F-1 degree-seeking immigration regulation session

1. OISS: Immigration Session
F-1 Degree-Seeking Students
Last updated: 10/18/2018

2. What is OISS?
The Office of International Students & Scholars (OISS)
•Assist international students, scholars, and
specialists with immigration concerns
•Guide your adaptation to the American culture
and campus life
•Serve as a resource for university departments
who work with an international population

3. OISS Staff
• Bernard Chong, Director
• Jennifer Manini, Program Assistant
• Stephanie Karlsson, International Student Advisor
• Existing/current international students and incoming scholars
• Joseph Agudo, International Student Advisor
• Incoming international students
• Rachel Gonzales, Student Assistant
• Isabella Flores, Student Assistant
Staff members of the Office of International Students and Scholars

4. OISS Advising
• Incoming visa and I-20
issuance
• Change of address
• Traveling out of the country
• Job or internship
• Legal issues
• Change of visa type
• i.e. Marriage to a US
citizen, H-1B, permanent
residence
• Academic changes
• Transferring in/out of
HPU
• Changing levels
(undergraduate to
graduate)
• Academic suspension
• Reduced course load
• Deferment or breaks
Types of advising we offer in the Office of International Students and Scholars

5. SEVIS
• U.S. Government information system (online database)
• This database tracks/monitors nonimmigrant students and exchange
visitors
• Not a replacement for hardcopy I-20 or other visa paperwork
• Your SEVIS record is viewable by USCIS
• Portions of your SEVIS record are viewable by Customs and Border
Patrol (the immigration officers you meet at the airport)
One function of OISS is to maintain your student record information in the
SEVIS database

6. SEVIS
• Academic admission and registration
• Personal information (full name, birth
date and place, country of citizenship)
and any changes
• Financial information (scholarship,
sponsors, etc.)
• Academic program information
(university, degree, and major) and
updates
• Transferring to another university
• U.S. address and address changes
• Dependent information
• Dropping below full course load
Resumption of full course load
• Disciplinary action
• Academic training
• Student employment
• Premature termination of
studies
• Extension of program
participation
• Completion of study program
• Pre- and post-completion
Optional Practical Training and
associated reporting
requirements
OISS must report the following information in SEVIS:

7. OISS: Immigration Session
Understanding Your
Visa Documents

8. Form I-20
• The I-20 is your “Certificate of Eligibility for
Nonimmigrant Student Status”
• An I-20 is the official U.S. immigration form
to show that you are eligible for admission
to a specific U.S. institution
• You need an I-20 in order to:
• Apply for a visa
• Enter the United States
• Show continued eligibility for your F-1
legal status
What is an I-20?

9. Form I-20
• I-20 is valid and you
maintain your academic
status
• Program dates are correct
• Program information
(major) is correct
It is your responsibility to ensure that your:

10. Form I-20
For students who decide to stay for an
extra semester:
We can extend your I-20
BEFORE it expires.
We cannot extend your I-
20 AFTER it expires.
If the date listed on your
I-20 ends, your
F-1 student status will be
terminated.

11. Form I-20
It is your responsibility
to maintain your visa
regulations.
Read the instructions
on page 3 of your
Form I-20

12. I-94 Record
The I-94 is a record of your
travel in and out of the United
States, and your visa status
during your stay
The I-94 record is kept in an
online database, which you
can access using your
passport:
https://i94.cbp.dhs.gov/I94 Class of Admission is
your current status.
The status code must
match your
designated visa.
Class of Admission is
your current status.
The status code must
match your
designated visa.

