INTERNATIONAL STUDENT HANDBOOK - Macalester College

Visa
A U.S. visa is a passport page-sized sticker in your passport. It is used for entry into the
U.S. and can only be obtained from a U.S. Embassy or Consulate outside the U.S. The visa
indicates what status you have upon entry to the U.S., as well as the date of issuance and
expiration. After you enter the U.S., the visa is unimportant unless you leave and wish to
re-enter. If you plan to travel outside the U.S., and your visa has expired, you should contact
Aaron, the ISP Director, to obtain an I-20 to use to apply for a new visa. Never write
Form I-94
When you enter the U.S., an immigration inspector (CBP Officer) determines how long you
may stay in the U.S. Your Form I-94 is stamped when you are admitted. The I-94 name
spelling must match the passport and visa name spelling exactly. This information is written
on the I-94 form and placed with your passport. This form contains two valuable pieces
of information and must not be lost; the vital information is the eleven digit admission
number in the upper portion and the Duration of Status (D/S) in the right hand corner. The
Form I-94 is not a visa – it is an Arrival-Departure Record only. Always keep a photocopy
of both sides of the Departure section you receive on admittance.
Web references for further travel and status information:
www.dhs.gov : Department of Homeland Security
www.uscis.gov : Citizenship and Immigration Service
www.cbp.gov : Customs and Border protection
www.ice.gov : Immigration and Customs Enforcement
Employment
International students in the United States in F-1 status may not accept off-campus employment
unless they receive authorization from immigration. Working without authorization,
being one of the most serious violations of visa status, can result in you having to return
home to obtain a new visa. It can also result in immediate deportation. Please talk to
the ISP Director if you have any questions about employment authorization.
On-Campus Employment
On-campus employment is considered a form of financial aid. Students authorized to work
on campus by the financial aid office may do so without any special immigration work authorization,
but are governed by the following immigration rules:
� Employment is performed on the school’s premises, or considered student employment
by the Financial Aid Office.
� Employment must not exceed 20 hours per week when school is in session.
� Employment may be full-time when school is not is session if the student is both eligible
and intends to register for the next term.
� Students may not be employed on campus after completion of their studies (unless doing
this under the terms for Optional Practical Training)
Off-Campus Employment – General Eligibility
To be eligible for any of the options listed below, you must currently be on an F-1 visa and
have studied at least nine months in the United States at a higher education institution on
a valid non-immigrant visa (e.g. F, J, H, E, L, M).
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