Fall 2021 | Weekly updates for International Students @ UC San Diego
Immigration and Regulation Updates
Biden Administration To Lift Travel Restrictions for Fully Vaccinated International Travelers in November

The Biden administration announced on September 20th that it will lift travel bans for fully vaccinated international travelers to the U.S. beginning in November. These travel bans, which had been in place for the previous 18 months, impacted individuals from 33 countries, including Brazil, China, India, Iran, South Africa, and members of the EU.
 
International travelers will need to show proof of vaccination before boarding a flight to the U.S. as well as a negative coronavirus test within three days of coming to the U.S.
 
These changes announced Monday only apply to air travel and do not affect restrictions along the land borders.
 
ISPO will update its Immigration Policy Updates page with links to official White House and agency announcements once they become available.  
CBP Extends Canada-Mexico Land Border Restrictions Through to October 21

U.S. Customs and Border Protection has extended the temporary COVID-19 travel restrictions that limit land-border entry into the U.S. for individuals from Canada Mexico through October 21, 2021. Travel will be limited to "essential travel" only. See the CBP announcement here.
 
Affected individuals should contact a U.S. embassy of consulate to determine if OPT is considered essential travel.
Department of State Announces Expansion of In-Person Visa Interview Waiver for F, M and Academic J Visa Applicants

On September 14, the Department of State announced that through the end of 2021, consular officers at U.S. embassies and consulates may now adjudicate F, M, and "academic J visa applicants" (students, professors, research scholars, short-term scholars, or specialists) without an in-person interview, with certain exceptions.
 
For more information, including eligibility requirements, see the State Department's recent announcement.
USCIS Extends Flexibilities for OPT Applicants Affected by USCIS Receipt Notice Delays: For Applications Received by USCIS Between October 1, 2020 and October 31, 2021

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 have now been 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. 
OPT Application Filing Options Update: New Guide Available on ISPO's
STEMOPT.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 USCIS’s webpage. ISPO has also created a guide to help  guide you as you file your STEM OPT online! Please note, you must first complete STEM OPT Stage 1. We hope you find the information on our website helpful!  
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.  
Cap Gap Process and Eligibility 
Did your employer file for a change of status to H-1B visa for you? If your H-1B has officially been filed with USCIS, and your OPT or STEM OPT expires after April 1, 2021, you may be eligible for a Cap-Gap Extension, which allows you to continue to work with your employer until September 30, 2021.  
 
For more information see here.  
Check Your EAD Cards: Is the information correct?  
Once your OPT Application is approved by USCIS, you will receive an Employment Authorization Document, also known as your EAD Card. Once you receive it, double check that the information is correct on the card. If there are any errors in the spelling of your name, dates of authorization, or any other information listed, contact ISPO right away. You may need to request a replacement card from USCIS. For more information see Stage 3: Maintaining F-1 OPT Status (ucsd.edu). Failure to correct these errors early in your OPT period may cause potential issues with your immigration status.  
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