NEW INTERNATIONAL

STUDENT
FALL ORIENTATION 2010
Office of international & multicultural
programs
Barry University

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 Resources, Advocacy &
Programming
Office of international & multicultural
programs
Barry University

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 Resources
•Immigration Information
•South Florida Consulate Relationships
•Relationships with every local and federal
agency in the State of Florida
•Monthly Immigration Seminars to make sure
you know what you are eligible for so you can
create the best plan for you!

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 Advocacy
•Detained at the airport?
•Harassed unnecessarily
•Cannot get a social security number
•Cannot get your visa renewed?
•Your internship counselor not familiar with
immigration regulations and does not want to hire
you?
•Having problems with a professor .. Struggling
with US academic style?
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 Programming
•International programming from cultural
festivals to dialogue sessions
•Multicultural Programming that address cross
cultural issues and social justice
•Office collaborates with many offices and
schools in the university to provide EVERYONE
with a enriched cultural experience!
•You can assist and provide feedback on what
you would like to see!

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Information Sheet & FERPA

Office of international & multicultural

programs
Barry University

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 Information Sheet
•Every international student must fill out an
information sheet upon check-in. This info sheet
includes important contact information such as:
– Permanent address
– Local address
– Telephone number
– Email address
– Passport and visa information
– Major

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 FERPA
•FERPA is the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974
(commonly referred to as the "Buckley Amendment")
•FERPA is designed to protect the confidentiality of education records and to
give students access to their records to assure the accuracy of their contents.
The Act affords students certain rights with respect to their education
records.
•A student's rights begin when the student registers and attends his or her first
class.
• Examples of student records entitled to protection under FERPA include:
– grade reports, transcripts and most disciplinary files. This protected
information cannot be released to any third party, including
parents and family members, without signed and dated written
consent from the student.
•Parents often express interest and concern for their student's academic
progress. Our hope is that students will maintain open communication with
their family members regarding their academic progress and other important
issues. 8
 Immigration 101

Office of international & multicultural

programs
Barry University

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 Introduction
• Do’s and Don’ts
• I-20 / SEVIS
• Passport
• Visa
• I-94 Departure Record
• Social Security
• Severe Economic Hardship
• Curricular Practical Training
• Optional Practical Training
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 Do’s and Don’ts
• Do check with International and Multicultural
Programs Office before traveling outside the United
States (US), transferring to another school and
considering any kind of employment.

• Do keep all documents updated and/or valid.

• Do not rely on friends, professors or staff for

advice on immigration status. Come and see us!

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 I-20 / SEVIS
•You present this document to the US Embassy or Consulate
abroad to obtain your visa, and present it to the border officials
(customs) in order to enter the US each time you travel abroad.

• Make sure IMP signs page three of your I-20 before you
leave, failure to do so will prevent you from re-entering the
US, or you will be given an I-515A. Only your international
student advisor who is a designated school official can sign
your I-20.

• The Student and Exchange Visitor Information System

(SEVIS) is a web-based system for maintaining information on
international students and exchange visitors in the United
States.
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 SAMPLE I-20

Page 1 Page 2 Page 3

Information Page Instruction Page Signature Page
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 Passport
• A passport is issued by your
country of citizenship, and it can
usually be renewed through your
Embassy or Consulate in the US. A
list of them maybe found on our
website or in IMP office.

• Always check for the date of

expiration of your passport, in order
to renew it before the expiration
date.
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 Visa
• The US visa is stamped inside your
passport, which permits you to enter
the US.

• Students will either have an F-1 or

J-1 visa. The US visa may expire
while you are here in the US, but you
don’t have to renew it while you are
in the US. A new visa will be required
if the original one expires and you
travel outside the US.
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 I-94 Card
• It is the small white card which you complete before
passing customs upon entrance to the US.

• This document authorizes you to be in the US as a

student or scholar for a specific period of time.

• The I-94 must be valid at all times and should be

kept with the passport, it will be surrendered to
airlines officials when you leave the US.
* If you lose your I-94 you’ll have to pay $300 USD
to USCIS to get a new I-94 card.
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 I-94 Card
• Make sure that the expiration on the I-94 card states
D/S (duration of study). If it has a specific date please
see an advisor in IMP ASAP!

