Deadlines and Alerts Archive

This is an archive of the deadlines and alerts issued by Rutgers Global. The status or information for some of these items below may have changed since they were posted. Please see our Deadlines and Alerts page for the most up to date information.

NOVEMBER 12, 2018

F-1 AND J-1 STUDENTS: OBTAIN A TRAVEL VALIDATION SIGNATURE ON AN I-20 OR DS-2019 BEFORE INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL

If you are planning to travel internationally during the upcoming holiday season, please exercise caution and follow the travel recommendations provided below. F-1 and J-1 students and scholars (and their F-2 and J-2 dependents) should not make trips abroad without first obtaining a travel verification signature on their I-20 or DS-2019 form. The signature is valid for 12 months and confirms that the I-20 or DS-2019 owner is in valid legal status and eligible to return to the United States to resume their programs. For your convenience, the International Student and Scholar Services office is offering dedicated days to get your travel signatures. You can obtain the signature by just stopping by the ISSS office on one of the following days:

Friday, 12/14
Tuesday, 12/18
Thursday, 12/20
Friday, 12/21
@180 College Avenue, any time between 8:30am and 5:00pm

In case of any emergency while abroad, please write to Rutgers Global - ISSS at globalservices@global.rutgers.edu with “Emergency” in the subject line and provide a contact phone number in the email. A staff member will get back to any urgent messages as expeditiously as possible.

If you are not able to make it during one of the above times, you can still get a travel signature by following the instructions on our website at our Travel and Visa Information page.

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR TRAVEL

We would like to advise all our students to be careful and alert during any travel – domestic and international, and be prepared to face extra scrutiny at visa issuing posts and at ports of entry. As always, follow all rules and regulations to maintain your legal status in the US. Visit our Travel and Visa Information page for information and recommendations for travel.

Traveling outside the US

When traveling outside the United States, F-1 and J-1 visa holders must have in their possession the following documentation to ensure their ability to re-enter the U.S. and resume their activities:

  • Passport valid at least six months beyond re-entry date
  • Valid U.S. visa in the appropriate classification, e.g., F-1, J-1, H-1B, etc.
  • Valid immigration document for the status being sought: I-20 or DS-2019 with travel signature from Rutgers Global - ISSS. The travel signature is valid for 12 months.

While not specifically required by regulations, the following additional documents are very strongly recommended when traveling abroad. These documents provide information about your legal status, academic and immigration history in the U.S. They need not be presented unless asked.

  • Your complete unofficial transcript and Enrollment Verification to prove good academic standing
  • Current proof of funding
  • All previously-issued I-20 or DS-2019 forms
  • If on OPT or Academic Training (AT), your OPT or AT authorization
  • If needing to apply for a new F-1 or J-1 visa before returning to the U.S., a recently-updated I-20 or DS-2019 issued to you within the 6 months prior to your application for a new visa
  • If your field of study or research is technology or science-related, we recommend you get a letter (on letterhead) from your supervisor, department chair, center director or graduate program director. The letter should explain as much about your program of study and research as possible with the goal of demonstrating that your research does not threaten national security.

Travel within the US

We advise all international students to carry all original identification and travel documents (I-20/DS-2019, passport) with you even if you are traveling within the United States.

Useful travel resources for international students:

IMMIGRATION DOCUMENTS EXPIRATION AND RENEWAL – CHECK YOUR I-20/DS-2019 & PASSPORT NOW

F-1 and J-1 students’ passport and I-20 (F-1) or DS-2019 (J-1) must be valid at all times. Take a moment right now to check your passport expiration date and the expiration date on your I-20 or DS-2019, and then mark your calendar to renew or extend them in ample time prior to their expiration date.

Your passport should always be valid for at least 6 months in the future. The passport is a document issued by your own country, and every country has its own rules and timeframes on passport renewals. Don’t wait until your passport is about to expire to find out how long it will take to renew, as some countries’ passports can take many months to renew! Find out now how and when to renew your passport by checking on the website of your country’s U.S. embassy (in Washington, D.C.) or consulate (in New York City) or by calling your embassy or consulate.

If you are on Rutgers’ visa sponsorship and you need an extension of your I-20 or DS-2019, please follow instructions on our website for an Extension of Program.

EMPLOYMENT WORKSHOPS FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS – CPT, OPT, and On-Campus Employment

Before you apply for a job or internship, students should know that rules and laws governing off-campus internships or regular employment can be complex. You don’t need to wait until you have a job interview to find out what those rules are. Our office hosts regular employment workshops to help you learn what types of positions you are eligible to apply for; the procedures and time frames for getting authorization, if eligible; and other issues related to off campus employment, such as traveling abroad while you have an OPT application pending. Upcoming workshops and descriptions can be found on our website. Remember – as an F-1 or J-1 student, you cannot work in paid or unpaid positions without prior authorization!

Learn more about employment options relevant to your status and attend one of the upcoming workshops.

