Settling in period
1. Registration
The first thing you need to do after you come to Albuquerque is to go to the Office of International Programs and Studies (OIPS) at the Mesa Vista hall and inform them that you are a new international student (normally one of your seniors from your department will accompany you). Do take your passport and I-20 with you. You will be walked through the registration procedures by them. Collect all brochures, take their instructions and register for the orientation. It would be beneficial if you go through the material (brochures etc) once.
You will be given a temporary Social Security Number (SSN), which will be your identity till you get your pemanent SSN from INS (Immigration and Naturalization Services Department). Applying for SSN is usually done by OIPS. It normally takes a week or two to get the SSN from INS. The OIPS organises International Students Orientation, do attend it.
Registration as a university student might require prior completion of paperwork in your respective departments (kindly verify). For this, please go to your department, and meet the personnel there. The registration for courses can be done through phone or by internet. Please talk to your graduate advisor before you register for courses. You can obtain a free copy of the course schedule from Student Services Center. This Student Services Center (next to Mesa Vista Hall) is also where you get your UNM photo ID which will be useful for checking out books from the library and also identifying yourself as an UNM student whenever required.
The international students office is an excellent place to meet other international students. Do not miss this opportunity to make friends with other students, especially during the orientation.
Dear International Students,
As you may be aware, some important and sweeping changes are being implemented over the course of the upcoming year due to changes in immigration law that will increase the consequences for violations of immigration rules and regulations. We at OIPS are attempting to provide as much information as possible to international students and scholars as well as to the campus community in order to help international students and scholars recognize and comply with immigration regulations. There is much information to communicate, but we will list the two most important points right now and provide more information in the fall semester.
International students are NOT permitted to drop below full-time without special authorization in advance from the International student advisor (there are very few reasons permitted by immigration regulations, so most students will not qualify to take a reduced course load). This has always been the case, but beginning in January 2003 OIPS will need to report any students who drop below full-time status to INS within 21 days of the event (we very likely will have to report this information to INS at least once in the Fall). Students who violate this rule will most likely be required to return to their home country and may or may not be permitted to re-enter the US to resume study. This means that you cannot withdraw from a class or ask the instructor for a W grade at any point during or after the semester ends if it will result in your total units not adding to a full-time course load. What this means is that you will need to balance your courses carefully, taking extra units of easy classes so that you have the option to drop difficult classes and still be full-time. Please contact us if you have questions or are confused about how many units you need to be taking.
The university is required by law to maintain and regularly update visa, passport, local address, and other information on visiting students and scholars. If any of the information on your I-20 or IAP-66 form changes, you change your major, level, local address, source of financial support, or name, or you get a passport or visa update, you will need to inform OIPS immediately of this change and in some cases obtain a new I-20 or IAP-66 form.
Other regulation changes are forthcoming from INS and the Department of State in the upcoming months. One of these rules may require the school to inform the consulate in advance of when a student or scholar applies for an F or J visa, so you may need to let OIPS know BEFORE you apply for a student visa at a consulate abroad. We will make every effort possible to inform you of these changes as they occur.
We are sad that these changes seem punitive of international students and hope to guide you as much as possible through immigration processes. However, you must understand that it is the student\'s responsibility to comply with immigration regulations and in most cases we will not be able to help you if you do not comply with immigration rules. Please contact us if you have any questions or concerns.
Sincerely,
Linda L. Melville and Simona Fojtova
International Advisement Specialists
URGENT MESSAGE TO INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS AND SCHOLARS ABOUT CHANGES THAT AFFECT YOUR STAY IN THE US
PLEASE READ THIS MESSAGE THOROUGHLY AS ACTION IS REQUIRED ON YOUR PART BEFORE APRIL 1st!