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CHECK IN…

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 Check In
The Check-in process is a very important part of
an international student’s responsibility in
maintaining their status. International students
must:
•Bring all immigration documents to IMP (i.e.
passport, visa, I-20, I-94 etc.)

•Fill out check-in forms such as FERPA, info.

sheet and maintaining status sheet

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REGISTRATION…

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 Registration
ALL international student are given (2) Registration
HOLD FLAGS at the beginning of each new semester.

These Registration HOLD FLAGS are typically termed:

IS – International Student
HN – Nursing – Student Health Centre
 
All Registration HOLD FLAGS must be released
BEFORE A STUDENT CAN REGISTER.

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 Registration
To RELEASE the IS Registration HOLD FLAG each student must bring the
following original documents to the Office of International and Multicultural
Programs:

•Passport
•Visa
•I-94 card
•I-20 (in case of F-1 students)
•DS- 2019 form (in case of J-1 exchange students)
•Proof of current immigration status in the case of H-1, E-2 etc
 
**To RELEASE the HN Registration HOLD FLAG, please contact the
Student Health Center at:
(305) 899-3750

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SEMESTER HOLDS…

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 Semester Holds
•EVERY semester you will have a hold!
•They will not be removed if you call or email.
•This is your responsibility.
•Do not have an academic advisor or your parents
call to have it removed. This is a university
policy.
•This is done:
•To assure that you maintaining status
•We are able to report that you are in the country – we
have report physical presence to immigration.
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 Maintaining Status
Office of international & multicultural
programs
Barry University

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 Maintaining Status
As an F-1 student you were admitted to the U.S. for ‘duration-status’
(D/S is found on the white I-94 card in your passport). This means
you are permitted to stay in the U.S for as long as you maintain your
status by fulfilling the requirements of being an F-1 Student.
Keep in mind that there is an important difference between an
F-1 visa and F-1 status.
The visa is a stamp or sticker placed in your passport by a U.S.
embassy or consulate and is granted for entry purposes only. F-1
status is granted when you enter the U.S. and is regulated by the
United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).

Even if your visa is valid, you can loose your legal F-1 student
status if you do not continue to comply with immigration laws
regulating your stay in the U.S.
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 Maintaining Status
Overview of Government Regulations You Must Follow in
Order to Maintain Your Legal Status
1) Maintain a valid passport at all times, unless exempt from passport
requirements.
2) Attend the university that the USCIS has authorized you to attend.
3) Complete an official Immigration transfer whenever you change
educational institutions.
4) Complete a full course of study during the fall and spring
semesters (12 hours per semester for undergraduates; 9 hours \for
graduate students).
5) Apply for an extension if you cannot complete your degree by the
ending date indicated on your I-20.

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 Maintaining Status
Overview of Government Regulations You Must Follow in
Order to Maintain Your Legal Status
6) Obtain a new I-20 whenever you make a change in degree levels,
if you add a CPT etc.
7) Work off-campus only if you have first received authorization
from an International Student Advisor or USCIS. On-campus work
does not require authorization, but you must maintain your full-time
student status or your work on-campus will become illegal.
8) Request travel endorsement on the back of your I-20 form from
IMP 2 weeks prior to scheduled departure from the U.S. if you wish
to re-enter the U.S.
9) Report a change of address to IMP office within 7 days of the
change.

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 Maintaining Status
Penalties for voiding student regulations vary
from:

(1)applying for reinstatement

(2)voluntarily leaving the U.S.
(3)deportation

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 Work Options
Office of international & multicultural
programs
Barry University

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 Social Security

•The Social Security Card is issued by Social

Security Administration by which they assign a
unique number to each applicant.

•Applying for a social security card does not

mean that you will get one nor getting a card
does not mean you can work off-campus. IT
IS NOT A WORK PERMIT!
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 Social Security Card
• The card has evolved into a extensively used
identification tool. One of its uses is to verify
individuals identity and credit history.

You will need a social security card for :

• Applying for a credit card;
•Applying for a job, etc.