GRADUATING IN JANUARY? APPLY FOR POST-COMPLETION OPTIONAL PRACTICAL TRAINING (OPT)
Are you an F-1 student planning on graduating soon? Interested in working in the US after completing your degree? For students graduating in January, now is the time to begin the OPT application process. Learn about and apply for Post-Completion Optional Practical Training (OPT) at your earliest.

Here’s how to apply:

  1. Attend the F-1 Post-Completion OPT workshop. This workshop is offered twice a month, and you can find the schedule on our website here. The workshop will cover information about what is OPT, how to apply and how to maintain your legal status while working on OPT.
  2. Prepare all application materials using our step-by-step tutorial on preparing your OPT application
  3. After you have attended the workshop and gathered all of the required application materials, you will need to meet an international student adviser (during walk ins – Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from 10:00am –4:00pm) to review all your documents and request a new I-20 with a recommendation for post-completion OPT.
  4. Pick up your new I-20 with OPT recommendation, when you receive an email saying it’s ready
  5. Mail your complete application, including a copy of your new I-20, to USCIS

Are you planning to start a new degree program at Rutgers or another institution in the United States after you graduate? Learn more about transferring out your SEVIS program here.

Uncertain whether Post-Completion OPT is the best option for you? Review our information for graduating students page on our website to better understand your options for remaining in the United States or planning for your departure.

OCTOBER 10, 2018

MESSAGE FROM RUTGERS GLOBAL – INTERNATIONAL STUDENT AND SCHOLAR SERVICES

While you are at Rutgers, please use the available resources and take steps to protect yourself from scams targeting international students. Unfortunately, there has been an increase in the number of scams targeting unsuspecting international students in recent years. Scammers can pose as immigration officials from the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and other government agencies like the Department of State (DOS) or the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Some scammers ask for money with the promise of finding you a job. These scams can be very sophisticated, some-times with an apparently government phone number appearing on your caller ID, or the caller knowing a lot of your personal information. As you pursue your program of study in the U.S. and also search for valuable employment/internship opportunities, please be aware that these fraudulent activities exist and that you need to protect yourself from them. Exercise caution in your activities – such as paying your term bill, accepting any offer of employment, making payments over the phone, sharing your personal information, etc.

Tips to Avoid Scams

Resources

MESSAGE FROM THE OFFICE OF STUDENT LEGAL SERVICES
Beware of scams and consumer fraud. We have become aware of a large student involvement with auto dealers who are claiming to sell cars to our international students but fail to deliver title, registration or insurance in our students’ names. The cases may involve legal issues which could include failure to pay sales tax; no contract to prove ownership; possible theft of identity; driving while uninsured; driving without registration; and, insurance fraud. It is very important for our international students to deal only with reputable and licensed auto dealers. Do not sign a contract for purchase without having it reviewed by an attorney. Do not accept delivery of a vehicle without title and registration in your name. We recommend that you do not purchase or lease a car from an out-of-state dealer, which makes it more difficult to defend your rights. If you believe that you already have issues as a result of a car purchase or lease, see us right away.

We are happy to assist at the Office of Student Legal Services. Please contact us before buying or leasing a car in New Jersey. It is important that you also understand insurance protection when purchasing a policy. All consultations are free and strictly confidential.

  1. Beware of signing a lease, or any contract renting property, without first having that lease or contract reviewed. Please note that although a rental agreement can be oral, we strongly urge that any lease or rental agreement you sign be in writing. Any lease or rental agreement in New Jersey is a binding contract, however, a written lease affords you more protections. Landlords sometimes take advantage of our students, particularly our international students, who do not understand or have familiarity with landlord/tenant law, or contract law here in New Jersey. As a tenant you have many rights, however, you also have important obligations with regards to renting property you need to be aware of.
  1. We recommend that all students purchase renter’s insurance. It is inexpensive and provides important coverage for you and your property. We cannot emphasize enough how important we think it is to purchase renter’s insurance.
  2. Please familiarize yourself with the motor vehicle traffic laws in NJ if you are going to get a driver’s license. If you are involved in an accident, always call the police. Do not accept money or promises from other drivers involved, that they will pay your damages if you don’t call the police. It is imperative that you do not leave the scene of an accident and always get a police report regardless of fault. If you get a traffic summons, come to our office before your court date as there may be serious consequences to your driving record if you go to court without first obtaining legal advice. There also may be other less severe options available to you that you would not know without legal counsel.

Again, we are happy to assist at the Office of Student Legal Services. Please contact us with any legal question or problem you may have. All consultations are free and strictly confidential. To make an appointment, contact: Attorneys Donald C. Heilman and Tina Martins Cruz, or Administrative Assistant Lynn Mendez at Phone: 848-932-4529,. Email: sls@echo.rutgers.edu

Web: http://rusls.rutgers.edu/.

MESSAGE FROM THE OFFICE OF STUDENT ACCOUNTING, BILLING, AND CASHIER SERVICES

Need to make an international payment? It’s fast, simple and easy. Simply go to https://paymybill.rutgers.edu to log into your student account with your NetID and password.

