Fall 2021 | Weekly updates for International Students @ UC San Diego
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Immigration and Regulation Updates |
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Changing 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
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Submit Termination/Completion of Status Reporting Form in iportal.ucsd.edu.
- Upload H-1B Approval Notice
For Students on 24 Month STEM OPT Extension
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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)
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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.
ISPO will update its Immigration Policy Updates page with links to official White House and agency announcements once they become available.
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Department of Homeland Security To Allow Fully Vaccinated Travelers from Canada and Mexico to Enter U.S. at Land Border and Ferry Crossings in November
On October 12, 2021, Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas announced that "non-essential" travelers who are fully vaccinated and have appropriate documentation can enter the U.S. via land and ferry points of entry. According to the announcement, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) will begin to allow fully vaccinated travelers to enter beginning in November. Travelers must have proof of vaccination with them at the time of crossing to be permitted entry.
Read the full announcement here.
ISPO will update its Immigration Policy Updates page with links to official White House and agency announcements once they become available.
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OPT Reporting Requirements Reminders |
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STEM OPT Extension Reporting Requirements (Validation Reports)
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For changes to your personal address or phone number, use the SEVP Portal.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Reporting Reminders for Students on Standard 12-Month OPT
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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
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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.
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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!
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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
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