13. F-1 Visa
• You receive an F-1 visa after
completing the appointment at a
U.S. Consulate.
• This document allows you to
arrive at a U.S. Border (i.e. an
airport in the United States) but
does not guarantee entry into
the United States.
• If you depart the United States,
your F-1 visa must be valid in
order for you to re-enter the
United States in F-1 status.
The F-1 Visa is considered a travel document

14. F-1 Visa
• A physical addition in your passport
• Non-immigrant visa specifically for
students
• Allows access to a U.S. port of entry
(i.e. airport) in order to request
admission to the United States
• It can only be renewed outside of
the U.S.
• Recommend renewing the visa in
your home country
• You can only have 1 valid visa at a
time

15. In the United States, the visa is
considered the stamp or
addition found in your passport
The visa simply allows the F-1
student to request admission
into the U.S. at a port of entry
(i.e. airport) with a border
patrol officer
The officer determines if the
F-1 student is authorized to
enter the U.S. based on the
documents presented (i.e.
passport, I-20, visa)
If the officer decides that the
F-1 student is eligible, they
will grant legal F-1 status by
endorsing the I-94
arrival/departure record
VISA
Visa vs. Status
STATUS

16. Visa vs. Status
The type/class in your visa should match the type/class on your entry stamp.
Be sure to show the proper documentation so the officer can record your status
properly!
If the type/class in your visa does not match the one in your entry stamp, please
visit OISS as soon as possible.
In this situation,
an F-1 student
was accidentally
admitted as a
B-2 (tourist)

17. Maintaining Status
• Always be aware of the expiration date on your I-20, apply for any
necessary extensions before the expiration date
• Any changes to your I-20 must be reported to OISS (i.e. change of
major, educational level, program extension etc.)
• Maintain full time enrollment every Fall and Spring semester, for the
entire semester
• Make normal progress towards completing your degree
• Keep your passport valid at least 6 months into the future
• Inform OISS of address, email or phone number updates within 10
days of any change
• Maintain adequate health insurance
• Report valid work authorization beforehand, do not work illegally
• No illegal activities

18. Course Registration
• Full-time enrollment for all international students
• Undergraduate/bachelor students: 12 credits minimum
• Graduate/master students: 9 credits minimum
• All courses must last for 15 weeks (August 27 –
December 9). No 8 week (8A/8B) courses are permitted
• Amount of online courses per semester is limited to:
Undergraduate (UG) Graduate (GR)
1 online + 3 in-person = 4 courses total 1 online + 2 in-person = 3 courses total
2 online + 3 in-person = 5 courses total 2 online + 2 in-person = 4 courses total
3 online + 3 in-person = 6 courses total 3 online + 2 in-person = 5 courses total

19. Course Registration
There are options for F-1 students who need to enroll part-time and who want to
maintain their visa status:
•Reduced Course Load (RCL)
• Academic Difficulty
• Illness or medical reason
• Final semester
•Leave of Absence
OISS assists with course registration issues in regards to your immigration
regulations
Academic advising/department assists with course registration in regards to
your academic regulations
You must consult with OISS regarding your immigration regulations.
https://www.hpu.edu/oiss/current-students/f-1-students/legal-status.html

20. Program end date May 19, 2024
Grace period 60 days
Depart the U.S.* Before July 18, 2024
Departure
How long can I stay in the U.S.?
For example:
*Unless you decide to stay in the U.S. for school or work after graduation
• Grace period: a period of time the government allows you to remain in the U.S. on your
current status after your program end date
• You cannot leave the U.S. during this grace period and return on an F-1 status. If you
depart the U.S. and intend to return, you will need to return on a new visa status (i.e. as a
tourist)
• Students on post-completion OPT have alternative grace period policies

21. OISS: Immigration Session
Traveling with an F-1
Student Status

22. Traveling
Domestic Travel
U.S. Mainland & Neighbor Islands
International Travel
Outside the U.S.
I-20 travel signature NOT required I-20 travel signature
Travel with a valid U.S. issued state
I.D., U.S. driver’s license, or passport
To travel, you need all of the following:
•Valid passport
•Valid visa
•Valid I-20 with travel signature

23. Traveling
The travel endorsement section is
found on page 2 of the I-20. Only
a Designated School Official
(DSO) can sign for this
endorsement. If you leave the
United States and do not have a
travel signature when you try to
return into the United States, you
may have issues re-entering the
country.
Any full-time staff member in the
Office of International Students
and Scholars has the authority to
sign off on your travel validation.
Form I-20: International Travel

