International Student and Scholar Services

Did you know that as an international student, you are still responsible for filing a yearly tax return? It’s true! Even students who did not work or receive any taxable income must still file paperwork with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). You can find some information about it in our post from last year as well as important information and downloadable forms below.

FOR STUDENTS/SCHOLARS WHO WORKED IN 2013:  The tax filing period for fiscal year 2013 begins now and runs through April 2013.  You may request a WINSTAR code and instructions from us to access the Windstar Foreign National Tax Resource (FNTR ) Software.  This is for:

• Persons who have not been in the US for more than 5 years as of the end of fiscal year 2013
• Persons (including their visa dependents,  F2 & J2) who worked in 2013

FORM 8843 FOR STUDENTS/SCHOLARS WHO DID NOT WORK:  If you have not been in the US for  more than 5 years as of the end of fiscal year 2013 and you did not work, you will not use FNTR.  But you are still required to file a tax return, Form 8843. See attached

Form 8843 to familiarize yourself. (Negative consequences of NOT filing the Form 8843:  filing the Form 8843 will be significant if you plan to apply for a green card at some point in the future.  At that time you will be asked for copies of you U.S. tax returns for the previous three years. (You should also file this return because the IRS says you should.)  There is a Form 8843 guide attached.

The cost for an access code is $7.  [Exact] cash and checks made out to OITA, ISSS in subject line, are accepted at the front desk.

NOTE:  Staff at International Student & Scholar Services (ISSS) is not trained or licensed to answer questions concerning your tax returns or offer tax advice.  We are providing a TAX FAQ information sheet to answer questions you may have.  

Downloadable information and forms:

TAX FAQs

8843

A Guide for Filling Out The Form 8843

WINSTAR ACCESS CODE REQUEST FORM

During this season, many students are traveling. On top of making sure you have a valid travel signature, SEVIS has now released a new set of recommendations of documents that you might consider bringing with you on your travels that might help you avoid any problems upon your re-entry to the United States.

Some of the documents you might consider having with your signed I-20 and valid F-1 visa when you return to the US are:

 Proof of financial support
 Evidence of acceptance to your school, like a recent tuition payment receipt or acceptance letter
 Proof of paying the I-901 Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) fee

Safe Travels!

As holiday travel quickly approaches, it is time for a travel signature on your I-20 or DS-2019! As you know, your I-20 or DS-2019 should be signed every 6 months in order for you to be able to re-enter the US after traveling abroad. At this time of year, ISSS likes to remind students of some very important travel issues and tips.

Visa Renewal

To re-enter the US after traveling abroad, you must have a valid F-1 or J-1 visa. If your visa has expired since the last time you traveled, you will need to make an appointment at your home consulate to get a renewal visa. We recommend that you bring a couple things with you from the University for your renewal appointment; an official transcript and a verification of enrollment letter. You can get both of these things from One Stop or from the Registrar.

You can find your local US Consulate to make an appointment here: http://www.usembassy.gov/

Electronic I-94 Cards

As explained in a previous post, all I-94 cards are now electronic (unless you drive from Canada or Mexico into the US). As an International Student, you are responsible for your status when you re-enter the US. Each time you leave and come back, you should log into the I-94 system to ensure that Customs and Border Patrol has approved you to enter as a STUDENT and not as a tourist or other visa category. Also, it is wise to keep a copy of your electronic I-94 to prove your status if ever asked by law enforcement or if you need to include it in an application to the US government such as for OPT or reinstatement. Please go to https://i94.cbp.dhs.gov/I94/request.html when you return to the US to download your new I-94 card. If you cannot access it, you may contact Deferred Inspection at Logan Airport Terminal E to fix the problem.

Travel Signature Request

You can download the Travel Signature Request form or you can pick it up at the ISSS front desk. Please hand it in with your I-20 to be signed and allow 5 BUSINESS DAYS for the signature to be processed. ISSS will NOT do same day or next day signatures so plan ahead!

Safe Travels!