Dear International Students and Scholars,
In our message sent to you before the winter break, we informed you about changes in immigration regulations effective January 1, 2003. These new regulations mandate that US universities and colleges that enroll international students and scholars must report international student and scholar information via SEVIS (Student and Exchange Visitor Information System). SEVIS is a US government web-based database which makes information about international students and scholars available to immigration and other governmental agencies including US consulates and embassies (as of March 1, 2003 INS changed its name to BCIS which stands for the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services). Due to these new regulations, the Office of International Programs and Studies (OIPS) must enter personal and program information on each student and scholar, give them a new SEVIS I-20 or DS-2019 (formerly IAP-66) AND report the following events/changes in the SEVIS system within 21 - 30 days of the event or change (the exact length of time depends on the event):
*When a student or scholar first arrives at UNM
*If a student or scholar changes address
*If a student or scholar changes their name
*When each student enrolls each semester and the dates the semester begins and ends
*If a student drops below full-time
*If a student changes major or level
*If a student or scholar completes their program before the end date on the I-20/DS-2019
*If a student or scholar is terminated or withdraws from their program
*If a student applies for employment authorization
*If a student or scholar moves to another US institution (either before or after completing the current program)
*If a student or scholar needs to extend their I-20/DS-2019
*If a student or scholar fails to maintain legal status
*If disciplinary action is taken against a student as a result of a conviction of a crime
Because we now need to report all of this information, some action is required on your part. We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this causes, but in order to be sure we give immigration the correct information we need your help! PLEASE READ THE 4 SECTIONS BELOW TO FIND OUT WHAT YOU NEED TO DO.
1) NEW SEVIS I-20 or DS-2019 REQUIRED FOR ALL
All current students, scholars, and their dependents who will remain in the US after August 1, 2003 must be entered into the SEVIS system and receive a new SEVIS I-20/DS-2019 by August 1, 2003 - BUT PLEASE DON'T COME IN RIGHT NOW!
Those who need to apply for a new visa, an extension of their I-20 or DS-2019, or student work authorization such as Curricular Practical Training (CPT), Optional Practical Training (OPT) or Academic training (AT) will need to receive a SEVIS I-20/DS-2019 at the time of the event (e.g., when they are going to get the visa, when they are applying for CPT/OPT or an extension - you will need to make an appointment to do this). Also, those who will travel out of the US for summer and will not return until after August 1st, 2003 MUST have a new SEVIS I-20/DS-2019 BEFORE they leave. All others do not need new SEVIS I-20s/DS-2019s until August 1st (if you will travel and return before August 1st you will need only your current I-20/DS-2019 that has been signed for travel in the current semester).
We are currently working on uploading all information on UNM students, scholars, and dependents via an electronic batch process to the SEVIS system so that each person's record does not need to be entered individually. It is our hope that this process will be successful very shortly. If we do not succeed by the middle of April, we will begin entering students and scholars individually into SEVIS so that all individuals will be in the system by August 1st. If individual data entry becomes necessary, we will first print I-20s/DS-2019s for students and scholars who meet one of the conditions mentioned above (e.g., those who will be leaving the US at the end of the semester and not returning until after August 1st). We will contact all of you again if individual entry becomes necessary. If so, we will ask those students and scholars who meet the conditions above to come in and request the new I-20/DS-2019 so that we can print the most urgent cases first.
2) ENSURE YOUR INFORMATION IS ACCURATE
The information regarding your name, gender, date of birth, and student major that will be sent to SEVIS will be taken directly from the university student information system (SIS). The information regarding your country of birth, country of citizenship, immigration status, degree level, marital status, local address, and permanent foreign address that will be sent to SEVIS will come from the OIPS database. Immediately following this message, you will receive an individual message from our office giving you the information that we currently have in your record. The subject for this message will be "Individual Information that will be Reported to Immigration." The message will be sent to all email addresses we have for you. Please review this information carefully. If any of the information is incorrect, you will need to correct it by April 1st. The message will contain specific instructions about how to make the corrections. For personal information that needs to be corrected in the student information system (SIS) you will need to take two pieces of identification (one with a photo) to Records and Registration, Student Services Center, Room 250. If your name is incorrect in the SIS, you are employed at UNM, and your Social Security Card has your name listed incorrectly, you will also need to have your Social Security Card changed before you can change your name in SIS (come in to OIPS to ask how to do this - you must begin the process before April 1st). If your major is incorrect, undergraduate students will need to speak with an academic advisor in their college and graduate students will need to speak with the Office of Graduate Studies to have this information corrected.
3) ENSURE THAT INFORMATION FOR YOUR SPOUSE AND CHILDREN IS ACCURATE
If your spouse and children are here with you, we need to be sure that their information is accurate as well. Due to database changes and problems in the past several years, OIPS information about your dependents may be incomplete. The individual message that will be sent to you will contain any information we have about your dependents. Please review this information carefully. If this information is incorrect or incomplete, you will need to respond to that message with the correct information.
