As you have recently been informed, the university will be delivering academic instruction solely on-line through the end of the spring 2020 semester. In accordance with this guidance, the Office of International Education is no longer providing in-person services. As a result of this decision, we recognize that you may have many questions.

 

Campus Housing

All students living in a residence hall on campus are required to move back to their permanent residence for the remainder of the semester. Students impacted by residential housing guidelines have been contacted directly. If you live in an on-campus apartment, you are not required to move out. If you have questions related to housing or apartment leases, please contact [log in to unmask].

 

Maintaining Status

We would like to communicate some important information about maintaining valid F-1 or J-1 status. While online coursework is normally limited for International Students, those restrictions have been temporarily lifted. Because the University is offering courses online only for the remainder of the spring 2020 semester, those courses can be used towards maintaining your fulltime enrollment requirement. International students must be enrolled and complete 12 credit hours for Undergraduates and 9 credit hours for Graduate students.  If you have an approved less than full course waiver, you will need to maintain enrollment for the number of hours approved on the waiver.

 

Advising
Because we are not currently providing in-person services, International students should send their questions or a request for phone advising to [log in to unmask].

Submitting Requests
During this time all document requests should be submitted through email to [log in to unmask]. Request forms are located at the OIE forms page.  The completed form should be attached as a pdf to the email. Please include your name and student ID in the subject line. Document processing time will continue to be 7 to 10 business days for all requests.

Until further notice ISSS will no longer be able to offer the service of checking documents for OPT applications. Before we create the I-20 for OPT, we will have checked the I-765 form carefully, and will continue to make suggestions for that form through a detailed checklist provided to each applicant. Detailed instructions for the 12 month OPT application can be found here.

 

Document Shipping

OIE will accept document shipment requests from students via eShipGlobal in order for our students to receive documents during the time our office is closed for visits.  We are able to provide free 3-day Priority Shipping via FedEx.

Traveling

If you choose to depart from the United States, but remain enrolled fulltime, your SEVIS I-20 record will remain active. Please note, depending on how this situation evolves, you should check the current entry requirements of each country included on your travel itinerary. If you are graduating in May, have an OPT application pending, or other immigration application pending e.g. Reinstatement or Change of Status, we strongly encourage you not to travel.

 

It is also important to know that you do not need a valid travel signature on your I-20 in order to leave the United States. However, before you return to the U.S., please complete the travel request form.  Once your request has been approved, please complete the e-ship global form and your document will be mailed to you. 

 

Before requesting a new travel endorsement signature, please check your most recently issued I-20. Travel signatures for current students are valid for one year. If you already have a signature that will still be valid on your planned return date, please do not request a reprint. If you are currently on OPT, the travel signature is valid for 6 months.

For additional information on the Immigration, Customs, and Enforcement response to the Coronavirus go to https://www.ice.gov/covid19

The Office of International Education is committed to serving our students during this challenging time. We will continue to provide support to our valued international community, and do so in a timely manner.
The health of our students and scholars is of the utmost importance to us and we will continue to take precautions as necessary to protect the UTA community. This is a rapidly evolving situation and we encourage all students and scholars to monitor the University’s official web resource for information.

 

 

Jay P Horn

Executive Director

Office of International Education

The University of Texas at Arlington

(817) 272-2357