The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) amended its regulations in a Final Rule posted in the Federal Register. The regulations took effect today, May 29, 2015 and allow for increased opportunities for study by spouses and minor children of F-1 and M-1 students, they also offer greater flexibility for Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP)-certified schools in determining how many designated school officials (DSO) to nominate. 

 

With this regulatory amendment, there are important items to note about the adjustment of the DSO limit. While SEVP-certified schools can now nominate an appropriate number of DSOs based on the school’s specific needs, SEVP requests principal designated school officials (PDSOs) wait to submit additional DSO nominations that would take the school above the previous limit of 10 DSOs until implementation of the next Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) release scheduled for late June 2015. During this release, SEVP will remove the SEVIS validation business rule that prevents a PDSO from adding more than 10 DSOs. 

 

Additionally, a future SEVIS release currently scheduled for the end of July 2015 will allow a DSO to print out a Form I-17, "Petition for Approval of School for Attendance by Nonimmigrant Student," that lists more than 10 DSOs. Further information about the upcoming SEVIS releases will be made available through a SEVIS Broadcast Message. 

 

It is important to understand that this rule does not alter SEVP's authority to approve or reject a DSO — including a PDSO — nomination. School nominees will not receive SEVIS access until their nomination is approved. 

 

For further information about the process of adding a DSO to your school, read the DSO Update Process Fact Sheet on Study in the States. For additional information and answers to frequently asked questions about the amended regulations, visit the ICE.gov FAQ page.