  1. the semester for which you are making payment from the drop down bar, then select Pay by e-Check. Select the “If you want to make a payment using a foreign (non-US) bank account” option and follow the instructions to complete payment via FlyWire, our authorized vendor.

Please be aware that this is the only method authorized by Rutgers to facilitate international payments. For safety and security reasons, students should NOT attempt to make international payments through other third party vendors or via direct wire transfers to the University.

***Please note that if you are not enrolled for the semester, or do not have a balance due, your funds will be returned to their point of origin.

For more information and step-by-step instructions, please visit https://studentabc.rutgers.edu/international-payments

SEPTEMBER 18, 2018

MESSAGE FOR NEW STUDENTS – HAVE YOU CHECKED-IN?

This is a legal requirement of your F-1 or J-1 status, and your status will not be legally activated until you have successfully completed the check-in process. Use your Rutgers NetID and password to login to your RGLOBAL account to complete your information through the check-in form (available under “Orientation” in the RGlobal portal). You MUST check-in immediately, if you haven’t already, and register for a full-course-load of classes to ensure that your record is properly and timely activated.

In the online check-in process, you will be asked to upload scans or photos of your passport biographical page, visa page, your I-20/DS-2019, and Form I-94. The easiest way to upload images is to take a clear picture with your phone and email it to yourself.

You will receive notification via email once your form has been processed and approved.

For detailed instructions, please review the RGlobal Check-in Tutorial >

FALL 2018 REDUCED CREDIT/COURSE LOAD FORMS FOR STUDENTS WITH LESS THAN A FULL-TIME CREDIT LOAD - DEADLINE IS FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2018

The Reduced Credit/Course Load Form must now be submitted through the RGlobal student services portal.

To maintain legal status, all F-1 and J-1 students must “pursue a full course of study" at all times. This means being registered for a full credit load (12 credits for undergraduates and 9 credits for graduate students). There are cases, however, in which regulations consider a student to be pursuing a full course of study even though he or she NOT actually registered for a full credit load. For example, undergraduates who only need 1 or 2 classes to complete their program, or graduate students who have completed all coursework but are still conducting thesis or dissertation research might be considered to be pursuing a full course of study even though not registered for 9 credits.

IF YOU WILL BE REGISTERED FOR LESS THAN A FULL-TIME CREDIT LOAD IN FALL 2018, you MUST submit a "Reduced Credit/Course Load" form to our office. You need approval from our office for less than full-time enrollment in any semester. The form can be completed using the RGlobal  Student Services Portal. The deadline for submitting the form is Friday, September 28, 2018.

Bear in mind that it takes a few days to process the form after receipt and we cannot guarantee timely processing of forms received after the deadline. This could mean loss of legal status and you will need to leave the country or apply for a re-instatement process with the government.

REMEMBER…the “Reduced Credit/Course Load” form can be submitted at any time before the deadline, even before the semester starts.

CHANGES IN STUDENT SERVICES – NEW WALK-IN HOURS, AND ELECTRONIC SUBMISSION OF FORMS

We have made several changes to our advising services in an effort to provide you with more efficient and effective assistance on immigration, personal, social, and cultural matters. We have an expert staff available to answer any questions, and/or to connect you with appropriate resources around the community. Some of the highlights of the changes this year include:

  • New Walk-In Hours for Advising and Travel Signatures: Walk-in hours are from 10:00am to 4pm on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday. We are closed on Wednesday. Find out more details about walk-in hours and our other advising services here.
    Some student groups have specific advisers and their walk-in hours remain the same as before.
  • Electronic Submission of ALL Applications to ISSS via the RGlobal Portal: The RGlobal Student Services online portal enables international students to complete the essential steps to maintain their legal status, request work authorizations, signatures, and more. All ISSS student services forms can be completed or uploaded through the RGlobal portal. From September 4, we will only accept forms through the portal. Please follow detailed instructions on our website for the new process to submit requests and applications to ISSS.

IMMIGRATION DOCUMENTS EXPIRATION AND RENEWAL – CHECK YOUR I-20/DS-2019 & PASSPORT NOW
F-1 and J-1 students’ passport and I-20 (F-1) or DS-2019 (J-1) must be valid at all times. Take a moment right now to check your passport expiration date and the expiration date on your I-20 or DS-2019, and then mark your calendar to renew or extend them in ample time prior to their expiration date.

Passport: Your passport should always be valid for at least 6 months in the future. The passport is a document issued by your own country, and every country has its own rules and timeframes on passport renewals. Don’t wait until your passport is about to expire to find out how long it will take to renew, as some countries’ passports can take many months to renew! Find out now how and when to renew your passport by checking on the website of your country’s U.S. embassy (in Washington, D.C.) or consulate (in New York City) or by calling your embassy or consulate.

If you are on Rutgers’ visa sponsorship and you need an extension of your I-20 or DS-2019, please follow instructions on our website for an Extension of Program.

