Frequently Asked Questions
What is a visa?
A visa is a permit to enter a country. It is stamped into your passport by the visa office of the country you intend to visit. The I-20 or IAP-66 is not your visa but your visa certificate that defines your program.
The U.S. requires all nonimmigrant students (except Canadians) to enter with either an F-1 or J-1 visa. The visa is obtained at a U.S. embassy or consulate overseas, and states the period during which the student may use the permit to enter, and how many times the student may enter on the same visa. Your visa does not need to be valid after you have entered the U.S., since it is nothing more than a permit to enter--it is NOT a permit to REMAIN in the U.S.
What is an I-94?
The Form I-94 is a record of admission to and departure from the U.S., and it indicates exactly how long a person can remain in the U.S. All nonimmigrants are given a Form I-94 upon entry to the U.S.; it is a small white card that is usually placed inside your passport. The I-94 states the visa classification under which the person entered and how long the person may remain in the U.S. For F-1 and J-1 students, the I-94 says you may remain until "D/S."
What does "D/S," which appears on my Form I-94, mean? It's also is written on my I-20 (or IAP-66 for J-1s).
"D/S" stands for "Duration of Status," and means that you may remain in the U.S. for as long as you are in status.
How do I know if I’m in status?
If you are in possession of a valid passport, a valid I-94, and a valid I-20 (or IAP-66 for J-1s) and as long as you are not violating any of the terms of your visa classification, you are in status. Generally, this means being enrolled full time if you are a student (or working only in your sponsoring department if you are a scholar) and not pursuing any unauthorized employment.
In addition, F-1s remain in status for 60 days after they complete their studies; J-1s remain in status for 30 days after the end date on the IAP-66. This is time which is built in to "D/S" but during which you may not be employed.
When does my I-20 or my IAP-66 expire?
Your I-20 form expires on the date you actually complete all your degree requirements or on the date noted in item #5 as the expected completion date, whichever comes first. What this means is that if your I-20 date is about to expire, but you expect to continue being a student beyond that date, you must request an extension I-20 from the Center for International Faculty and Student Services to remain in status. Likewise, if you complete your program of studies before the date noted in item #5 of the I-20, then your I-20 expires on the date you actually complete your studies, i.e., before the date on the I-20.
If you are a J-1, your IAP-66 form expires on the date noted in item # 3 or on the date you actually complete your program, whichever comes first.
I am a student. My I-20 or IAP-66 will expire soon. I have not yet finished my program at Rutgers. How can I extend my stay in the U.S.?
Come to the International Services office to obtain instructions for extension. You will be required to obtain certification from your Dean or Program Director of your new completion date, furnish financial documentation showing that you have sufficient funds, and show evidence of health insurance coverage.
If you are going on to a new program after completion of one academic degree, you should obtain a Change-Of-Status form from your Program Director showing your new degree goals, an Academic Status Report signed by the Program Director showing your new completion date as well as proof of funding for the new program. When these documents have been received and approved this office will issue an I-20 or IAP-66 for your new program.
What is "Practical Training?"
Practical Training is a 12-month period of time during which F-1 students are permitted to pursue employment directly related to their field if study. The 12 months may be divided up or used all at once; they may be used part-time while school is in session, part or full time during vacation periods, and full time beginning no more than 60 days after completion of a course of studies. In addition, "curricular practical training" is available to students whose academic programs require or give degree credit for internships or work experience. All periods of practical training must be authorized; students must attend a workshop at the Center for International Faculty and Student Services to obtain specific instructions on applying for authorization.
Is there anything like "Practical Training" for J-1 Students?
J-1 students are eligible for "Academic Training," which, like "Practical Training" for F-1 students, is work directly related to the student’s field of study. There are special procedures for J-1 "Academic Training," including a monitoring requirement. J-1 students are normally allowed up to 18 months for "Academic Training." Post doctoral researchers may use up to 36 months for their research programs.
I need to travel outside the U.S. What should I do before I leave? What do I need to take with me?
Before you leave the U.S., you must have your I-20 or IAP-66 signed on the back by your international student adviser to be validated for re-entry. Always take your passport and your
I-20 or IAP-66 (or H-1B approval notice) when you travel outside the U.S., and it is a good idea to carry current financial documentation as well. Remember, too, that you must always have a valid visa to re-enter the U.S.; if your visa stamp will expire before you re-enter, you will have to apply at a U.S. consulate for a new one before you re-enter. (For a visa application, you must have current financial documentation, as well as your I-20 or IAP-66 and passport.)
