Students and SEVIS:
Departmental Checklist

Under the new federal regulations, students and universities share responsibility for reporting status changes in an accurate and timely manner. The following is a compilation of some of the major reportable events under SEVIS as well as basic instruction in how and where these changes may be processed.

Admission/Departments:
Early admission decisions and encourage early enrollment. Visa delays are more common and visa issuance requires more lead time.

Orientation Requirement:
All new international students will be required to attend an International Student Services (ISS) Orientation Program. Student success is dependent upon knowing the rules.
The students will receive information about the sessions in their admission packets or on the ISS website at: www.intstudents.wisc.edu.
A PSI (Positive Service Indicator) will be placed on all newly admitted students who attend a session. This PSI is noted in ISIS and has no negative impact on student enrollment..
All newly admitted students who miss the mandatory orientation program will receive an email notification from ISS to attend a make-up session.
Departments should require students to attend an ISS orientation program or make-up session.

Full-time enrollment:
Each semester UW-Madison is required to report enrollment for students.
College/department Payroll Administrators should put assistantship appointments into the payroll system prior to the second week of class. Reduced enrollment because of a TA/PA appointment cannot be approved until the appointment has been entered.

Addresses: Students MUST keep ADDRESSES current via their "My UW" account:
Change in home (foreign) address -- student must report change within 10 days.
Change of US residential (mailing) address -- student must report change within 10 days.
Once these changes are noted, ISS has 21 days to report them to SEVIS.
Students with no US or foreign addresses can NOT be reported as enrolled and risk deportation.
Departments can encourage students to accurately and timely submit addresses

Change of major or adding a major :
Department submits the paperwork to the Registrar's Office. After it has been entered into ISIS,
ISS will report the change to SEVIS within 21 days. Timely submission and processing of the
change by the department and other administrative units is essential.

Change of degree level:
Department submits the paperwork to the Registrar's Office. After it has been entered into
ISIS, ISS will report the change to SEVIS within 21 days. Timely submission and processing the
change by the department and other administrative units is essential.
The student must meet with an ISS advisor and show proof of financial.

Travel:
For students who intend to travel, it is important to come to ISS for handouts and travel signatures.
Students need to allow themselves 6-8 weeks for visa applications, which may interfere with
conference attendance. Departments should refer students to ISS for travel advising. Visa
issuance has become subject to security checks and can cause delays up to 7 months. Travel during
brief vacation periods is not recommended.

ISS can process the following events:
Change in student financial information
Required PRIOR permission from ISS to enroll for less than full-time status
Request extension of a student's program before his/her document expires (I-20/DS-2019)
Addition of off-campus employment, including OPT and CPT
On-campus employment permission for J-1 visa holders
Intent to transfer out of institution that issued SEVIS I-20/DS-2019
Social Security Letters

It is critical that no one but ISS student advisors give advice to international students on immigration matters. Inappropriate advice given to students is not an acceptable reason for BCIS to reinstate students if they fall out of status!

September, 2003