EMPLOYMENT WORKSHOPS FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS
Before you apply for a job or internship, students should know that rules and laws governing off-campus internships or regular employment can be complex. You don’t need to wait until you have a job interview to find out what those rules are. Our office hosts regular employment workshops to help you learn what types of positions you are eligible to apply for; the procedures and time frames for getting authorization, if eligible; and other issues related to off campus employment, such as traveling abroad while you have an OPT application pending. Upcoming workshops and descriptions can be found on our website.

OPT APPLICATIONS FOR F-1 STUDENTS GRADUATING IN OCTOBER 2018
F-1 students who will be getting a October 2018 degree and who plan to apply for post-completion OPT should plan to submit an OPT application as soon as possible. While the USCIS deadline for post-completion OPT applications is 60 days following degree completion, it takes 2–3 months for USCIS to process the applications. All students applying for post-completion OPT must attend a Post Graduate Employment Workshop - prior to meeting with an international student adviser.

Please check our workshop schedule for details and the upcoming schedule.

AUGUST 31, 2018

NEW PREMIUM PROCESSING FEE EFFECTIVE OCTOBER 1, 2018

In a final rule published on August 31, 2018 without the opportunity to comment, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is increasing the Form I-907 Premium processing fee charged by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). The adjustment increases the fee from $1,225 to $1,410, effective October 1, 2018. Applications postmarked on or after that date must include the new fee. Please keep in mind that premium processing fee is optional.

Premium processing allows filers to request 15-day processing of certain employment-based immigration benefit requests if they pay an extra amount. The fee is paid in addition to the base filing fee and any other applicable fees. Premium processing is currently authorized for certain petitioners filing a Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker on Form I–129 or an Immigrant Petition for Alien Worker (Form I–140 ) seeking certain employment-based classifications.

At Rutgers University, the fee increase will affect the following employment-based classifications - H-1B, O-1 and permanent residence/green card. Applications that are currently pending with USCIS are eligible for an upgrade to premium processing at the current fee of $1225 until September 30, 2018. Please contact us if your department wishes to upgrade a pending petition. In that case, our office must receive the check at least five (5) business days prior to October 1 in order to give us enough time to process the request and mail it to USCIS in a timely manner. Please also notify us immediately if your department wishes to utilize premium-processing fee for a new petition – Ruimin Zhang (rzhang@global.rutgers.edu) for H-1B petitions and Asenath Dande (adande@global.rutgers.edu) for other petitions.
 

AUGUST 15, 2018

NEW INSURANCE RATES FOR INTERNATIONAL SCHOLAR PROGRAM

We have just been given new information for the insurance program that many host departments purchase to meet federal and university J-1 insurance requirements. The coverage will continue to be provided by United Healthcare. Effective August 15, 2018, the rates for J-1 scholars and their J-2 dependents will be changing. The updated policy details will be available shortly through the University Health Plans website.

Please be advised that the rates for the University's monthly international scholar insurance plan will be changing effective 8/15/2018
                                                                      Existing Rate                                                     New Rate Effective 8/15/2018

J-1 Visitor                                                     $5.75 per day plus                                              $6.00 per day

Health Services                                           $1.86 per weekday (Health Services Fee)          $1.87 per weekday

J-2 Spouse                                                   $5.75 per day                                                      $6.00 per day

J-2 Child                                                       $5.75 per day                                                      $6.00 per day

2 or more children                                       $11.50 per day                                                    $12.00 per day

Spouse plus 2 or more children                 $17.25 per day                                                    $18.00 per day

*Please also note that in addition to the daily $6.00 insurance premium, J-1 scholars will also be assessed a $1.87 Health Services Fee that allows access to the health centers on campus. This fee will be assessed for any weekday covered by a DS-2019 request but will exclude weekends and Rutgers holidays. Please note this fee will not be assessed for J-2 dependents. In previous years this fee was included with the total health insurance premium due calculation but effective 8/15/2018 this fee will now be charged separately and will need to credit Health Services directly. The online DS2019 request system will be updated shortly with the new rates and GL strings to credit.

Effective immediately, any new DS-2019 requests received by our Center will be required to include payment based on these new rates for periods covering 8/15/2018 and beyond in cases where the University's monthly plan is being purchased. Departments that have already submitted DS-2019 requests to us, or that are currently hosting J-1 visitors who are already enrolled in the plan purchased through our Center, will need to inform their visitors of the new rates for continuing on the monthly plan beyond 8/15/2018.

Should visitors choose to find alternate coverage that meets the University’s insurance requirements they will need to provide documentation of that alternate coverage through the end of their current DS-2019. The current list of the University’s minimum insurance coverage requirements can be found on our website here.

**If any scholars in your department chooses to pursue alternate coverage instead of remaining on the University plan, they must provide documentation of their alternate coverage by Friday, August 17th.

**Otherwise please provide a list of all scholars in your department who wish to remain on the visiting scholar coverage by Friday, August 24th. We will then evaluate for any difference in premiums or refund that may be due back to you.

