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Passport
Before entering the United States you were issued a passport by your government. You are responsible to ensure that the passport is valid for at least six months beyond the date of your authorised stay in this country. If necessary, your own country's embassy or consulate in the U.S. will extend, renew, or issue a new passport. Please consult with them well in advance to find out what forms you will need. It is a good idea to keep your passport in a safe place at all times during your stay. You might want to register the number and issue-date of your passport and keep it in a separate place in case your passport is lost.
F-1
visa
Upon
your acceptance to Smith College you were issued an I-20 form (Certificate
of Eligibility) by Smith which enabled you to apply for a student visa
at a U.S. Embassy in your country. The F-1 student visa is inside
your passport. With this visa, you may leave and re-enter the United
States as many times as you wish during your stay, provided you have
-
a
valid passport
-
a
valid multiple-entry student visa in your passport
- a current I-20 form from Smith College dated and signed by the Dean for International Students & Scholars
- Form I-94 which you will surrender at the border or airport to an United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) official when you depart from the U.S.
The
I-20 is your official travel document.
I-94
form
When
you enter the United States you will be issued an I-94 form (Arrival and
Departure record) by the U.S. Immigration officer who will attach the form
inside your passport. This form is valid until your graduation and
must be kept in your passport at all times. When you leave the U.S.
at any time during your stay, you must surrender this form at the border
or to an official of the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service.
Upon your return you will be issued a new I-94 provided you have the documents
mentioned in the preceding paragraph.
Expiration
date of visa
All
students should be aware that passports, visas, and I-94 forms do have
expiration dates. Once you are in the United States, your visa may
expire without any penalty to you, but if you leave the United States with
an expired visa, you must obtain a new one before you can return.
Check with the International Students Office if you have questions about
this.
Employment
Students who are here on F-1 visas are not eligible to accept any employment outside the College. You are, however, eligible to work on the Smith campus provided that it does not interfere with your studies. You may contact the Financial Aid office for Information about campus jobs.
Responsibility
You
are responsible to maintain all documents such as passport, visa, I-94,
and other papers you have. The International Students Office will
advise and assist you as well asprovide you with forms and documents you
may need. You are encouraged to periodically check your passport
and other documents to make sure that they are valid and updated.
If you loose your passport or other important materials, notify the International
Students Office immediately.
You are also responsible for maintaining full-time status while studying at Smith. You must notify the International Students Office if you are thinking of transferring, taking a leave of absence or withdrawing.
Social
Security Number
All
international students who have secured a job on campus are eligible to
apply for a Social Security Number. If you are planning to
work on campus you will need this number before the Payroll Office can
issue you any checks. If you plan to do Practical Training, you will
also need this number. This number, however, does not give you permission
to work outside the campus without proper authorization. You will
receive a card, which will be restricted and will have a special number.
The International Students Office has applications, which you can fill
out and take to the Social Security branch office in Northampton.
During preorientation you will also have the opportunity to apply for this
number with a representative from the Social Security Office.
Practical
Training
Practical
Training is a program for students to gain valuable experience by working
in their field of study outside the college. The visa status remains
F-1 with a special authorization to work. There are two types of Practical
training available at this time.
- Practical Training Prior to Completion of Studies - defines as working during the annual school vacation, most likely in the summer months. Although students may also apply during the January Interterm. Permission is granted by the USCIS.
- Practical Training After Completion of Studies - defined as working after the completion of a degree program, i.e. A.B, M.A, or PhD. Permission is granted by the USCIS.
To
obtain permission, a student must have been in a F-1 student status for
at least nine months (First year undergraduate and graduate students will
be eligible in June of their first summer).
The process of obtaining permission for Practical training is complicated and is determined on an individual basis. The Office for International Students has all the forms and information pertaining to this program.
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About
the Office
ISP Orientation
Prospective
Students
Current
Students
International
Clubs
International
Faculty & Scholars
Pre-Departure Information Form
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