From: Emily Aronson
Date: August 2, 2023
Subject: VISA News: Important updates for International Students

August 2, 2023

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The VISA Office is open Monday through Friday 8:30 am - 5:00 pm. VISA Office Staff is available to students on Monday, Thursday, and Friday during advising hours:

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

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

There are no set advising hours on Tuesday or 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.

register spelled out with scrabble tiles

Registration & Your Visa Status

The VISA Office just 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!

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. If you are a change-of-educational level student or transfer student, you must also check in.

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 the VISA Office 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!

For Alumni and students on OPT: Changes in Alumni Google Workspace

Earlier this summer, a university-wide change was made regarding the Google Workspace access for alumni. As of July 7, students who have graduated no longer have full access to their CWRU Gmail mailbox or other Google products. However, there is a tool in place to allow alumni to forward emails sent to their CWRU address to another email address.

OPT students should take action now so that you continue to receive important information from our office and others regarding your visa status.

If you have not already, please use the university's email routing tool to set up your CWRU address to redirect to your personal email: https://identity-services.case.edu/email/routing/

You can find much more information on this change on this page: https://case.edu/utech/help/knowledge-base/google-workspace-education/alumni-google-workspace-faq

Thank you for your quick attention to this matter. We want to also thank those who have already taken this step. If you need further assistance, please contact UTech (https://help.case.edu/), or contact the VISA Office at visa@case.edu if you have any other questions.

Chat with ISS Staff Online During Advising Hours

We Are Here All Summer!

Virtual Advising is available Monday, Tuesday, 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.

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.

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!

Campus Happenings

Free Access Program

See What Cleveland Has to Offer - Free for CWRU Students

Check out the link below:

https://case.edu/studentlife/services/free-access-program

Other Opportunities

Feast of Assumption 8/12-8/15

The Feast of Assumption will be celebrated in Little Italy! Hosted by the Holy Rosary Church, there will be a series of masses, entertainment, and food. Information about the event can be found here.

One World Day - Sunday, August 27th

Travel the world in a single day—all without a passport—at the Cleveland Cultural Gardens’ One World Day, an annual event that celebrates the city’s diversity.

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.