Following the impact of Hurricane Florence on the affected jurisdictions in North Carolina and South Carolina, the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) is requesting certain information in order to provide assistance with maintaining contact with your students.

SEVP requests that all schools in the impacted regions please respond to the following questions as soon as possible:

Has your school been impacted by the hurricane? If ‘no,’ please advise SEVP immediately via the contact information below. If ‘yes,’ please respond to the following questions:

1. Have you accounted for all F-1 and M-1 nonimmigrants enrolled at your school, as well as their accompanying dependents, if any?
2. Do you anticipate an immediate recovery that will enable your students to resume their full course of study for this session? If ‘no,’ please provide an estimated date for when you anticipate that students can resume their full course of study via the contact information below.
3. If the hurricane’s impact will preclude resumption of normal student progress this session, do you have an alternate plan (e.g., instruction at another location or transfer to another school)? Please provide a brief description of your school’s plan via the contact information below.

Submit your response by email to SEVP at SEVP@ice.dhs.gov, Attention: Hurricane Florence. Please include additional related comments, questions and/or concerns, if any.

Contact your field representative or the SEVP Response Center if you have concerns about your school’s operations as a result of Hurricane Florence, including: 

• Your school’s ability to submit a timely petition for recertification (before your certification expiration date), if applicable.
• Your school’s ability to respond to a request for evidence (RFE) if SEVP has questions about your recovery of operations.
• If your school needs to make temporary changes to your Form I-17, “Petition for Approval of School for Attendance by Nonimmigrant Student.” 

SEVP may follow up to your response if any clarification is required. We will make every attempt to answer your questions and provide guidance. SEVP wishes all those who have been impacted a speedy recovery.

For important information about campus resilience and disaster recovery, visit the Campus Resilience at SEVP-Certified Schools and Maintain F and M Status in Emergency Events resource pages.