From: VISA Office
Date: April 10
Subject: VISA News: Taxes, Career Fair, Holi, Cleveland Guardians Baseball, and MORE


VISA News

VISA Office Information

The VISA Office is open 8:30 am - 5:00 pm, Monday - Friday.  We are located in Crawford Hall, Suite 215.

On Monday, Thursday, and Friday, we have virtual chat advising available from 11am to 1pm.  Access virtual chat from our website here.

You are also welcome to contact us for an in-person, phone, or virtual appointment.  Please email visa@case.edu to request an appointment or schedule from our website here.

Tax Information for 2023- Filing Deadline is April 15

Tax Deadline is April 15: Forms & Sprintax Availablity

Sprintax is a tax-return-preparation software program designed primarily for international students and scholars. It can help you prepare your U.S. federal income tax return, which you are legally required to file to the Internal Revenue Service.  The VISA Office has arranged for a limited number of coupons for free access to Sprintax for your federal tax filing needs.

You may access Sprintax and begin preparing your tax return by following these steps:

  1. Register and follow the simple instructions
  2. Complete the online questionnaire
  3. Enter Case Western Reserve University’s unique code. This code was sent to you via email on February 6.
  4. Sprintax will prepare your tax return

If Sprintax determines that you are required to file a state tax return, you may use Sprintax to file your state return at your own expense. You are not required to use Sprintax to file your tax returns but, remember, it is your responsibility to comply with the law and properly file all required tax returns. 

If you haven't yet received your Form W-2 from CWRU, contact Payroll at payroll@case.edu.

For more information regarding the 1098-T and to download the Nonresident Alien 1098-T Request Form, please visit the Financial Services website. 

1042-S forms will be prepared by mid-March and sent to students by Payroll. Please contact Payroll if you have questions about the issuance of your 1042-S.

For more information, visit our International Tax Resources page and if you have any questions, the Sprintax team will be happy to help via their 24/7 live chat function or via email at hello@sprintax.com. Remember, VISA Office staff members cannot advise you on tax questions, so please reach out to Sprintax for help.

Sprintax Offers Tax Webinars to Prepare for Tax Filing Season 2023

The VISA Office partners with the tax experts at Sprintax, who offer tax filing services to international students who are considered non-resident aliens for tax purposes. The Sprintax team will be hosting a series of free open tax webinars to provide helpful information about non-resident tax filing obligations.

You can find the details and registration link for the last webinar of the season below!

​​​​​​ - Monday, April 15, 1pm ET – Register here

The informational webinars will cover the same topics on each occasion:

  • An overview of tax for nonresident students and scholars for the 2023 tax season
  • Who must file
  • Tax residency
  • FICA
  • State returns
  • Implications of misfiling
  • How to use Sprintax to prepare a compliant tax return
keep calm the semester is about to end meme

End of Semester Reminders

Start preparing for the end of the semester and see if you have to take action on your I-20 or DS-2019.

If you need to extend your I-20 or DS-2019:  Please visit our website and scroll down to "request new I-20 extension" or "request new DS-2019 extension" and provide your advisor information in the request.
Undergraduates: list your Dean in Undergraduate Studies
Graduate students: list your academic advisor.

If you need to transfer your F-1 or J-1 SEVIS record: Visit our website for the transfer out request.

If you need to get a new travel signature on your I-20 or DS-2019: To submit a request for travel signature, visit our website and scroll down to "request new I-20 reprint or travel signature request" or "request new DS-2019 reprint or travel signature request."  You can also read about travel and re-entry for F-1 and J-1 students here.

Check the validity of your visa stamp in your passport and make sure your passport is valid.  Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months into the future.

Do you have additional questions? Get in touch with VISA Office Staff by stopping by our office from 8:30am to 5pm, Monday-Friday, or emailing us at visa@case.edu.

OPT and CPT workshop branding telling students that workshops are available online

OPT & CPT Workshops

The VISA Office is offering Optional Practical Training (OPT) and Curricular Practical Training (CPT) Workshops to review the application process, student responsibilities, and other important considerations.

It is important to be well informed before you apply.  It is also important to apply early!

OPT is mostly for students who are graduating and wish to work after graduation.  You first have to obtain your OPT I-20 from our office. Then you must apply for an Employment Authorization Document  from US Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS), which is required to begin work on OPT. It takes USCIS 3-4 months to process EAD applications. You must complete an OPT workshop to obtain an OPT I-20 from the VISA Office, so we strongly recommend that you attend a workshop as early as possible if you plan to apply for OPT this semester. Remember, you do not need a job offer to apply for OPT!