24. OISS: Immigration Session
Work Authorization
for F-1
Degree-Seeking
Students

25. Employment
• International students are eligible to work:
• During the semester: up to 20 hours per week on campus
• During breaks: up to 40 hours per week on campus
• You must be enrolled full time for a minimum of:
• 12 credit hours (undergraduates);
• 9 credit hours (graduates)
On Campus Employment

26. Employment
• F-1 students cannot work (paid or unpaid) off-campus
unless
• Curricular Practical Training (CPT): it is required by
your degree program
(training/observation/internship/clinicals)
• Optional Practical Training (OPT): You apply through
the government for work authorization
Off Campus Employment

27. Employment
In order to be eligible for CPT:
•Valid F-1 immigration status, pursuing a degree at HPU
•Must have completed 1 academic year as a full-time student
•Must be a requirement or integral part of your degree program (Academic department)
• Register for the relevant course
•Activities must relate to your degree program
•Submit necessary documents to OISS
Curricular Practical Training (CPT)
If you do not receive final authorization from OISS, you will be in violation of
your F-1 legal status
https://www.hpu.edu/oiss/employment/f-1/cpt.html

28. Employment
• Pre-completion OPT: off-campus work authorization through USCIS during your degree
program
• Eligible after 1 academic year
• Part-time work while school is in session
• 2-5 months for government processing
• Pre-completion OPT uses up Post-completion OPT
• Post-completion OPT: up to 12 months* of work authorization through USCIS after you
graduate
• Eligible to begin application during your last semester
• Must work at least 20 hours per week
• 2-5 months government processing
Optional Practical Training (OPT)
All OPT activities must be directly related to the student’s major area of study.
https://www.hpu.edu/oiss/employment/f-1/opt.html
*STEM students may receive an additional 24 months of OPT

29. OISS: Immigration Session
Reminders

30. Immigration Check-in
• You must stop by our office in order to complete your
mandatory SEVIS Check-in. Please bring the following
with you:
• Your passport
• Your original I-20
• Your current living address in Hawaii (even if you’re
at a hotel)
It is necessary for you to complete the SEVIS Check-in in order to
show that you have arrived on campus and activate your
SEVIS record. Failure to complete the SEVIS Check-in will put
your status at risk.

31. Updating Contact Info
1. Login to your Pipeline account
2. Homepage > My Quick Links >
Personal Info
3. Verify Address(es) and Phone(s)
4. Update Address(es) and Phone(s)
5. Choose SEVIS Domestic U.S. from
drop-down menu (DO NOT change
Permanent address)
6. Click ‘Submit’ button
7. Update address, include
apartment/unit/room number
8. Click ‘Submit’ button

32. U.S. & HI Laws
• What is jaywalking? The act of
crossing a street in an illegal,
careless, or unsafe manner
• You can get fined for
jaywalking ($100 minimum)
• It is considered jaywalking
to cross the street once the
hand appears (flashing or
steady)
• You can get fined for texting
while using a crosswalk ($15
minimum for first offense)
Jaywalking

33. U.S. & HI Laws
• The legal drinking age in the U.S. is 21 years old
• It is illegal to purchase alcohol for others under age 21
• It is illegal to drink and drive
• It is illegal to use drugs in Hawaii, except if you have a
prescription
• It is illegal to use your phone while driving
• There are some illegal hikes on the island, you can get
fined or worse!

34. Contact OISS
• Website: www.hpu.edu/OISS
• Office Location: UB building,
room 200
• Address: 1164 Bishop St, Ste
200 | Honolulu, HI 96813
• Office Phone: (808) 356-
5299
• Office Hours: Monday -
Friday, 8:00 am - 4:45 pm
• Email: iss@hpu.edu
• Facebook: HPU Office of
International Students and
Scholars
• Twitter: @HPU_OISS
• Instagram: @hpu_oiss