Please contact Eirinn Jones, International Student/Scholar Insurance Coordinator at eljones@global.rutgers.edu or by phone at (848) 932-7015 if you have any questions.

 

AUGUST 15, 2018

MESSAGE FOR NEW AND CONTINUING STUDENTS

TO ALL NEW STUDENTS: Welcome to Rutgers! We look forward to meeting you during the 2018 International Student Orientation program beginning at 9:00 a.m. on Monday, August 27, 2018, at the Rutgers College Avenue Gym. To get to the College Avenue Gym on Monday, August 27, 2018, take the A/EE/F/H/LX bus to the College Avenue Student Office and walk next door to the gym—you'll see many of your fellow students outside, so you can't miss it!

Please be advised of the following resources to help you get started:  

 Schedule for the International Student Orientation week

TO ALL CONTINUING STUDENTS: The ISSS staff has a special request for you. During the week of Aug 27 to August 31, our office will be busy welcoming and assisting 1,500 new international students to Rutgers. If it is possible for you to save any business you need to do with us until AFTER orientation, we would appreciate it very much. We hope to be able to give most of our attention to new students all week and will resume our regular operations from Tuesday, September 4.

 We will do our best to reply to emails within 48 hours, but please be patient while waiting for a response. In order to accommodate our new students, international student advisers will not have walk-in hours during this time. If you have an emergency, we will always be ready to help! In case you do need urgent assistance, the easiest way to reach us will be to email the ISSS at globalservices@global.rutgers.edu and mark “URGENT” in the subject line. Someone from our office will respond to you as soon as possible. Please also note that all university units will be closed on Monday, September 3, 2018, in observance of Labor Day.

CHANGES IN STUDENT SERVICES – NEW WALK-IN HOURS, ELECTRONIC SUBMISSION OF FORMS AND STAFF CHANGES

We have made several changes to our advising services in an effort to provide you with more efficient and effective assistance on immigration, personal, social, and cultural matters. We have an expert staff available to answer any questions, and/or to connect you with appropriate resources around the community. Some of the highlights of the changes this year include:

  • New Walk-In Hours for Advising and Travel Signatures: Walk-in hours will be from 10:00am to 4pm on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday. We are closed on Wednesday. Find out more details about walk-in hours and our other advising services here.
    Some student groups have specific advisers and their walk-in hours remain the same as before.
  • Electronic Submission of ALL Applications to ISSS via the RGlobal Portal: The RGlobal Student Services online portal enables international students to complete the essential steps to maintain their legal status, request work authorizations, signatures, and more. All ISSS student services forms can be completed or uploaded through the RGlobal portal. You are strongly encouraged to start using the portal to submit all forms immediately, however, in case you have submitted or are in the process of submitting a paper/email form/application to our office, we will continue to accept them until Friday, August 31. From September 4, we will only accept forms through the portal. Please follow detailed instructions on our website for the new process to submit requests and applications to ISSS.
  • Staff Changes: We are sad to announce that Martha Baillargeon (international student adviser) will be leaving Rutgers to pursue a new opportunity. Martha has been an excellent student adviser and will be greatly missed. We wish her the very best!

Two of our very capable international student coordinators – Erica Sewell and Melaina Fraboni have been promoted to international student adviser positions and have already been advising students in this role for a few months now. We are also pleased to announce the joining of Audrey Nguyen and Jacqueline Huang as our international student coordinators.


IMPORTANT DEADLINES AND REMINDERS

FALL 2018 INSURANCE EXEMPTION REQUEST

STUDENTS WITH A TA/GA APPOINTMENT

Students with full TA/GA appointments who are enrolled in benefits through University Human Resources no longer need to contact our office to request a waiver of the student health insurance premium. You need to submit your enrollment paperwork only through Human Resources and do not need to submit waiver documentation to our office.  Once Human Resources processes your insurance enrollment paperwork we will receive your coverage information and we will process your waiver.

ALL OTHER F-1 AND J-1 STUDENTS MUST EITHER ENROLL OR WAIVE:

STEPS TO COMPLETE HEALTH INSURANCE ENROLLMENT - DEADLINE IS FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2018:

  1. Register for classes. Wait three business days after registering for classes to complete the enrollment form at universityhealthplans.com
  2. Change your International address to a U.S. mailing address; visit my.rutgers.edu/portal. You may do this once you are registered for classes. You do not need to wait.
  3. Add your email address; visit my.rutgers.edu/portal. You may do this once you are registered. You do not need to wait
  4. Three days after registering for classes, go to universityhealthplans.com to complete the enrollment form. You will receive a confirmation number on the screen and to your Rutgers email, once you have successfully submitted the enrollment form
  5. Wait four days after receiving your enrollment confirmation number, go to University Health Plans, Inc. On the left navigation bar, select “Log into my account." You may then create an account, log in, and print your card

OR

STEPS TO WAIVE THE STUDENT HEALTH INSURANCE FOR STUDENTS IN F-1 or J-1 VISA STATUS - DEADLINE IS FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2018

F-1 and J-1 students on a Rutgers sponsorship who have insurance coverage other than the student insurance plan that is charged on their term bills need to request a waiver of that insurance premium by following the following exemption request process outlined below. Please note that students cannot waive the student insurance plan through the United Healthcare website; it must be done through the Rutgers Global – International Student and Scholar Services. The deadline for submitting the waiver is Friday, September 14th, 2018.  