CPT is for currently enrolled students.  For CPT, you have to have a job offer before applying for authorization. You are not eligible to begin your experience until you have CPT authorization in place. It can take several days to become authorized.

Please sign up for a workshop!  You can sign up here.

OISRE Updates

Click on the QR code above or go to CampusGroups for additional details. Learn more about Holi, the meaning of the vivid colors, and the Case Hinduism Club!

Cleveland International Film Festival

The 48th Cleveland International Film Festival, or CIFF48, will take place April 3-13, 2024 at Playhouse Square.  Then, CIFF48 Streams, presented by PNC, will be featured online from April 14 - 21, 2024.

The in-person Festival will showcase 137 feature films and 225 short films representing 60 countries during its 11-day run. CIFF48 Streams will present more than half of the Festival’s in-person feature films, along with nearly its full lineup of in-person short films.

CWRU faculty, staff and students can use discount code CWRU48 for each ticket purchase.  Film Festival Vouchers are also available for free tickets.  Supply is limited and vouchers will be distributed on a first-come, first-served  basis.  To request a voucher, email donorrelations@case.edu

See also:
https://www.clevelandfilm.org/

Play Ball!

The Cleveland Guardians baseball season has started so enjoy a game downtown with $10 student tickets! Check out their schedule! 

Free PNC Financial Webinars

 

April is financial wellness month so check out these upcoming webinars: 

 

Student Webinar: Banking Basics For College Students

Date: April 11th, 2024 at 7 pm ET

Description: Learn how to create a budget, understand how your credit score affects finances and learn best practices to protect yourself from identity theft.

 

Student Webinar: Credit Scores and Reports: Understanding and Improving Your Score

Date:  April 16th, 2024 at 4 pm ET

Description: You will learn the factors that determine your credit score and how to request, make sense of, and, if necessary, repair your credit report. You will also learn how to improve your credit score and how to distinguish scams from legitimate vendors when looking for help with credit issues.

 

Student Webinar: Early Career: Creating Your Financial Foundation

Date:  April 25th, 2024 at 7 pm ET

Description: This workshop will give you a high-level overview you need to make good choices about housing and commuting expenses, company health and retirement plans, personal credit use, and even an emergency fund for unexpected expenses.

 

See this article: Mindful Money: How Net Worth Affects Your Well-Being | PNC Insights.

The more you know about money, the better you position yourself to reach your financial goals, not just for today but for life. Be sure to take advantage of PNC My Finance Academy’s videos, podcasts, articles, and other tools to help you build your financial knowledge and confidence at My Finance Academy.

Features

Showcase Your Home Country in The Daily

Are you an international student at Case Western Reserve University interested in being featured in The Daily? National Tourism Day is May 7, and The Daily's editorial team is looking to feature a handful of international students who'd like to give their best tips about traveling to their home country (best things to do, things to avoid, your favorite food spot). This would all be done via email, and would require you to submit a photo or two of your home country. If you're interested in being featured, email case-daily@case.edu no later than April 20. In the email, include your name, home country, and your affiliation at CWRU. Make sure the subject line is "National Tourism Day." 

Campus Happenings

Mobile Food Pantry

Members of the Case Western Reserve University community are invited to a mobile food pantry event featuring free produce Tuesday, April 16, at 1:30 p.m. on Kelvin Smith Library Oval.

In addition to fresh produce, there also will be information about on- and off-campus food pantries, SNAP, Swipe Out Hunger, and other basic-needs resources.

Questions? Contact the Dean of Students Office at 216.368.1527 or at deanofstudents@case.edu.

WISHED Ice Cream Social

Join Women in Science and Humanities Earning Doctorates (WISHED) for Mitchell's ice cream and website design where current WISHED members will discuss the pros and cons of different website platforms. An academic website can be so helpful because they provide you with a unique platform to describe your work, showcase publications, videos, essays, and more.They can also be extremely beneficial for networking and job hunting.

Thursday, April 11, 5 - 7 pm

This event will be on campus with the location TBD. Please RSVP; food will be provided.  Register here..

Pastries and Professionals

Join the Women in Science and Engineering Roundtable (WISER) for their annual Pastries and Professionals event. You will have a chance to talk to professionals in a variety of fields on a more personal level. In many cases, students who attend this event get offered internships and valuable career advice.

The event will be held Friday, April 12, from 6:00-7:30 pm in Thwing Atrium. Pastries from Luna's Bakery will be provided.

Register here.

If you would like to promote your event or opportunity through VISA News, please make a complete submission (including flyers, images, details, etc.) for consideration by noon on Monday to visa@case.edu.  The VISA Office cannot guarantee that all submissions will appear in the newsletter, as space is limited, but staff will review all timely submissions for consideration.