From: VISA Office
Date: August 9, 2023
Subject: VISA News - Important information for International Students


IS

VISA Office Information

 

The VISA Office is open M - F 8:30 am - 5:00 pm.  VISA Staff is available to students, without an appointment, on Monday, Thursday, and Friday during advising hours:

11am to 1pm- through virtual chat advising available online

1pm to 3pm- through in-person drop-in advising in the office

There are no virtual chat or drop-in advising hours on Tuesday and Wednesday.

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If you need to speak with an advisor outside of our advising hours, please send an email to visa@case.edu to schedule an appointment. Please provide your full, legal name and a brief description of the nature of your appointment when you contact us.

check in on a computer screen

Check In with the VISA Office


Students New to CWRU or Beginning a New Program at CWRU:

If you are new to CWRU or beginning a new program at CWRU this semester, you need to check in online as part of the process to maintain your visa status. This includes transfer students and change of educational level students.

To Check In:

If you will be on campus this semester to begin your program, please access the Instructions on How to Check In with ISS and complete the process. Please note that you:

  • check in online AFTER you arrive in the US with your valid I-20 or DS-2019

  • can check in up to 30 days before the program start date listed on your I-20 or DS-2019

  • must check in by the start date listed on your I-20 or DS-2019. If there is a delay, please notify us immediately

We cannot process any on-campus employment or Social Security Number paperwork until you have been checked in.

If you will not be coming to the United States this fall, do not check in using the instructions above. It is critical that you complete the survey instead.  If you have not done so yet, please do so immediately. 

Thank you for your attention and cooperation!

register spelled out with scrabble tiles

Registration & Your Visa Status

The VISA Office wants to remind you that, as international students, you are required to be properly registered for a full-time course load while you're studying in the United States as an F-1 or a J-1 student. This is mandatory by US Federal Regulations.

There are very few exceptions to full-time registration requirements and only  The VISA Office can determine whether you qualify for one of them.  Always register for full-time and never drop below a full-time courseload without first speaking with an advisor in the VISA Office.   Improper registration could have serious consequences, including termination, for your visa status.

If you have already completed coursework abroad through online learning during previous semesters, you must still be registered full-time unless the VISA Office determines that you qualify for an exception. 

We will be verifying each student's registration over the next several weeks. If we detect a problem with your registration or have questions, we will be contacting you by email. It's extremely important that you follow up with us promptly and work to quickly resolve the matter so that your visa status is not negatively impacted.

If you have questions, never hesitate to contact our office at visa@case.edu or get in touch during advising hours!

Be aware of culture shock

Moving to another country can be exciting, but as you get settled and time goes by, we want you to be aware of challenges that you might face as you adjust to life in the US.  The process of adjusting to a new culture is often called "culture shock" or "transition shock".

Please see the link below for more information and where to go for help:

https://case.edu/international/international-student-services/living-cleveland/culture-transition-shock

virtual advising chat box

Chat with VISA Staff Online During Advising Hours

Virtual Chat Advising is available Monday, Thursday, and Friday, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., EST.

If you have a question or concern that you need to address during that time frame, reach out to an advisor through the chat box. The chat box (it looks just like the picture) will be available on our website.

scam spelled out on keyboard

Beware of Scams

The VISA Office wants to make sure that international students are aware of these scams and know how to protect themselves.  Visit this website for more information.

tuition payment information sign

Manage Tuition Payments & More


The SIS Finances User Guide provides you with a step-by-step look at how to manage tuition billing and financial services at Case Western Reserve University. Get started here!

Features

Off-Campus Housing Q & A Session is Tomorrow!

 

Off-campus housing Q&A session

 

Students are invited to join the Office of University Housing for a Q&A session about securing last-minute off-campus housing Thursday, Aug. 10, at 7 p.m. via Zoom.

During this session, attendees will have the chance to explore housing options near and around campus.

Email offcampushousing@case.edu to sign up for the Zoom.

Welcome party flyer
qr code for event

Annual Furniture Giveaway for ALL NEW INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS 

International student Fellowship is excited to invite ALL NEW (Spring, summer and Fall 2023 admitted) international students to attend its Annual Furniture and Household items Giveaway. This is a FREE event, but space is limited! This is ISF's way of saying WELCOME to you!

Date: Saturday - August 19th, 2023

Location: 2537 Lee Road, Cleveland Heights, OH 44118 (Gymnasium of Church of the Saviour)

Time: 9 a.m. sharp. (arrive between 8:30 - 8:45 a.m. to sign in in order to receive a number). Items are given away on a random lottery draw. NO NEED to arrive early. This is not a first-come-first-serve basis.

For more information & registration- visit the ISF Facebook page: International Student Fellowship -CWRU or Instagram: isf-cwru
OR email them at isfcleveland@gmail.com

Scan the QR code and register NOW! 

For Graduate Students:

Other Opportunities

For events happening in the University Circle neighborhood this weekend and beyond, see all of the details here:  https://www.universitycircle.org/

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.  We cannot guarantee that all submissions will appear in the newsletter, as space is limited, but staff will review all timely submissions for consideration.