From: VISA Office
Date: May 1
Subject: VISA News: 2024 W-2, Late Night Breakfast, Fruit Picking, Senior Week, Convocation, 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.

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.

w-2 image

Graduating Students- Important Tax Info to Ensure You Get Your 2024 W-2

If you worked on campus in 2024, CWRU will send you a Form W-2 to enable you to prepare your tax return in 2025. It will be sent to your permanent address as listed in SIS. Please take a moment to verify that your permanent address is correct in SIS, and make any required updates by December 15. If your permanent address is current, but you would prefer to have your W-2 sent to another address, you must provide that address under the W-2 Override option in SIS no later than December 15. 

Remember it is your responsibility to file taxes each year and the W-2 is a critical document for that process.

Please contact Payroll if you have questions about your W-2, or if you do not receive it by January 31, 2025.

 

summer schedule change with sun clipart

VISA News Summer Schedule

After Commencement, the VISA Office will reduce the frequency of VISA News to every two weeks.  Please continue to check your CWRU email regularly over the summer! The VISA Office will resume its weekly VISA News email in August.

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

OPT & CPT Workshops

The VISA Office offers 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.

There aren't any more CPT workshops this semester, but there is one more OPT workshop tomorrow, May 2nd!  You can sign up here.

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OPT & STEM OPT Students- Reporting Requirements

Reporting related to your personal contact and employment information is a critical part of maintaining status while authorized for OPT or STEM OPT.  Please see the information here regarding reporting requirements.

Features

The Office of Education Abroad Is Hiring Student Workers for 2024-2025!

The Office of Education Abroad is hiring Student Assistants for 2024-2025! Ideal candidates will have a love of all things international while being able to support the Office of Education Abroad.

Student Assistants work approximately 7-15 hours per week. Job duties and assignments are determined based on the student's experience, interests, and strengths with preference given to those who have experience in managing social media accounts, designing marketing materials, and/or database management.

Interested candidates should apply now. Questions should be directed to Valerie Rambin, var26@case.edu.

OISRE Updates

Late Night Breakfast Tomorrow!

Case Western Reserve University students are invited to Late Night Breakfast on Thursday, May 2 from 8 to 10 p.m. at both Fribley Commons and Leutner Commons. 

The event will feature music, candy, raffles and breakfast favorites such as biscuits and gravy, pancakes, sausage, eggs, fresh fruit and smoothies.

Late Night Breakfast is open to all students, even those without a meal plan. A CWRU ID is required to attend.

Fruit Picking Fun!

Did you know that there are farms where you can pick the fruit yourself?  Click here for a list of fruit picking farms in Northeast Ohio.

Clap-Out, Convocation and Sendoff Celebration

For graduating graduate students, click on the QR code below.  Undergraduates, register through the Senior Week CampusGroups page.

Senior Week 2024! May 9 - 17

Are you a graduating senior? Make sure to register for Senior Week 2024 events organized by the Senior Week Committee. These include outings to Swings N Things, Cedar Point, Goodtime III boat ride, a theatre performance, and more!

Free PNC Financial Webinars

As you begin your summer break, learn how to budget, save, and invest with free webinars at My Finance Academy

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.

 

 

Other Opportunities

MIX: K-pop at the CMA

Join the Cleveland Museum of Art as they celebrate the new special exhibition, Korean Couture: Generations of Revolution.  DJ Big Sana spins his favorite K-pop all night long, while PinkSoda, a K-pop dance group consisting of Arushi Prakash-Li, Margaret Li, and Raymond Bondad, performs throughout the evening.

  • Friday, May 3
  • 6:00-10:00 p.m.
  • Paid admission
Click here for more information: 

Also at CMA: Africa and Byzantium Exhibit

Before heading home for the summer, check out this exhibit at the Cleveland Museum of Art:  https://www.clevelandart.org/whats-on/exhibitions

Cleveland Asian Festival Is May 18 - 19

The Cleveland Asian Festival is coming up on May 18-19. You can expect delicious food, cultural performances, and many vendors of all kinds. Find the schedule and more information here.

Global Cleveland - Newsletter for International Students

Did you know that Global Cleveland has a newsletter for International Students?  For more information, or to subscribe, please contact Evan Chwalek at evan@globalcleveland.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.  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.