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Immigration Documents and Visa Information
Keep All Your Immigration Documents in a Safe Place!
When traveling within OR outside of the U.S., carry the following documents with you. If you are traveling by air, train, bus or ship, you may be required to produce these documents before boarding. Keep extra photocopies of all your documents in a separate safe location in the event your documents are lost or stolen. These documents include your:
- Your valid passport with F-1 or J-1 visa
- Your I-20 or your DS-2019 Certificate of Eligibility
- Your I-94 Departure Record
Immigration Documents
Passport
Your passport must be valid at all times. Keep your passport and other important documents in a safe place, for example, the safe deposit box in the College’s Business Office. Report a lost or stolen passport to the police, as your government may require a police report before issuing a new passport to ypu. To renew or replace your passport, contact your country's consulate in the U.S.
While in the U.S., always carry with you a photocopy of your passport's identity page and photocopies of either your I-20 or your DS-2019 Certificate of Eligibility, and your I-94 Departure Record.
Visa
The visa is the stamp that the U.S. consular officer placed on a page in your passport. The visa permitted you to apply for admission into the U.S. as an F-1 or J-1 student, and need not remain valid for the entire time you are in the U.S., as long as your other documents show the marking D/S (duration of status.)
Applying for a Non-Immigrant Visa
The following points to consider when applying for a non-immigrant visa are supplied by the NAFSA association of international educators:
- Ties to Home Country: Under U.S. law, all applications for nonimmigrant 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 things that bind you to your hometown, homeland, or current place of residence: job, family, financial prospects that you own or will inherit, investments, etc. 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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 career when you return home.
- Be Concise: Because of the volume of applications received, all consular officers are under considerable time pressure to conduct a quick interview. They must make a decision on the impressions they form during the first minute or two of the interview. Keep your answers to the officer's questions short and to the point.
- Supplemental Documentation: It should be clear at a glance 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.
- 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.
- Employment: Your main purpose of 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.
- 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. If the consular officer gains the impression that your family members will need you to remit money from the United States in order to support them, 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.
- Maintain a Positive Attitude: Do not engage the consular officer in an argument. If you are denied a visa, ask the officer for a list of documents he or she would suggest you bring in order to overcome the refusal. Try to get the reason you were denied in writing.
F-1 Visa - Status and Immigration Information
What does it mean to be “in status?"
The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) consider a student to be in valid F-1 status if they fulfill the following conditions of an F-1 student visa:
- Attend the school whose I-20 you used to enter the U.S.
- Maintain the validity of your passport and I-20
- Maintain good academic standing
- Maintain sufficient financial resources
- Enroll each quarter as a full-time student (2.4 units per quarter minimum)
- Work no more than 20 hours per week on-campus only while classes are in session
- Work off-campus ONLY with specific written authorization from USCIS
Remember, you are out of status if you fail to comply with any one of the above stated conditions of your F-1 student visa.
How long can I stay in the U.S. after my academic program ends?
You may stay in the U.S. for a 60-day grace period after completion of your academic program. You cannot work during those 60 days.
J-1 Visa - Status and Immigration Information
What does it mean to be “in status?"
The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) consider a student to be in valid J-1 status by fulfilling the following conditions of a J-1 student visa:
- Attend the school whose DS-2019 you used to enter the U.S.
- Maintain the validity of your passport and DS-2019
- Maintain good academic standing
- Obtain health insurance which meets Department of Homeland security standards—the policy must be valid for your entire stay in the U.S. in J-1 status
- Maintain sufficient financial resources
- Enroll each quarter as a full-time student (2.4 units per quarter minimum)
- Work no more than 20 hours per week on-campus only while classes are in session
- Work off-campus ONLY with specific written authorization from your J-1 sponsor
Remember, you are out of status if you fail to comply with any one of the above stated conditions of your J-1 student visa.
How long can I stay in the U.S. after my academic program ends?
You may stay in the U.S. for a 30-day grace period after completion of your program. You cannot work during those 30 days.
I-20 Certificate of Eligibility for F-1 Visa Status
Issued by Kalamazoo College, this document allows you to apply for an F-1 visa, enter or re-enter the U.S., and make certain other requests to the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). The I-20 must remain valid at all times and must have a valid travel endorsement for all international travel during your program at Kalamazoo College. You can obtain this travel endorsement in the Center for International Programs at least ONE WEEK before you plan to leave the U.S.. Keep every I-20 for your permanent record. Do not discard the old ones.
DS-2019 Certificate of Eligibility for J-1 Visa Status
Issued by Kalamazoo College, this document allows you to apply for a J-1 visa, enter or re-enter the U.S., and make certain other requests to the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). The DS-2019 must remain valid at all times, and must have a valid travel endorsement for all international travel during your program at Kalamazoo College. You can obtain this travel endorsement in the Center for International Programs at least ONE WEEK before you plan to leave the U.S. Keep all DS-2019s for your records. Do not discard the old ones.
I-94 Departure Record
When you entered the U.S. you were issued Form I-94, a small white card usually stapled to the passport opposite the visa stamp. Except for brief visits to Canada, Mexico or adjacent islands, you will be issued a new I-94 card each time you enter the U.S. The I-94 card records the date and place you entered the U.S., your immigration status (for example, F-1 or J-1), and authorized period of stay (usually written simply as "D/S", meaning "duration of status"). A fee is required to replace a lost, stolen or damaged I-94.
Interested in Getting a Michigan Driver’s License or Identification Card?
Call or visit the Local branch of KALAMAZOO COUNTY PLUS
Map
3298 Stadium Drive
Kalamazoo, MI 49008
Phone: (888) 767-6424 | Fax: (269) 372-2806
Hours: Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri: 9am to 5pm, Extended hours Wed: 9am to 7pm
Holiday Closings: Scheduled office closings for all Offices
Special Services:
- Accepts MasterCard/Discover
- Renew tabs with our Self-Service Station
- Written Mechanic Testing offered
- Purchase an instant title
- Extended Wednesday hours
- Renew tabs with our 24/7 Self-Service Station
- CDL Kiosk
How to Obtain a Driver’s License:
http://www.michigan.gov/sos/0,1607,7-127-1627_8669_9040_9042_47086---,00.html
More info on Driver’s Licenses and State ID Cards:
