ISSS WEEKLY UPDATE FOR 3/11/2003

NEW ANNOUNCEMENTS:

1. ISSS CLOSED TUESDAYS
2. FINANCIAL AID WALK-INS
3. ADDITIONAL SPECIAL REGISTRATION APPOINTMENTS
4. LAST FINANCIAL AID INFORMATION SESSIONS THIS WEEK!
5. H-1B1 VISA INFORMATION WORKSHOP, THURSDAY, MARCH 13!
6. F-1 CURRICULAR/OPTIONAL PRACTICAL TRAINING WORKSHOP, FRIDAY,

   MARCH 14

7. Fall 2003 International Friendship Group Leader Application now available
8. INS MOVES INTO DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
9. SOME J-1 APPLICATION FORMS WILL BE AVAILABLE LATER THIS WEEK

For repeated announcements, please read on below the new announcements.

REPEATED ANNOUNCEMENTS:

1. SEVIS UPDATE (3/4/2003)
2. TAX WORKSHOP ONLINE REGISTRATION NOW AVAILABLE (3/4/2003)
3. EVIS UPDATE (2/25/2003)
4. FOR ALL SUBJECT TO SPECIAL REGISTRATION REQUIREMENT (2/25/2003)
5. TAX SOFTWARE IS NOW AVAILABLE (2/25/2003)
6. ISSS INVITES ALL SPRING 2003 GRADUATES! (2/18/2003)
7. F-1 OPT APPLICATION WINDOW (2/4/2003)
8. NEW INS FEES (2/4/2003)
9. APPLY SOON FOR SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER (2/4/2003)
10. SOCIAL SECURITY LETTERS FOR STUDENTS (1/28/2003)
11. DEPENDENT STUDY:  F-2s AND J-2s (1/14/2003)
12. EXCEPTION FROM FULL-COURSE-OF-STUDY FORM (1/14/2003)
13. ON-CAMPUS WORK PERMIT ENDS ON GRADUATION DAY (12/17/2002)

NEW ITEMS

1.  ISSS CLOSED TUESDAYS

Beginning Tuesday, March 18, ISSS will be closed every Tuesday in order to create over 4,000 SEVIS records before August 1, 2003.  We appreciate your continued patience.

2.  FINANCIAL AID WALK-INS

Due to ISSS being closed on Tuesdays, Financial Aid Walk-ins will be cancelled.  However, financial aid questions will be handled in the following way: 

1.  Gabi Schmiegel will respond to questions by e-mail:  schm0535@umn.edu

2.  You may schedule a financial aid appointment by calling the ISSS Front Desk:  612-626-7100

3.  ADDITIONAL SPECIAL REGISTRATION APPOINTMENTS

In addition to Wednesday, March 12, 2003, ISSS has arranged fixed appointment times for Special Registration with Immigration & Naturalization Service (INS)* on Thursday, March 13, 2003, for individuals in Group Three and Four, who meet the reporting requirements for Special Registration.  Please see the ISSS web site for more detailed information about the requirement:

http://www.isss.umn.edu/INSGen/INSspecreg.html

To make an appointment with INS for Special Registration, please call Hanae Tsukada at ISSS at 612-626-7194.  Call as soon as possible because INS has set aside only a limited number of appointments.

* Effective on March 1, 2003, the benefits section of the INS officially changed their name to the Bureau of Citizenship & Immigration Services.

4.  LAST FINANCIAL AID INFORMATION SESSIONS THIS WEEK!

International students interested in applying for financial aid for the 2003-2004 academic year should attend an information session.  Applications will be distributed at these meetings.  All meetings will be held in the Carlson School of Management, on the West Bank of the Minneapolis campus.  The last two meetings will be held this week:

Wednesday, March 12  at 1:30 – 3:00 p.m.  in CSOM 2-233

Thursday, March 13  at 3:00 – 4:30 p.m.  in CSOM 2-228

Please see the ISSS web site for details:

http://www.isss.umn.edu/programs/fa/default.html

After the last meeting on Thursday, March 13, the 2003-2004 financial aid applications will be available at the ISSS front desk in the Humphrey Center, room 190.

5.  H-1B1 VISA INFORMATION WORKSHOP, THURSDAY, MARCH 13!

The H-1B1 Visa Information Workshop is on Thursday, March 13, 2003!  Please attend the session to learn about H-1B1 visas.  An overview will be given of the eligibility requirements, application process, and timeline needed.

The Career Workshop sessions will be held every Thursday through April 3, 2003, (except Thursday, March 20: Spring Break) from 3:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. in Blegen Hall, room 10, on the West Bank of the Minneapolis campus.  These workshops are free.  Registration is not required.  Detailed information about this workshop series is available on the ISSS web site:

http://www.isss.umn.edu/career/workshops.html

6.  F-1 CURRICULAR/OPTIONAL PRACTICAL TRAINING WORKSHOP, FRIDAY, MARCH 14

Attend one of these workshops to find out everything you need to know about Curricular and Optional Practical Training!  For more detailed information, please visit this workshop and the whole ISSS career series on the web site:

http://www.isss.umn.edu/career/CP_OPTworkshops.html

7.  Fall 2003 International Friendship Group Leader Application now available

- Interested in working with new international students?

- Looking to develop intercultural experience while building skills for your resume?

- Want to gain skills in planning events and working with others?

If you answered (YES) volunteering as a group leader for the International Friendship Group Program might be for you!

For more information and to complete an on-line International Friendship Group Leader application for the Fall 2003 semester, please see the ISSS web site: 

http://www.isss.umn.edu

You will be contacted to schedule a brief interview after your application is received.

8.  INS MOVES INTO DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

On March 1, 2003, the Immigration & Naturalization Service ceased to exist.  Its functions have been divided among three different bureaus of the new Department of Homeland Security (DHS).  The job of inspecting foreign nationals who enter the United States is the responsibility of the Bureau of Customs and Border Protection (BCBP).  The job of processing applications for benefits such as Optional Practical Training, changes of status from one non-immigrant classification to another, and permanent residence, will fall to the Bureau of Citizenship & Immigration Services (BCIS).  Other tasks, such as overseeing the SEVIS tracking system will be handled by the Bureau of Immigration & Customs Enforcement (BICE).

The information on the old INS web site is available on the BCIS web site.  The new web address is:

http://www.immigration.gov

Information about the Department of Homeland Security and other immigration-related functions is available on the DHS web site:

http://www.dhs.gov

9.  SOME J-1 APPLICATION FORMS WILL BE AVAILABLE LATER THIS WEEK

ISSS expects to have the applications for J-1 extensions for scholars and students available on the ISSS web site later this week.  Please check the ISSS web site for these forms:

http://www.isss.umn.edu

We apologize for the inconvenience and ask for your patience as we revise all J-1 document request forms to include SEVIS requirements.

J-2 applications for work permission are still available on the ISSS web site and in hard copies at ISSS.

UNIVERSITY EVENTS CALENDAR Click

Visit the University Events Calendar regularly for programs, films, concerts, and celebrations of special interest to you! Many events are free or affordable to University Community members and the public.

SUBSCRIBING TO THE INTL-L LISTSERVE