4) KNOW WHEN TO COME TO OIPS
In order to maintain your legal student or scholar status you MUST come to OIPS if:
a. You change your address (you MUST come within 10 days of the change)
b. You change your name (you MUST come within 10 days of the change)
c. You are a student and you are thinking about withdrawing from a class or taking a class for audit which would make you drop below the required number of credits you need to complete in Fall and Spring semesters (undergraduates must be enrolled for 12 credits, graduate students must take 9 credits or 6 if they have an assistantship in order to be considered full-time for immigration purposes). OIPS is currently monitoring your enrollment and we have to report any drops below full-time to SEVIS within 21 days. Remember that any drops below full-time MUST be authorized in advance by an international advisor in OIPS (not by your academic advisor or any other faculty member)
d. You are a student, you have medical problems and you are considering dropping a class that would put you below full-time
e. You are a student or scholar and you are thinking about leaving before you complete your program. If you inform OIPS about your decision to terminate your program you will have 15 days to leave the US. If you do not inform OIPS you will be considered out of your legal student status the day you quit your program
f. You are a student in your final semester and the number of credits you need to take in order to graduate does not represent full-time enrollment
g. You are a graduate student who completed the required coursework and you are enrolled for less than 9 credits (or 6 if you have an assistantship) of thesis, dissertation or professional paper
h. You want to apply for a new F-1 or J-1 visa. You will need to obtain a new SEVIS I-20 or DS-2019 in order to be able to apply for a new visa
i. You are a student and you want to apply for off-campus employment such as CPT, OPT or AT (J-1 students). F-1 students must apply for OPT BEFORE they complete degree requirements; they do not have the 60-day grace period after the completion of their program as in the past
j. You are unable to complete your program by the end date on your I-20 or DS-2019
k. You are a student or scholar and want to leave UNM to attend another US university or college (called an immigration "transfer")
l. You renew or get a new passport. Please bring your new passport or a copy of your passport with the expiration date to OIPS
Once again, we are truly sorry for any inconvenience these requests cause, but we want to be sure all information we send to immigration is accurate so you do not experience problems in the future. Please contact our office if you have any further questions!
Thank you for your attention!
Sincerely,
Linda L. Melville and Simona Fojtova
International Advisors
It is hard for us to keep up with the changes in Visa and Immigration policies, thus it is appreciable if the new students can notify of such changes when necessary by emailing us at hindusta@unm.edu .
I am accepted! What Should I do next?
On
acceptance by the University of New Mexico, you should start working on
your visa. Getting a visa is an extremely important step , and you
should take full care in applying for one. A small mistake could lead
your plans to doom. Read these steps carefully or print them out. We
have taken great pains in structuring a step-by-step procedure in
applying for a visa.
When to apply :
An applicant may apply for a student Visa not earlier than 90 days
before the registration date specified on the FORM I-20. If the
registration date is already passed or the applicant cannot reasonably
expect to arrive at the school by the registration date, the applicant
should obtain an amended I-20 or a letter of extension from the issuing
institution stating by what date the applicant may arrive.
Applicants should apply at the consular section of the American Embassy
any working day, Monday through Friday, between the hours of 8:30 and
10:00 AM.
Documents required are :
Valid Passport valid for at least six months from the date of
departure. This is important because of the lack of efficiency of the
Regional Passport office , India , renewal may take up to 3 months!
One Passport size photograph (Black and White or Colour)
Form I-20 executed by the authorizing official of institution concerned, signed by the applicant.
Evidence of financial ability to cover the costs of the education and maintenance involved
Visa fee to be paid in Indian Rupees by Bank Draft
Fully filled DS-156 , DS-157 and/or DS-158 forms.
The Visa Application forms:
DS-156
This form is of 2 pages, must be printed back-to-back on a single
sheet, and completed by all applicants. Two-paged applications will not
be accepted. Download DS-156
DS-157
This form is of 1 page, must be printed on a single sheet, and must be
completed by all male applicants aged 16 to 45 years along with Visa
application form DS-156. Download DS-157
DS-158
This form is of 2 pages, must be printed back-to-back on a single
sheet, and completed by applicants applying for F,M and J class of visa
along with Visa application form DS-156. Two-paged applications will
not be accepted. Download DS-158
The Application
Centres will NOT accept form DS-156 from male applicants aged 16-45,
unless a completed form DS-157 is submitted alongwith.