It is not required:
•For a bank account
•Apartment rental
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 What documents do I need for a
Social Security Card ?
• Valid Passport
• SEVIS I-20 Form
•I-94 card (must show F-1 status or DS-2019/J-1 status)
• Barry ID Card
• Letter of Introduction from IMP (must request ahead of time
…it takes 2-3 weeks to process)
•Letter of employment from an employer on-campus or and
internship supervisor
• Birth Certificate (optional)
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Economic Hardship Employment
• The U.S Citizenship and Immigration Services
(USCIS) considers severe economic hardship to be
situations that are unforeseen and beyond your
control.
– These may include loss of financial support or on-
campus employment that is not your fault, unexpected
changes in the financial condition of your sponsor, or
devaluation of your home currency. This type of
application is filed with USCIS. The application process
requires rigorous documentation to prove your case.

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Economic Hardship Employment
You are eligible for employment based on Severe
Economic Hardship if:
1. You are in-status which means you are in good
academic standing and are taking a full course load.
2. You can demonstrate unforeseen severe economic
hardship.
3. Employment on campus does not meet financial
needs.
4. You have been in F-1 status for one academic year.
5. Employment will not interfere with your studies.
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Economic Hardship Employment
Employment will be:
1. Part-time off-campus
2. It is non-employee specific.

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Curricular Practical Training (CPT)
• Is an employment which is integral or important part of your
curriculum, such as an internship or practicum needed for the
completion of your degree.

• The job MUST be related to your major field of study and be

an integral part of your studies.

•Authorization for CPT is given by an international

student advisor (DSO) for a specific employer and period
of time.

•You must apply BEFORE starting your internship!

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 CPT Student Eligibility
Requirements
•If you are an undergraduate student you must have
completed 9 months of full time studies.
•If you are a graduate student you can do it
immediately.
• You must be maintaining good F-1 status.
• The proposed employment is a required part of
your studies. In order to be approved for CPT you
must be authorized by an international student
advisor and USCIS.
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Optional Practical Training (OPT) -
• It is designed to provide you with an opportunity to
gain actual employment experience in your chosen
profession for a maximum of 1 year.

• You must apply 120 days before you complete your

studies and you have until the day you graduate to
apply. The application takes 3 – 4 months to be
processed. Keep in mind that the application process
entails going through IMP office for recommendation
and USCIS for approval.
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International Assistant
Program
Office of international & multicultural
programs
Barry University

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 International Assistants
•Who is an IA?
An international assistant is a student who serves as a
mentor, resource and leader to new and transfer
international students to Barry University.

• What does an IA do?

HELP International students! (i.e. remind you of
immigration policies, inform you of OIMP events & sessions,
accompany you to see their advisors, instructors, campus
resources, make sure that everything is going smoothly, etc.)

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 Do Stuff!! Get Involved!!
• IMP Events and Activities:
– IA Programs
– Hispanic Month
– International Week
– Black History Month
– Herstory Month
– Immigration Seminars
– Festival of Nations

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 Do Stuff!! Get Involved!!
• Clubs and Organizations:
– Caribbean Student Association (CSA)
– Latin Student Association (LASA)
– Bahamian Association (BAHA)
– Jamaican Student Association (JSA)
– Black Students Union (BSU)
– Turks and Caicos Islands Student Association
(TCSA)

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 Do Stuff!! Get Involved!!
• Clubs and Organizations:
– Arts in Motion Production
– BLISS
– American Sign Language Club
– WBRY Radio Station
– Buccaneer Newspaper
– Fraternities and Sororities
– Campus Crusaders for Christ
– Gospel Choir
– Habitat for Humanity

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 Do Stuff!! Get Involved!!
Phi Beta Delta:
– Phi Beta Delta, founded at California State University, Long Beach in 1986
•Its goals are:
– to recognize the scholarly achievement of international students and scholars, who have studied
abroad and faculty and staff who are involved in international activities;
– to serve as a vehicle for the development of academic-based international programming;
– to provide a network on each campus of faculty, staff and students involved in international
endeavors
•The Greek letters in Phi Beta Delta stand for the following:
– Phi (philomatheia) - love of knowledge;
– Beta (biotremmonia) - valuing of human life; and
– Delta (diapheren) - achieving excellence
•Initial Requirements:
– Junior
– 2.5 – Undergrad
– 3.0 Graduate

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QUESTIONS?

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