Are you finishing your program at UMass Boston this semester? If so, then you might not be a full time student (12 credits for undergrad, 9 for grad). As you know, it is important to be a full time student while you are an F-1 International Student, BUT for your final semester, it is permissible to be less than full time.

In order to be less than full time you MUST submit the Declaration of Final Term form to ISSS at the beginning of the semester. If you do not submit this form, your I-20 might be terminated.

Even if you will still be full time, it is still advisable to officially declare your final term to ISSS. By submitting the Declaration of Final Term form, you will be provided with detailed information on OPT workshops and the next steps you should take as an F-1 International Student.

Please note that this form is only to be used if you are certain that this fall 2013 will be your final semester in your program. 

Please visit our Forms page to download the Declaration of Final Term form and submit it to ISSS right away!

Have a great fall!

MANDATORY IMMIGRATION CLEARANCE

United States immigration law requires all F-1 international students to physically register presence at the university they will attend in the U.S. Mandatory Immigration Clearance is mandatory. ISSS must review your immigration documents to confirm you were admitted in F-1 status and eligible for full-time study. Failure to report to a session will result in the termination of your SEVIS record for ‘failure to report.’

At mandatory immigration clearance ISSS will collect and review your immigration documents. You must bring photocopies of:

• Copy of your U.S. visa stamp
• Copy of your Port of Entry Stamp in your Passport (in place of the I-94 card that is no longer in use)
• Copy of UMASS Boston Form I-20 with your signature
• (If you renewed your passport since time of application, copy of passport ID pages)

At Mandatory Immigration Clearance you will view a short SEVIS presentation (Student and Exchange Visitor Information System) and have the chance to ask questions. It will provide you with valuable information that you will need to ensure compliance with U.S. immigration regulations throughout your stay in the U.S. and inform you of the various benefits available to you in F-1 status.

NOTE: Your F-1 visa status allows new initial students to enter the US 30 days prior to the start date. SEVIS transfer students from one US institution to UMASS Boston can enter the US at any time between the end date of the previous program and the start date of the UMASS program provided the same SEVIS record is active. You should plan to be in the US at least one to two weeks prior to the start of classes.

DATES FOR FALL 2013 SEMESTER.

ALL SESSIONS IN ROOM 2115, CAMPUS CENTER, BLOCK 2100.

Wednesday, Aug. 14th – 2 to 3
Thursday, August 22nd – 2 to 3
Monday, August 19th – 10 to 11
Friday, August 23rd – 3 to 4
Tuesday, August 20th – 11 to 12
Monday, August 26th – 10 to 11
Wednesday, August 21st – 1 to 2
Tuesday, August 27th – 11 to 12

In Review:

You must attend ONE session listed above AND hand in the required photo copies. If you do not, your record will be terminated and you will be out of status. 

Students who must attend are: brand new students to the US, students who are new to UMASS Boston and students who are returning to the US on a new SEVIS number. 

Did you know that under immigration regulations, all visa holders must be prepared to present proof of their legal status at any time within 100 miles of a United States port of entry? For those of us in New England, that means almost everywhere!

Most students don’t like to carry their passports, I-20s and I-94 cards everywhere they go because things can get lost so how can you be prepared if you are ever stopped and asked to show your immigration documents? Keep them on your smart phone!

Most people have smart phones with great cameras now. What you should do is take a clear photo of each document and store it on your phone. If you travel or get a new I-20, make sure you take a picture right away. This way you will have proof of your entire immigration history right at your finger tips.

Documents to photograph:

Passport

F-1 Visa

I-94 card FRONT and BACK

I-20s pages 1 and 3

Any EAD work cards

Bonus Tip:

If you have photos of your I-20 on your phone, you will always be able to find your SEVIS number if you are asked by ISSS!

The fiscal year 2014 quota has been reached already for H1-B visa applications. The cap was reached in 5 days, faster then the past few years where the United States has had a struggling economic situation. So what does the H1-B quota say about the US economy? Check out this story on NPR to learn more about it!

http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/2013/04/03/176086111/h1-b-visas-applications-as-an-economic-indicator