We would recommend you to type the information in the adobe reader
itself after opening the file, and print the form , as the U.S. Visa
forms have inbuilt script checkers to check weather you filled the
information correctly. This surely helps you from re-revising your form
at the VFS.
Photograph
Ask your photo-lab for a U.S. Visa Sized photograph. They should know about it.
General
The photograph for each visa applicant must be an unmounted, full face photo, as described below
The photograph must have been taken within the last six months.
One (1) photograph must be submitted stapled or glued to the application DS-156
Photo Size
The photo for each visa applicant submitted must measure:
2 by 2 inches (roughly 50 mm square) with the head centered in the frame.
The head (measured from the top of the hair to the bottom of the chin)
should measure between 1 inch to 1 3/8 inches (25 mm to 35 mm) with the
eye level between 1 1/8 inch to 1 3/8 inches (28 mm and 35 mm) from the
bottom of the photo
Photo Appearance
The
photograph must be a full-face front view in which the visa applicant
is facing the camera directly.
The face should cover about 50 percent of the photo area.
The photograph may be in color or black and white, but must have only a
white or off-white background. Photos with dark, busy, or patterned
backgrounds will not be accepted.
In general, the applicant's
head, including both face and hair, should be shown from the crown of
the head to the tip of the chin on top and bottom and from hairline
side-to-side. It is preferable that ears be exposed
Head
coverings and hats are only acceptable due to religious beliefs, and
even then, may not cover any portion of the applicant's face.
Sunglasses or other wear, which detracts from the face, are not
acceptable unless required for medical reasons (an eye patch, for
example).
A photograph depicting a person wearing a traditional
facemask or veil that does not permit adequate identification is not
acceptable.
Photos of military, airline, or other personnel
wearing hats are not acceptable. Photographs of applicants wearing
tribal, national costume, or other headgear not specifically religious
in nature are not acceptable.
Attaching the Photo to the DS-156
Staple or glue one photograph to the DS-156 in the designated space. If
the photograph is stapled, staples should be placed as far away as
possible from the applicant's face.
Before going to the VFS:
Fees:
1) Demand Draft for Visa Application Fee: Rs 4400/- Favouring "
American Consulate General , Mumbai" payable in Mumbai.(non-refundable)
2) Logistics fee: Rs 441/- (non-refundable) in cash or
demand draft favouring "VFS a/c - US Visa" payable in Mumbai.
The amount includes service and education cess tax at 10.2% (Rs 41/-)
3) Write your name, passport number and sign behind each Demand Draft.
4) Ensure that you draw your demand draft from a National bank such as
State Bank of India. State owned banks wont do any good example,
Krishna Shetty Bank of Tamil Nadu (Just kiddin'). You can draw from
local branches of International banks such as American Express , HSBC
etc. Demand Drafts from co-operative banks will be rejected.
5) In case something goes wrong , for example you got a wrong amount ,
don't worry , you can draw demand drafts from the VFS , so carry enough
cash with you.
6) Carry a 500 rupees note for the "Stars and Stripes" lounge service.
VFS:
What is the VFS?
The Visa Facilitation Service Center is a commercial profit-making
Indian owned company. The visa services have been outsourced to VFS by
the Consulate . They accept and process applications only. VFS is not
owned by the American General Consulate nor it's an American Company.
It soley renders service to the consulate. The VFS doesn't decide your
fate in getting your visa , so don't bother about being nervous in
front of the counter girls and there will be no interview conducted ,
so don't waist your time formally dressing up , you could be if you
want to ;)
Where can i find the VFS?
Mumbai:
Tirupati Apartments, Basement 3A
Bhulabhai Desai Road,
Opp Mahalakshmi Temple,
Mumbai- 400026.
info@visa-services.com
Ahmedabad:
Shri Ambica Mills,
Gujarat Chambers Building,
Ashram Road,
Ahmedabad -380009.
info@visa-services.com
Pune:
106 Sohrab Hall,
1st Floor Sassoon Road,
Behind Pune Station Junction
Pune - 411001.
info@visa-services.com
Counter Timings:
0800-1700 hours (for Mumbai Application Centre only)
0800-1300 hours & 1400-1500 hours (for Pune & Ahmedabad Application centres)
Applications accepted on 1st come, 1st served basis.
Applications will be accepted Monday to Friday, except Consulate holidays.
You told me that V.F.S. is an Indian Company , so is there a branch in "Bharatpuri" also?
No , you would have to come to Mumbai, Ahmedabad or Pune to submit your paperwork.
