Immigration Information

What is SEVIS?

SEVIS (Student and Exchange Visitor Information System) is an internet-based system developed by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) formerly known as U. S. Immigration and Naturalization Service to maintain information on nonimmigrant students holding F, M and J visas. All schools authorized to issue these visas have been required to use SEVIS to provide regular electronic reports to the immigration service in accordance with regulations which have been in effect since January 1, 2003. All F-1 students currently enrolled at Tallahassee Community College are holding a SEVIS I-20.

Change of Address

Students in F-1 status are required to update their address and phone number within 10 days of any change. It is very important that students give their change of address to the Enrollment Services Office (850-201-8555). Please remember this address cannot be a P. O. Box.

Full Reduced Course load

According to DHS regulations under SEVIS, a student must enroll full time with a minimum load of 12 hours of study during the fall and spring semesters. This requirement does apply during the summer term unless this is the student's first semester of enrollment, in which case 9 hours is considered full load for the summer at TCC. Students who drop below full course of study during the fall or spring semesters without the prior approval of the International Student Advisor will be considered out of status. There is limited number of acceptable reasons for students to be authorized to take a reduced course load. These reasons include:

• Students in certain specific academic and medical situations with extenuating circumstances. Consult with the international student advisor at (850) 201-8440 before enrolling in less than a full load or dropping below l2 hours of study. Approval for less than a full courseload is limited to:
  
  • One semester per degree program for academic reasons (students must maintain a minimum of six credit hours.
  • One year for medical reasons.
• Students who are in their final term of study and do not need a full course of study to complete the degree.

Distance Learning

F-1 students cannot be enrolled in more than 3 credit hours of distance education courses within their 12 hours.

Program Completion Date

Students must pay close attention to the program completion date on the I-20. The Student's F-1 status will end on the program completion date unless a prior request to extend it has been made and approved by the international student advisor. A program extension should be requested at least 30 days prior to the program end date and is subject to review. Note that the program completion date is based on an estimate of the reasonable amount of time that it takes for a student to obtain the degree and no longer includes an additional grace period. Therefore, it is very important to progress satisfactorily and to be in close contact with the international student advisor.

Transfers

For immigration purposes, "transfer" simply means that a student is leaving one school's "I-20 program" for another school's "I-20 program". This can happen when an international student:

1. Graduates from a U. S. high school and comes to Tallahassee Community College.
2. Leaves and goes to another institution without graduating.
3. Graduates from TCC and enrolls at a university to pursue a bachelor's degree.

Students who want to transfer must be in contact with two schools: the current school and the new 'transfer" school. To transfer, a student must:

• Apply for admission and be admitted to the new transfer school.
• Inform the Enrollment Services Office as soon as possible after admission, no later than the last day of the current semester so that they will release the student's SEVIS record to the other school.
• Inform the new transfer school of the expected transfer date (usually the last day of the current semester).
• Complete the process at the transfer school no later than 15 days after the first class day of the first semester of enrollment.
• Pay careful attention to the last date of the semester at the current school and the first day of classes at the transfer school. Failure to complete the transfer process in the prescribed timeframe will cause a student to fall "out of status".
• If a student decides to attend a different institution from the one previously chosen, Enrollment Services must be notified as soon as possible or entry to that university will be delayed.

Leaving the country for a short period of time before graduation

Students must have the back of their I-20 signed by the appropriate official in the Enrollment Services Office prior to leaving the US to go home or to visit any other country. Students, who transferred to TCC from any other institution in the US through a transfer I-20 and choose to leave the US temporarily, must go to the US Embassy in their country in order to change the visa to read "Tallahassee Community College". For example, if the first school a student attends in the US is the University of Los Angeles and later this student transfers to TCC, when leaving the country, this student must go the US Embassy in his/her country in order to regain entry into the US to continue at TCC. This student cannot reenter the US to continue at TCC with a visa given by and for another school. Please keep in mind that once students leave the US, reentry is not guaranteed even if they are in the middle of their program of study at a US institution.

It is recommended that prior to leaving the US, students take an official transcript from TCC in addition to the I-20 and any other necessary documents that might be requested by the US Embassy in their native countries.

Implications of Failure to Maintain F-1 Status

Students who fail to follow the above guidelines will be reported to DHS through SEVIS within 21 days of a violation such as an unauthorized drop below a full course of study.

How can a student who has been reported to DHS as "out of status" regain status?
A student who violates his/her immigration status may apply to Immigration for reinstatement and pay the applicable fee. Under the new regulations, reinstatements will be much more difficult to obtain. Reasons for reinstatement are limited to circumstances beyond a student's control, such as natural disaster. That is why it is highly recommended the students follow the given guidelines.

In addition, a student may not apply for reinstatement under any circumstances if he or she has been out of status for more than five months. If the student has been out of status for over 5 months, the individual would have to leave the country and reapply for entry to the US as a "new student" in order to get back into legal status. There are no assurances that the student would be able to obtain a visa or be allowed to reenter the US in F-1 status.

For more information in how to mantain your status please click on this link How to Maintain F-1 Status.

Departing the US

An F-1 student who has completed their degree program will be allowed a 60-day period to prepare for departure from the US. An F-1 student authorized by TCC to withdraw from classes is allowed a 15-day period to prepare for departure. Students who withdraw from the school without prior approval must depart the US immediately.

Dependents

F-1 students are eligible to bring dependents (spouse and children under 21) into the US in F-2 status. F-2 dependents can no longer enroll in a full course of study. If a dependent wants to enroll as a full time student, he/she should request F-1 status not F-2. F-2 dependents are not allowed to work on or off campus.

Working in the US

Immigration regulations prohibit F-1 students to work in the United States. However, students are permitted to work a maximum of 20 hours only on the campus which awarded the I-20, but students need to keep in mind that work on campus is extremely limited and is up to each student to find a position. According to new rules, a student needs to obtain a letter from the school and a letter from the employer on campus in order to apply for a social security card. A social security card will no longer be issued unless the student has obtained employment on campus.

TCC is required to inform SEVIS for the following Reasons:

• Any student who has failed to maintain status or complete a degree program before the I-20 expires.
• A change of the student or dependent's legal name.
• A change of the student's U. S. address.
• Any student who has graduated or left the program prior to the program end date listed on the SEVIS Form I-20.
• Any disciplinary action taken by the school against the student as a result of the student being convicted of a crime; and
• Any other notification request made by SEVIS with regard to the current status of the student.

In addition, every term, and no later than 30 days after the deadline for registering for classes, all schools must report the following registration information electronically to SEVIS:

• Whether the student has enrolled at the school, dropped below a full course of study without prior authorization by the school, or failed to enroll.
• The current address of each enrolled student.
• The start date of the student's next session, term, or semester.