Please complete the following steps to request the waiver:

  1. Review supporting documents you will need to provide or address in order to complete the exemption, all supporting documents must confirm that your coverage meets every one of the University’s health insurance requirements.  Please note that the list of coverage requirements has been revised for the 2018-2019 academic year, please be sure that your policy meets each of those current requirements before submitting your request.
  2. Apply for the insurance exemption by completing the form available through our new RGlobal Student Services Portal on the ISSS website.
  3. Submit the form and any supporting documents to the ISSS by Friday, September 14, 2018, to opt out of the university’s student insurance plan and have the premium removed from the term.

**Important Note for Students on Another Visa Sponsorship who are registered for a full time course load and hold coverage other than the student insurance plan will need to waive their student insurance premium by following the online waiver instructions.

FALL 2018 REDUCED CREDIT/COURSE LOAD FORMS FOR STUDENTS WITH LESS THAN A FULL-TIME CREDIT LOAD - DEADLINE IS FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2018

The Reduced Credit/Course Load Form is now online and can be accessed through the RGlobal student services portal.

To maintain legal status, all F-1 and J-1 students must “pursue a full course of study" at all times. This means being registered for a full credit load (12 credits for undergraduates and 9 credits for graduate students). There are cases, however, in which regulations consider a student to be pursuing a full course of study even though he or she NOT actually registered for a full credit load. For example, undergraduates who only need 1 or 2 classes to complete their program, or graduate students who have completed all coursework but are still conducting thesis or dissertation research might be considered to be pursuing a full course of study even though not registered for 9 credits.

IF YOU WILL BE REGISTERED FOR LESS THAN A FULL-TIME CREDIT LOAD IN FALL 2018, you MUST submit a "Reduced Credit/Course Load" form to our office. You need approval from our office for less than full-time enrollment in any semester. The form can be completed using the RGlobal  Student Services Portal. The deadline for submitting the form is Friday, September 28, 2018.

Bear in mind that it takes a few days to process the form after receipt and we cannot guarantee timely processing of forms received after the deadline. This could mean loss of legal status and you will need to leave the country or apply for a re-instatement process with the government.

REMEMBER…the “Reduced Credit/Course Load” form can be submitted at any time before the deadline, even before the semester starts.

 

January 10, 2018

U.S. ISSUES NEW "DO NOT TRAVEL" ADVISORY FOR FIVE STATES IN MEXICO

The U.S. State Department's latest travel advisory for Mexico, dated Jan. 10, 2018, names five Mexican states as "do not travel" destinations, the strictest advisory level in the new system the department unveiled yesterday. 
 
Overall, the travel advisory gives the country of Mexico a Level 2 warning, meaning "exericse increased caution" due to crime—essentially the same as previous reports. But the states that received the highest warning in the four-level system, advising against travel entirely due to increased crime, were the Pacific coastal states of Colima, Guerrero, Michoacán and Sinaloa, as well as the Gulf Coast border state of Tamaulipas. Each of those states has been battered by violent incidents related to cartels and organized crime.
 
Eleven of Mexico's 31 states were given a Level 3 warning, meaning "reconsider travel." Those were the states of Chihuahua, Coahuila, Durango, Mexico, Jalisco, Morelos, Nayarit, Nuevo Leon, San Luis Potosí, Sonora and Zacatecas. 
 
Planners and potential travelers should take into consideration, however, that the simplified, state-based labeling system introduced by the State Department obscures a number of geographical exceptions. For instance, citizens who read the detailed state-by-state breakdown below the highest-level warnings will note that in the State of Colima - which received a "do not travel to" advisory - U.S. government employees face no restrictions in traveling on major thoroughfares to the resort of Manzanillo in that state. U.S. government employees are typically subject to the most stringent of travel restrictions, so the fact they are permitted to travel there is significant.

The advisory offers similar exceptions in many of the states that were scored as Level 3 or 4. It notes, for instance, that there are no restrictions on government-employee travel to Guadalajara, Puerto Vallarta, Chapala and Ajijic in Jalisco, or to Riviera Nayarit, Santa Maria del Oro or Xalisco in the state of Nayarit.

"The U.S. Department of State advises to 'reconsider travel' to select Mexican states, but then exempts the tourist destinations within those states," reads a statement from the Mexico Tourism Board. "This exception to tourism destinations highlights the fact that the vast majority of crimes in Mexico do not occur in areas frequented by international tourists. And even in the rare cases of crime within tourist areas, incidents involving international tourists are incredibly rare."
 
