2011/12 - Bechtel International Center - Stanford University

SEVIS & Immigration Update
Key changes to SEVIS and immigration related-regulations
that affect F, J and H visas as well as Permanent Residence
sponsorship, for the period September1, 2011 through
August 31, 2012 are listed below.
SEVIS
There were two SEVIS releases between September1, 2011
and August 31, 2012.
SEVIS 6.9 was released in Oct 2011
Changes for F /M schools included:
SEVP would review and approve certain updates to
Form I-17 - the SEVIS certification/recertification form
filed by schools, before these updates become active.
These include :
•
•
•
Field 17 (Courses of study and time necessary to
complete each)
Field 20 (Average number of classes, teachers/
instructors, students, and nonteaching
employees),
Adding a DSO who is not a current PDSO or DSO
and registering any DSO name changes.
In addition, PDSOs may no longer add/update/edit/
delete/assign schools officials after a Recertification
application has been filed and is pending with SEVP.
SEVIS 6.10 was released in April 2012
Changes for F/M schools included:
Allowing school officials to make the following
changes in SEVIS RTI:
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•
•
modify H-1B cap-gap business rules to address
reported issues,
modify STEM OPT functionality to check that the
student’s major is a STEM-designated major
modify recertification functionality to match
SEVP’s current policy of requiring all updates to
Form I-17 to be made before submitting the I-17
for recertification.
It also allows SEVP to disable the cap-gap extension
functionality.
Changes for J schools included:
Giving school officials the ability (in SEVIS RTI) to
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Add a J-2 spouse or dependent record to an Initial
status J-1 exchange visitor record even after the
J-1 visa has been issued
View the program’s DS-2019 allotment history,
through a link on the Program Information screen.
It also provided school officials a reminder about
submission of the J Annual Report.
SEVIS II
SEVIS II is not likely to become the system of record until
2014 or 2015. However, when it goes live, we can expect
three major changes:
1. SEVIS II will be a mostly paperless system: An
electronic “Certificate of Eligibility” will replace the
paper I-20. DSOs and students will be able to print this
Certificate, but the printed document will have limited
use. Consular and port of entry officials will refer to
electronic SEVIS II “admissibility indicators” to see if the
student is eligible for benefits like a visa or admission
to the United State or employment.
2. All individuals who interface with SEVIS II,
including students, DSOs, government officials,
and anyone involved in the school certification or
recertification process, will have to create an individual
customer account. This account will not only be used
for the student or exchange visitor’s current program,
but for all future visits to the United States in F, M, or J
status as well. Individuals will be able to view certain
parts of their account information, and will be directly
responsible for updating things like their own U.S.
address.
3. A school’s Form I-17 will be linked to each
Certificate of Eligibility, so that the school can issue
Certificates of Eligibility only for programs for which
they are approved on their Form I-17. The I-17 will
also be much more detailed, and will include not only
courses of study, but degree levels and the academic
calendars associated with each program of study.
PROPOSED IMMIGRATION CHANGES
In January 2012, DHS announced a series of
administrative reforms geared towards “the
Administration’s commitment to attracting and retaining
highly-skilled immigrants.” There is no set time-table for
implementing these proposed changes.
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