At the Consulate:
Points to Remember When Applying for a Nonimmigrant Visa
(courtesy of NAFSA: Association of International Educators)
1. TIES TO YOUR HOME COUNTRY. Under U.S. law, all applicants for
nonimmigrant visas, such as student visas, are viewed as intending
immigrants until they can convince the consular officer that they are
not. You must therefore be able to show that you have reasons for
returning to your home country that are stronger than those for
remaining in the United States. "Ties" to your home country are the
things that bind you to your home town, homeland, or current place of
residence: job, family, financial prospects that you own or will
inherit, investments, etc.
If you are a prospective
undergraduate, the interviewing officer may ask about your specific
intentions or promise of future employment, family or other
relationships, educational objectives, grades, long-range plans and
career prospects in your home country. Each person's situation is
different, of course, and there is no magic explanation or single
document, certificate, or letter which can guarantee visa issuance.
If you have applied for the U.S. Green Card Lottery, you may be asked
if you are intending to immigrate. A simple answer would be that you
applied for the lottery since it was available but not with a specific
intent to immigrate. If you overstayed your authorized stay in the U.S.
previously, be prepared to explain what happened clearly and concisely,
with documentation if available.
2. ENGLISH. Anticipate
that the interview will be conducted in English and not in your native
language. One suggestion is to practice English conversation with a
native speaker before the interview, but do NOT prepare speeches! If
you are coming to the United States solely to study intensive English,
be prepared to explain how English will be useful for you in your home
country.
3. SPEAK FOR YOURSELF. Do not bring parents or
family members with you to the interview. The consular officer wants to
interview you, not your family. A negative impression is created if you
are not prepared to speak on your own behalf. If you are a minor
applying for a high school program and need your parents there in case
there are questions, for example about funding, they should wait in the
waiting room.
4. KNOW THE PROGRAM AND HOW IT FITS YOUR
CAREER PLANS. If you are not able to articulate the reasons you will
study in a particular program in the United States, you may not succeed
in convincing the consular officer that you are indeed planning to
study, rather than to immigrate. You should also be able to explain how
studying in the United States relates to your future professional
career when you return home.
5. BE BRIEF. Because of
the volume of applications received, all consular officers are under
considerable time pressure to conduct a quick and efficient interview.
They must make a decision, for the most part, on the impressions they
form during the first minute of the interview. Consequently, what you
say first and the initial impression you create are critical to your
success. Keep your answers to the officer's questions short and to the
point.
6. ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTATION. It should be
immediately clear to the consular officer what written documents you
are presenting and what they signify. Lengthy written explanations
cannot be quickly read or evaluated. Remember that you will have 2-3
minutes of interview time, if you're lucky.
7. NOT ALL
COUNTRIES ARE EQUAL. Applicants from countries suffering economic
problems or from countries where many students have remained in the
United States as immigrants will have more difficulty getting visas.
Statistically, applicants from those countries are more likely to be
intending immigrants. They are also more likely to be asked about job
opportunities at home after their study in the United States.
8. EMPLOYMENT. Your main purpose in coming to the United States should
be to study, not for the chance to work before or after graduation.
While many students do work off-campus during their studies, such
employment is incidental to their main purpose of completing their U.S.
education. You must be able to clearly articulate your plan to return
home at the end of your program.
If your spouse is also
applying for an accompanying F-2 visa, be aware that F-2 dependents
cannot, under any circumstances, be employed in the United States. If
asked, be prepared to address what your spouse intends to do with his
or her time while in the United States. Volunteer work and attending
school part-time are permitted activities.
9.
DEPENDENTS REMAINING AT HOME. If your spouse and children are remaining
behind in your country, be prepared to address how they will support
themselves in your absence. This can be an especially tricky area if
you are the primary source of income for your family. If the consular
officer gains the impression that your family will need you to remit
money from the United States in order to support themselves, your
student visa application will almost certainly be denied. If your
family does decide to join you at a later time, it is helpful to have
them apply at the same post where you applied for your visa.
10. MAINTAIN A POSITIVE ATTITUDE. Do not engage the consular officer in
an argument. If you are denied a student visa, ask the officer for a
list of documents he or she would suggest you bring in order to
overcome the refusal, and try to get the reason you were denied in
writing
Additionally , we would like you to post any
queries regarding the U.S. Visa at our new students forum. Please do so
.