From: VISA Office
Date: January 10
Subject: VISA News: Immigration Reminders, Taxes, MLK Jr. Day, Name Pronunciation Tool in SIS and MORE


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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.

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Check In with the VISA Office

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 new students, change of educational level students, and students transferring their SEVIS record to CWRU.

To Check In:

Please access the Instructions on How to Check In 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 complete the check-in process as soon as possible. The VISA Office uses this information to comply with the US Government's time-sensitive reporting requirements related to your SEVIS record. 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 semester, 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. 

MLK Jr. Day

January 15th - University Closed for Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

Monday, January 15: The university will be closed in observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day on Monday, January 15.

Note:  The VISA Office closes when the university closes for scheduled breaks and inclement weather. If you're ever in doubt about VISA staff availability, please 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 VISA staff members are not in the office, contact CWRU Security at 216.368.3300 and dispatch will know how to reach a VISA staff member.

stormtrooper meme about getting a travel signature

Need a New Travel Signature?

If you need a travel signature to return to the United States, don't panic! You can request a travel signature by going to our webpage and scrolling down to: "request new I-20: reprint or travel signature"

Read more about what to do on our Travel and Re-entry page for F-1 and J-1 students.

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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!

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For Graduate Students: 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 count as registration for F-1 and J-1 students. Proper registration is required to maintain your visa status.  If you are not properly registered, you need to take other steps to maintain your visa status.

F-1 students:

  • If you submit a Waiver of Registration, The VISA Office will 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 apply for OPT or make other arrangements in a timely manner.

Please note:

OPT applications must be submitted within 90 days before or 60 days after  the new I-20 end date (based on the drop/add deadline). Don't forget, it takes an average of 90 days for an OPT application to be processed.

If you do not intend to maintain your status either through OPT or other action on your I-20, you are required to leave the United States within 60 days of the Drop/Add deadline (which is your 60 day grace period).

If you are a J-1 student, please contact The VISA Office with questions related to the Waiver of Registration.

Tax Information for 2023 Filing Year

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

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.  For international students, this is often a foreign address.  

If your Permanent Address is correct, but you would prefer to have your W-2 sent to another address, for example a US address, it is necessary for you to include that address under the W-2 Override option in SIS.  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. 

See more W-2 information here: https://case.edu/controller/payroll

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

Sprintax logo

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 links below for each:

 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

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:

Beware of Scams

Unfortunately, every year, at least one international student here at CWRU falls victim to a scam.  The VISA office wants to make sure that international students are aware of scams and know how to protect themselves so it doesn't happen again!

Visit our website for more information about scams.

Also view these resources:
www.studyinthestates.dhs.gov
www.ice.gov

Features

Martin Luther King Jr. Convocation

The campus community is invited to the annual Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration Friday, Jan. 19, with keynote speaker Tiffany Cross, media personality and political analyst. Cross’ address will begin at 12:45 p.m. in the Tinkham Veale University Center ballroom.

She is the former host of The Cross Connection on MSNBC and a 2020 Resident Fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School’s Institute of Politics. A longtime cable news veteran, Cross previously served as the D.C. Bureau Chief for BET Networks, an associate producer for CNN, and a freelance field producer. Cross also spent time on the campaign trail having both covered and worked on numerous local, state and federal campaigns.

Cross went on to co-found The Beat DC, a national platform that intersected politics, policy, business, media and people of color that was widely read by elected officials, CEOs and C-suite executives, opinion leaders and media influencers. 

This event is free and open to the CWRU campus community and the general public; however, registration is strongly encouraged. Get more information and register to attend.

Following the keynote address, there will be a dessert reception. 

Name Pronunciation Tool Available in SIS

Case Western Reserve University has partnered with NameCoach, a web-based tool that allows students to record the pronunciation of their name. NameCoach empowers students to record their names from SIS (Student Information System) so that faculty and staff can listen from Canvas or SIS within 24 hours of recording it. Students will also be able to listen to the recording in Canvas.

This tool is currently available to all CWRU students. 

Students, advisors and instructors may find NameCoach helpful in cultivating an inclusive learning environment and respectful relationships with students. 

View instructions on how to record a name in SIS and listen to a recording in SIS. 

Email sisbateam@case.edu with questions.

Other Opportunities

Undergraduate Students: Apply to Be a Resident Assistant!

Would you like to make an impact and serve others around you within your residential community? Are you interested in gaining skills and experiences that will assist you beyond your time at CWRU? If so, apply today to be a resident assistant. Resident assistants are undergraduate student employees who are immersed in the student residential community and create environments primed for learning that allow students to embrace challenges and shape communities.

The Office of Residence Life is accepting applications for summer 2024 and academic year 2024–25 resident assistant positions.

If you are interested in connecting with residence life staff and learning more about the resident assistant position, attend an upcoming information session:

  • Thursday, Jan. 18, at 8 p.m. at Wade Commons in the Pioneer Room
  • Friday, Jan. 26, at noon via Zoom

Applications close and recommendations are due Friday, Jan. 26.

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.