From: VISA Office
Date: December 14, 2022
Subject: ISS News, December 14, 2022: Happy Holidays, End of Semester Reminders, ISS' Staff Availability in December, Therapy Dogs at KSL, Apply to be an OL, Tax Information, Wellness and Support Resources, Good Vibes, and More


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December 14, 2022

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in this issue:

  1. End of Semester Reminders
  2. December- Changes in ISS' Availability
  3. Tax Information for 2021 Filing Year
  4. Tips for Staying Safe in the Evenings
  5. Features
  6. Campus Happenings
  7. Other Opportunities
  8. Good Vibes Only
  9. Happy Holidays
  10. Support Resources

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ISS Staff is available to students, without an appointment, on Monday, Thursday, and Friday during advising hours:

11am to 1pm- through virtual advising available online

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

There are no advising hours on Tuesday and Wednesday.

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If you would like to speak with an advisor outside of our advising hours, please send an email to international@case.edu to request an appointment.  Provide your full, legal name and a brief description of what you would like to discuss in your message and ISS staff will help connect you with an advisor to schedule an appointment. 

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Happy Holidays

To Our International Students,

Winter break is almost here!  You just have finals week to push through- You can do it!- before you can fully enjoy some rest, relaxation, and the holiday season!

The ISS staff and everyone in the Center for International Affairs would like to wish all students and their loved ones, whether near or far, a happy and healthy holiday season. If you're traveling, be safe, and if you're staying locally, enjoy your time in Cleveland!

This will be our last ISSNews for 2022! We'll get back to our regular weekly Wednesday editions shortly after the New Year.

We look forward to working with you all and seeing you on campus in January!

Best Wishes and Happy New Year,
Mar, Adolfo, Alec, Elizabeth, and Madi

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December- Changes in ISS' Availability

ISS staff will have different hours of availability over the next few weeks. This schedule will be updated as needed to help you plan your visit to ISS.

Wednesday, December 14: The Center will be closed so that staff can engage in strategic planning meetings.

Friday, December 23 - Monday, January 2: UNIVERSITY IS CLOSED

On all other days, ISS will operate and offer services as usual.  Please plan your visit to the office accordingly so that staff members are available to help you!

Note: ISS does close when the university closes for scheduled breaks and inclement weather. If you're ever in doubt about ISS staff availability, we strongly recommend that you call in advance of visiting the office; we don't want you to be out in the cold, snowy weather if we're not available to help you! If you have an immigration-related emergency when we are not in the office, contact CWRU Security at 216.368.3300 and dispatch will know how to reach an ISS staff member.

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End of Semester Reminders

If you have thoughts about traveling abroad during the break, be sure to ask yourself these questions:

Do I need to extend my I-20 or DS-2019? If you do, read more under the Frequently Asked Questions Section. Undergraduates, be sure to list your Dean in Undergraduate Studies on your request and graduate students, you should list your academic advisor.

Do I need to transfer my F-1 or J-1 SEVIS record? If you do, read more under the Frequently Asked Questions Section.

Do I need to get a new travel signature on my I-20 or DS-2019? If you do, you can read about that process and other factors related to travel and reentry for F-1 and J-1 students.

Also,

  • be aware of all travel-related policies. Travel requirements are changing as the situation with COVID-19 evolves, including a Presidential Proclamation requiring travelers to be fully vaccinated in order to enter the US.  Be sure that you are monitoring all requirements for entry to the United States and complying with university policies related to vaccination and travel to minimize the risk of disrupting your education at CWRU. **If you have any doubts or concerns about your ability to return to the United States by January 17 when the Spring 2023 semester begins, please consider remaining in the United States during winter break and not traveling abroad.**
  • check the validity of the visa in your passport. US Embassies and Consulates have limited services available and there could be significant delays in visa issuances. This delay could significantly affect your ability to return to the United States.
  • make sure your passport is valid at all times. Many government agencies are reducing and suspending services. Passport issuance could be an issue in your home country. Please prepare as early as possible if you need to apply for a new passport.  There are certain benefits for which F-1 students apply when they are in the United States and the agencies that oversee those benefits often require applicants to have a passport that is valid for at least 6 months into the future.

Do you have more questions that you need help answering? Get in touch with ISS staff during advising hours or by email before you leave campus.

Good Luck with Finals written in multicolored chalk

Support Resources

The staff in ISS, University Health & Counseling Services (UH&CS), and hundreds of student service professionals across our campus are ready to help students. We all know that you are busy-- busy with finals and busy with life-- and that there may be things happening in the United States and throughout the world that are affecting you. 
 