Resort destinations such as Cancún and the Riviera Maya in Quintana Roo, and Los Cabos in Baja California Sur, face no additional restrictions beyond the advice to exercise increased caution. The same is true of Mexico City. Overall, 16 states face no additional, specific restrictions.

For more information, please visit the U.S. Department of State website.
 
 

December 5, 2017


SUPREME COURT LIFTS PARTIAL HOLD ON PRESIDENTIAL EXECUTIVE ORDER DATED SEPTEMBER 24 

On December 4, 2017, the Supreme Court lifted the partial hold on the latest version of the Travel Ban 3.0 announced by the White House on September 24, 2017. The ban can now be fully enforced while legal challenges against it are making its way through the courts. The ban was issued by President Trump through a proclamation pursuant to Section 2(e) of Executive Order 13780 designating eight countries to be subject to partial or full restrictions on entry into the United States. The restrictions are country-specific and tailored to the situation of each individual country.

The eight countries subject to the proclamation are:

  • Chad
  • Iran
  • Libya
  • North Korea
  • Syria
  • Venezuela
  • Yemen
  • Somalia 

For more information refer to the Travel Advisory and Resources pages on the NAFSA website.

International students from the affected countries considering international travel or international students planning to travel to the countries listed in the ban are advised to contact the Rutgers Global–International Student and Scholar Services office to discuss their plans. International students in general are advised to exercise caution in international travel. Please follow our general recommendations for travel and do not hesitate to contact us with any questions or concerns or come in and meet with an adviser during walk-in hours.

Finally, Rutgers Law School has launched a new service, the Rutgers Immigrant Community Assistance Project (RICAP), which offers Rutgers University students at the Camden, New Brunswick, and Newark campuses access to legal information and guidance on immigration issues.
 

November 20, 2017

PRESIDENTIAL EXECUTIVE ORDER
An update to this alert can be found on our Deadlines and Alerts page dated December 5.

On September 24, 2017, President Trump issued a new executive order, which effectively replaces the travel ban it had previously announced earlier this year and went into effect on October 18, 2017. There is no end period to this new travel ban. The White House indicated that countries will be removed from this list if and when they meet the requirements the White House has indicated they must meet. The countries included in this order include Chad, Iran, Libya, North Korea, Somalia, Syria, Venezuela, and Yemen.

This travel ban has different impacts on citizens of the listed countries depending on which country you may be a citizen of and with which visa category you are entering the US. This updated travel ban restricts both visa issuance and entry to the US for citizens of the following countries as outlined below. Please note this travel ban does not impact:

  • The status of students or scholars who are already here.
  • The eligibility for benefits for students or scholars who are already here, including CPT, OPT, or Academic Training.

On October 17, 2017, the U.S. District Court for the District of Hawaii ordered that the government not enforce or implement Sections 2(a), (b), (c), (e), (g), and (h) of this executive order.

As a result of this court order, visa applicants who are nationals of Chad, Iran, Libya, Syria, Yemen, and Somalia are not currently subject to any of the restrictions or limitations under the executive order. According to the US Department of State, if you are a citizen of Chad, Iran, Libya, Syria, Yemen, or Somalia, your visa application will be processed.

The order did not affect Sections (d) and (f) of the Proclamation, so nationals from North Korea and Venezuela are subject to the restrictions and limitations listed below.

North Korea

  • Entry as an immigrant is suspended
  • Entry as a nonimmigrant is suspended for all categories

Venezuela

  • Entry is suspended for Venezuelan nonimmigrants on business (B-1), tourist (B-2), and business/tourist (B-1/B-2) visas, but only for officials of government agencies of Venezuela involved in screening and vetting procedures and their immediate family members.
  • Nationals of Venezuela are not subject to the above suspension would nevertheless likely be subject to additional scrutiny

For the latest news and updates on the presidential executive orders, visit the NAFSA: Association of International Educators website.

 

November 9, 2017

TURKEY VISA PROCESSING ON A LIMITED BASIS

On November 9, the U.S. consulates in Turkey resumed processing visas on a "very limited basis." For the latest information, please refer to the US Embassy and Consulates in Turkey website.
 

October 8, 2017

ALL NONIMMIGRANT VISA SERVICES SUSPENDED FOR TRAVEL BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES AND TURKEY
Read more for details:

The United States said on Sunday that it was suspending nonimmigrant visa services at its diplomatic facilities in Turkey after the arrest of a consulate employee, prompting Turkey to halt visa services in America.

We are closely monitoring these the developments regarding the new Proclamation as well as the situation in Turkey and will update this page with the latest information. Should you have any questions or concerns about your ability to enter or reside in the United States, please contact us.

For now, we strongly advise any students or scholars from the countries mentioned in the Proclamation and from Turkey to seek advice from Rutgers Global–International Student and Scholar Services prior to making any international travel plans.