I want to invite my family to come to the U.S. What do I need to do?
If you wish to have your spouse and child come to the U.S. you are required to attend the center’s workshop on “Bringing Dependents to the U.S.” (held monthly at the center). The workshop is intended to help you understand the issues you will need to consider before you invite your family, and to help you prepare for their arrival. The dates of the Dependents Workshops are listed in the Events Calendar.
What is a "green card" and how can I get one?
A "green card" is a photo document issued by the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service to show that you are a lawful permanent resident of the U.S. (They are called "green cards" because they used to be issued on green paper, but that is no longer true. Still, they have retained the commonly-known name of "green card.") "Green card" holders are permitted to work without restriction in the U.S. and must serve in the U.S. military if required, but may not vote and, in some cases, may not collect federal or state entitlement benefits. After five years in the U.S., a permanent resident may choose to become a naturalized citizen of the U.S.
Not everyone is eligible to obtain a "green card." There are three basic avenues to a green card:
(1) sponsorship of a qualified family member who is a U.S. citizen or permanent resident (only certain close relatives are qualified to sponsor you);
(2) political asylum, for which one has to prove that by returning home, he or she would be singled out for persecution; and
(3) employer sponsorship (only certain types of employment may be sponsored, and then, only under certain regulatory conditions).
Each of these avenues is highly regulated and the process to obtain a "green card" generally takes many years to complete.
I just completed my thesis defense. Can I go home to visit my parents before I begin my post-doc assignment?
Traveling after exams or completion of studies is great, but you should exercise caution. Be aware that you cannot apply for or receive practical training if you left the U.S. before having done so. Your optional practical training after completion of studies is the extension of your F-1, and it has to be issued before you travel. On returning from abroad, you may be asked by the inspecting officer to present your EAD in addition to your usual travel documents. If you traveled while you application was pending, you may find that your re-entry canceled your application.
It is also important to make sure you already have a return visa. If not, you must prepare your F-1 visa application very carefully, making certain you can prove to the visa issuing officer that your employment is only temporary. Be aware that consular officers tend to encourage graduates to gain experience at home!
How can I make sure I have employment authorization soon after I receive a job offer?
Many prospective employers want their new employee to commence as soon as possible. This expectation can cause problems, especially as INS has a long backlog of applications at the present time, and we don’t know how long our requests for expediting will be heeded.
The solution to this problem is to prepare for the application very soon. It is advisable to attend a practical training workshop 3-4 months before one expects to complete one’s studies or at the same time one begins to look for practical training employment. Currently, one can apply for practical training three months or ninety days before the requested date of commencement, and practical training must be started within two months or sixty days after completion.
Is there any advantage to applying early for practical training?
Yes. If one has no job offer, one is entitled to receive practical training for one year, and one may use it provided the job is on the level of one’s studies is directly related to them. However, once a job offer has been issued, one does not qualify for practical training if the job will last beyond a year.
I am covered by my spouse’s (or parent’s) health insurance policy. Do I still have to pay the insurance fee on my term bill? /p>
If you are covered by another health insurance policy and do not wish to participate in the Rutgers Student Insurance Program, you may request an exemption from payment. To do this, obtain from the center and complete a “Request for Exemption” form and furnish proof of your coverage. Proof should include the name, address and phone number of the insurance company, the effective date of coverage and a summary of benefits. You must apply for an exemption within the first month of classes, and you must reapply each semester.
I am a Rutgers teaching/graduate assistant and have NJ State Health Benefits through my department. Do I also have to pay the insurance fee on my term bill?
TA’s and GA’s with health benefits are automatically exempt from the “major medical” portion of the insurance. When you turn in the RT-100 (Tuition Remission Card), the cashier should deduct the “international health fee” from the sum you will pay. However, like all full-time students at Rutgers, you are still required to pay the “Student Health Services fee,” which is a part of the “full-time college fee.”
Can part-time Rutgers teaching/graduate assistants or fellows receive NJ State Health Benefits?
No, part-time teaching/graduate assistants and fellows benefit from tuition remission, but do not receive NJ State Health Benefits, and they are not automatically exempt from the “international health fee.”
Once I graduate from Rutgers, am I still able to purchase the Student Insurance with Mega?
While international students may participate in the Student Insurance Program with the Mega Life and Health Insurance Company only when they are registered for zero or more credits, Rutgers University requires that you have health insurance for as long as you are in the U.S. on our I-20 or IAP-66, including while you are on practical or academic training. If you need help finding a reputable (and affordable) policy, contact the Center for International Faculty and Student Services.
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