The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) today issued important reminders to assist the estimated 200,000 foreign students and exchange visitors expected to arrive in the United States for the spring semester.

Paying the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) fee in local currency is now possible, thanks to a new program announced this month by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Western Union.

The U.S. Department of State has released the official list of U.S. Fulbright student grantees for the 20042005 academic year. This year, under the nation’s premier exchange program, 1,099 American students have been awarded Fulbright grants to study and conduct research in more than 110 countries throughout the world.

The Department of State has published a notice inviting comments from the public concerning the proposed collection of information in DS3035, J Visa Waiver Recommendation Application, in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, preceding submission to Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for approval.

F1 students applying for Social Security Number will be required to provide evidence that he or she has been authorized by the school to work and has secured employment or a promise of employment.

The Department of State has released a list of organizations/institutions designated to administer J1 exchange visitor programs as of April 2004. The list provides the contact information by exchange visitor program category.

Beginning today, Students, scholars and exchange visitors from abroad whose schools or programs are approved in SEVIS will be required to pay the appropriate fee – in most cases, $100 prior to obtaining their visas.

(CBP) Commissioner (DHS) today marked the start of the second year of the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS), a nationwide registration program for international visitors, with a welcoming event today at Dulles International Airport for some of the 220,000 foreign students and exchange visitors expected to arrive in the United States this fall.

The US Department of State has sent a Cable reminding the Diplomatic and Consular Posts of several important visa processing policies relating to Students and Exchange Visitors to ensure that applications for these categories of visas are handled in the most expeditious way. The Cable reminds that F, M or J visa holders will not be admitted to the US until a date thirty days or less prior to the beginning of their program date, or start date, as given on Form I20 (for F or M visas) or DS2019 (for J visas).

The DHS announced the oneyear anniversary of the requirement for all international student and exchange visitors to register with the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS).

Certain academic foreign students can remain in U.S. until H1B petitions are decided. The extension of the grace period allows affected foreign students to remain in country and avoid the inconvenience of returning home only to travel back to the United States in the near future Foreign students qualify for the extended grace period only if their prospective employer has timely filed an H1B petition on the student’s behalf before July 30, 2004 with requested employment start date of October 1, 2004.