 

September 29, 2017
 

DEADLINE Reduced Credit Forms due
To maintain legal status, all F-1 and J-1 students must “pursue a full course of study" at all times. This means being registered for a full credit load (12 credits for undergraduates and nine credits for graduate students). There are cases, however, in which regulations consider a student to be pursuing a full course of study even though he or she is not actually registered for a full credit load. If you are an undergraduate who only needs one or two classes to complete your program, or a graduate student who has completed all coursework but are still conducting thesis or dissertation research might be considered to be pursuing a full course of study even though you are not registered for nine credits. To remain in legal status and take a reduced credit load, you must submit the Reduced Credit Load Form by September 29, 2017.
 

September 24, 2017

The White House announced a new travel ban, through a Proclamation pursuant to Section 2(e) of Executive Order 13780 which will replace the earlier travel ban which expired on Sunday, September 24, 2017. This new ban designates eight countries to be subject to partial or full restrictions on entry into the United States. The restrictions are country-specific, and tailored to the situation of each individual country. The eight countries subject to the Proclamation are: Chad, Iran, Libya, North Korea, Syria, Venezuela, Yemen, and Somalia. For more information refer to the Travel Advisory and Resources pages on the NAFSA website.

 

September 22, 2017

IMMEDIATE DEADLINE October 2017 Graduates

The School of Graduate Studies policy does not require students who graduate in October 2017 to register for the fall semester in which they will receive their degree. However, SEVIS automatically terminates your SEVIS record if a "registration event" is not sent to SEVIS within the first 30 days of each semester. If your SEVIS record is terminated, you will lose your legal status. Students graduating in October 2017 do not have the required "registration event" sent to SEVIS automatically.

We need to identify all F and J students on a Rutgers visa sponsorship who will receive the October 2017 degree and manually "register" each of their SEVIS records. Therefore, you must officially inform us if you plan to get an October 2017 degree so that we know to manually perform the "registration" event on your SEVIS record.

Email the following to Susan Maldonado at susanmal@global.rutgers.edu with the subject “October Graduation” by Friday, September 22, 2017:

  • YOUR LAST NAME:
  • YOUR FIRST NAME:
  • YOUR STUDENT ID:
  • COPY AND PASTE THE FOLLOWING STATEMENT IN ITS ENTIRETY IN YOUR EMAIL: (see "Important Additional Note" below for a full explanation of the statement):
    I plan to receive an October 2017 degree and therefore I do not intend to register for the Fall 2017 semester. I understand, however, that if for some reason I do not end up receiving the October degree I will immediately fall out of F-1 or J-1 status because I will not be registered for any credits. I understand that if I am not absolutely certain I will get an October degree and if I do not want to take the risk of falling out of status, I can choose to register for the minimum number of credits permitted in order to "insure" myself against falling out of status.

 

September 15, 2017


DEADLINE Health Insurance exemption due
You are required to have health insurance. If you would like to pay for alternate coverage, you must waive the Rutgers student insurance plan through the Center for Global Services by submitting the waiver on the RGLOBAL portal by Friday, September 15, 2017

 

August 28–September 2, 2017

MANDATORY New International Student Orientation

 

August 21, 2017

NONIMMIGRATION VISA OPERATIONS SUSPENDED IN RUSSIA The U.S. diplomatic mission to Russia announced on August 21, 2017, that "Due to the Russian government-imposed cap on U.S. diplomatic personnel in Russia, all nonimmigrant visa operations across Russia will be suspended on August 23. Operations will resume in Moscow on September 1; visa operations at the U.S. consulates will remain suspended indefinitely. Currently scheduled appointments will be cancelled and applicants will be provided instructions on how to reschedule." The Department of State is not revoking visas that have already been issued. For more, see the Department of State fact sheet.

All international students and scholars from Russia should contact the Center for Global Services if you need to plan overseas travel at this time; we strongly advise against travel if you will need to renew your U.S. visa during your travel.

 

June 26, 2017

PRESIDENTIAL EXECUTIVE ORDER A Supreme Court decision on Monday, June 26 allows for parts of the travel ban to go into effect in the next 72 hours, impacting those without "bona fide relationship with any person or entity in the United States." According to NAFSA (Association of International Educators), most students and scholars should continue to be exempt from the 90-day bar. For the latest news and updates on the Presidential Executive Order, visit NAFSA: Association of International Educators.

 

July 21, 2017

CENTER FOR GLOBAL SERVICES WALK-IN UPDATE The walk-in hours for international student advisers Martha Baillargeon and Justing Schlossberg are canceled on Friday, July 21, 2017. The center will remain open for other business. For adviser schedules and assignments, please see International Student and Scholars Advising Services.

 

July 18, 2017

CENTER FOR GLOBAL SERVICES CLOSED The Center for Global Services will close at 12:00 p.m. on Tuesday, July 18, 2017, for an off-site staff training program. In case of emergency, please send an email to globalservices@global.rutgers.edu and a staff member will respond to you as soon as possible. We are also closed Wednesday, July 19, 2017, as per our usual schedule. We will reopen on Thursday, July 20, 2017.