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Bridgewater State University
International Student Services
Maintain Your Visa Status
Passport
Your passport must be valid for at least six months at all times. You can renew your passport in your own country, or renew it at your country's consulate or embassy in the U.S.
Information regarding your country's consulate or embassy in the U.S. is available at: http://www.state.gov/s/cpr/rls/index.htm
I-20/DS-2019
I-20 or DS-2019 is a document issued by Bridgewater State University that provides information regarding your study at BSU. Your I-20 or DS-2019 has an expiration date. This is the date when you are expected to complete your degree or exchange program. You may not study in the United States after this expiration date. If you are unable to complete your studies by this date and need to extend your program, you must submit a completed application for Extension of Stay to ISS at least 60 days prior to the expiration date.
I-94
An I-94 is a white arrival/departure card which is given to you when you enter the U.S. It is stamped with the date of arrival the words D/S which means "Duration of Status" before it is stapled in your passport by an immigration officer at the port of entry. The I-94 shows that you were legally admitted to the U.S. and that you are authorized to remain in the U.S. while you are a student. When you leave the country, an official will take your current I-94 form. You will get a new I-94 every time you enter the country as a student.
Visa
A Visa is a stamp or sticker placed in your passport at a U.S. consulate or embassy outside the U.S. A visa is only a permit to enter the United States. You must make sure that your visa is valid for your entry or re-entry to the U.S. An expired visa must be renewed at a U.S. consulate/embassy outside of the U.S. prior to re-entry. Information on visa applications, related fees, and U.S. embassies is available at www.travel.state.gov/
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If any of the following information on your immigration documents changes, you are required to notify ISS immediately:
Change of sponsor or financial information
Change of major or program of study
Change of name
Change of citizenship
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Report address change to ISS within 10 days of moving.
International and exchange students are required to enroll in a full course of study during Fall and Spring semesters:
Undergraduate students: 12 credits
Graduate students: 9 credits
The following exceptions for Reduced Course Load (RCL) or part time enrollment are permitted by SEVIS as long as the student submits a completed Part time Request form no later than the add/drop deadline of the semester in which you will be requesting the RCL:
Initial difficulty with reading requirements (first semester only) OR
Initial difficulty with the English language (first semester only) OR
Unfamiliarity with American teaching methods (first semester only).
You are in your final semester and have only a few credits remaining to graduate. If you are working to complete a thesis/project/ or other requirement for graduation, please consult with ISS to clarify enrollment requirements for international students.
You are ill or have a medical condition that requires a reduced course load. A written statement from a qualified medial practitioner is required.
Improper course level placement.
Summer sessions. No permission required.
Important! Residence life and student employment policies regarding per time enrollment are separate and abiding by them is your responsibility.
DO NOT withdraw from classes without consulting ISS first!
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If you plan to travel outside the U.S., request a travel signature on your I-20 or DS-2019 from ISS. Plan ahead!
Additional information on maintenance of status is available from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement at http://www.ice.gov/sevis/SEVISFactSheet.htm
Last Modified: February 28, 2011
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