions to these rules apply  
  
For more information, please reference the following sites:  
Check Out STEM OPT E-File Guide on ISPO's STEM OPT.UCSD.EDU! 

You may have noticed that as of April 12, 2021, USCIS has announced that the Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization may be filed online, as an alternative option to filing by mail. For more information, see this USCIS webpage. ISPO has now created a guide to help you file for STEM OPT online! Please note, you must still complete STEM OPT Stage 1 first.
Tips for Contacting USCIS

If you need to contact USCIS, see the information on their website here. In general ISPO recommends:
 
  • First determine the reason you need to contact them.
  • According to the reason, reach out to either ISPO, USCIS phone number, or through your online USCIS account.
  • Review USCIS Contact Center Tip sheet on above link.
OPT Reporting Requirements Reminders
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 F-1 STEM OPT Reporting 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 F-1 STEM OPT Reporting Form on iPortal.  

  • The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has been scrutinizing the F-1 OPT program for fraudulent employers and fraudulent use of the program through a DHS law enforcement operation called, Operation Optical Illusion. Review the types of employment that may be reported for OPT purposes. If you are unpaid or volunteering, review information here for what qualifies as volunteering or unpaid.

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 report your employment to the SEVP Portal, submit the SEVP Portal Assistance Request at iportal.ucsd.edu.
 
  • 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.

  • The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has been scrutinizing the F-1 OPT program for fraudulent employers and fraudulent use of the program through a DHS law enforcement operation called, Operation Optical Illusion. Review the types of employment that may be reported for OPT purposes. If you are unpaid or volunteering, review information here for what qualifies as volunteering or unpaid. Contact iemployment@ucsd.edu with any concerns or questions.  
Reminder: USCIS Flexibilities for OPT Applications Received by USCIS Between 10/1/20-10/31/21

On February 26, 2021, USCIS announced flexibilities to certain OPT applications successfully delivered to them between October 1, 2020 and May 1, 2021. These flexibilities were then extended to apply to OPT applications successfully delivered to USCIS through October 31, 2021. These flexibilities are intended to assist students affected by USCIS' delayed receipt notices during this busy time. For the complete announcement, click here. For a summary see below: 
 
Full Year of OPT - 14-Month Flexibility 
  • F-1 students whose OPT applications were received between October 1, 2020 and October 31, 2021, will be permitted to complete their 12-month practical training period within 14 months of the date of their Form I-765 approval, instead of 14 months from the date of their F-1 program completion. 

Refiling After Rejection 
  • F-1 students who timely filed Form I-765 but had their applications rejected due to the lengthy USCIS delays may re-file by November 30, 2021, as long as USCIS received the initial filing between October 1, 2020 and October 31, 2021. 
  • NOTE: This will only apply for rejections if your original application was filed within 30 days of the date issued on page of your OPT I-20. This flexibility is only available for rejections, not denials. 

Missing or Deficient Signatures 
  • Applications with missing or deficient signatures are generally rejected at the lockbox. This policy remains unchanged. However, if the lockbox accepts a Form I-765 application for OPT or STEM OPT with a missing or deficient signature, USCIS will issue a Request for Evidence rather than deny the application, to give the applicant the opportunity to respond and provide the necessary signature or correct the deficiency. We encourage applicants filing Form I-765 to review the form instructions on our website to ensure their application is complete before filing it. 
 
If you have any questions, please contact us through iemployment@ucsd.edu or Virtual Drop-In Advising.
Recently Approved for a Change of Status to H-1B?

If you have been approved for a change of status to H-1B effective October 1, 2021 please do the following if you haven’t done so already: 
  
For Students On Initial 12 Month Post-Completion OPT: 
  
  • Submit Termination/Completion of Status Reporting Form in iportal.ucsd.edu 
  • Upload H-1B Approval Notice 
  
For Students on 24 Month STEM OPT Extension 
  
  • Submit Termination/Completion of Status Reporting Form in iportal.ucsd.edu 
  • Upload H-1B Approval Notice 
  • Submit F-1 STEM OPT Reporting Form 
  • Upload I-983 Final Evaluation (bottom half of page 5) 
  
If you have any questions, email us at iemployment@ucsd.edu.
ISPO Office Hours: Drop-ln Advising

While ISPO's Office (Student Center B) is closed to the public for in-person services. We continue to provide all advising services through virtual Zoom advising! Visit iContact.ucsd.edu for various ways to contact an ISPO Advisor!
International Students & Programs Office | iStudents.ucsd.edu
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