We want you to take care of yourself and have the support you need to be successful.  Please don't forget that you can access mental health care through CWRU Care! CWRU Care is a 24/7 mental telehealth care service that undergraduate, graduate and professional students can access from wherever they are. For more information about the program or to make an appointment, please visit cwru.care.

Not feeling well? Connect with our University Health Service staff.

If you wonder how your academics might affect your immigration status, reach out to ISS as soon as possible!

The Dean of Students Office and the Case Western Reserve University  community are committed to helping students overcome challenges during their academic careers.  A website has been developed to host a variety of resources and services that are available if you need them!

The university community is ready to help!
don't forget written on post it notes

Grads: Waiver of Registration Information

If you are a graduate student planning to submit a Waiver of Registration , it is essential that you understand the impact of this decision on your visa status. The Waiver of Registration is an administrative process of the university, but does not fulfill federal regulations that stipulate a requirement to be properly registered at all times. Proper registration is required to maintain your visa status and if you are not properly registered, you need to take other steps to maintain your visa status.

Keep in mind:

  • By virtue of submitting a Waiver of Registration, ISS is obligated to shorten the length of your I-20 to reflect the Drop/Add deadline. Your legal status in the US actually becomes shorter because it is now based on this Drop/Add deadline rather than your future intended graduation date.
  • In order to maintain your visa status after submitting a Waiver of Registration, you must, in a timely manner, either apply for OPT or make arrangements to begin a new academic program.

OPT applications must be submitted within the 60 day grace period following the new Drop/Add deadline. Don't forget, it takes an average of 90-120 days for an OPT application to be processed. If you wait too long to apply, you're not likely going to be authorized for your full 12 months of OPT.

If you intend to begin another academic program, to maintain your current F-1 status (and SEVIS record), your new academic program must start within 5 months of the Drop/Add deadline. Any program beginning later than 5 months will result in you falling out of status.

If you do not intend to maintain your status either through OPT or continued education, you are required to leave the United States within 60 days of the Drop/Add deadline. Remaining in the US beyond the 60 day grace period can have extremely negative consequences such as fines and being barred from the US in the future.

Please get in touch with ISS if you have additional questions or concerns. We are here to help!

Tax Information for 2022 Filing Year

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Important Tax Info:
Make Sure You Get Your W-2

Every year, ALL individuals in F and J status must file taxes- including spouses, young children- even if they haven't earned any income!

The W-2 is a critical document for properly filing taxes. Every year between January and February, the university generates W-2 documents for individuals who have earned income from CWRU.

When your W-2 is generated, it's sent to your Permanent Address as listed in SIS. Please take a moment to verify that your correct Permanent Address is listed in SIS (make any updates as needed by December 15) to ensure that you'll receive your W-2.

If your Permanent Address is current, but you would prefer to have your W-2 sent to another address, it is necessary for you to include that address under the W-2 Override option in SIS no later than December 15. Using the W-2 Override function will maintain the integrity of your Permanent Address information and ensure that you receive your W-2 at the different, preferred address.

Please contact Payroll if you have questions about receiving your W-2.

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Sprintax Offers Tax Webinars to Prepare for Tax Filing Season 2022

ISS partners with the tax experts at Sprintax who offer tax filing services to international students that 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 links below for each:

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

  • An overview of tax for nonresident students and scholars
  • Who must file a 2021 US tax return
  • What income forms students may receive
  • Forms that need to be completed and sent to the IRS
  • Terms like FICA, ITIN, and Form 1098-T
  • What happens if students don’t file or misfile
  • State tax returns
  • Sprintax overview

Sprintax will also be hosting a free open tax webinar for students who are authorized for OPT/CPT to learn more about their tax responsibilities as well:

walking on campus at night

Walking on campus in the evenings?                                      Get tips for staying safe

Features

welcome giveaway flyer
mocktail hour flyer
EA faculty led flyer
ISAC survey winners flyer
Cleveland Bucket List Flyer

Campus Happenings

OL flyer
RA flyer
wittke jackson flyer
Spring activites fair

Other Opportunities

Engl 146 flyer
Engl 147 flyer

Good Vibes Only

During this very challenging time, ISS staff wants you to know that we are thinking about you- hoping you are safe, healthy, staying positive- and sending out good vibes!

In this section, we are including some things that we hope will make you laugh and smile, help you relax, be entertaining, give you something to do, etc.

This is a good vibes only section!

minions from Happy video

Dance and Clap along to Pharrell William's Music Video, Happy (when finals are over)!

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