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June 2020 SEVP Spotlight

Table of Contents 

1 Director's Corner
2 COVID-19 Update
3 What's New on Study in the States
4 Field Representative Unit Update
5 SEVIS Update
9 Contact Us

Welcome to the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) Spotlight, a quarterly newsletter for the academic community that includes important program news, seasonal reminders and updates relevant to the international student life cycle.

Director's Corner

Keeping International Students and Schools Updated During COVID-19

As coronavirus (COVID-19) continues to alter traditional classroom learning in the United States and across the globe for the foreseeable future, it is the Student and Exchange Visitor Program’s (SEVP) number one priority to keep students, schools and stakeholders informed of any COVID-19 related updates that impact the international student and school life cycle. We sincerely thank you for your patience and cooperation as we navigate these uncertain times together.

There are several key ways in which SEVP continues to keep our stakeholders informed. Study in the States houses a COVID-19 Resources page, which features official guidance from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, recent SEVP blog posts and resources from government partners including the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and the U.S. Department of Education. Another key resource I encourage you to visit is the COVID-19 FAQs section on the ICE.gov website. This document is regularly updated and addresses important COVID-19-related stakeholder questions about SEVP-certified schools and international students.

The SEVP Response Center (SRC) is another important resource I’d like to highlight. The SRC’s work to respond to stakeholder inquiries over the past few months has been truly remarkable and is a representation of SEVP’s commitment to keeping the academic community informed and up-to-date. The SRC is fielding stakeholder calls and emails at record speed, having responded to more than 20,000 calls from March to May. As the SRC continues to experience a high call and email volume, please be sure to visit Study in the States for tips on contacting the SRC.   

As we approach the upcoming school year, we understand that your schools and international students have questions about the fall semester. SEVP is actively working to issue guidance and will be sure to keep stakeholders notified of any changes to current program guidance through our communication channels, including ICE.gov, Broadcast Messages, Study in the States and social media. Additionally, we also encourage students to reach out to the U.S. Department of State for guidance on student visas as the State Department is responsible for the issuance of nonimmigrant visas. For questions about President Donald Trump’s recent Proclamation on the Suspension of Entry as Nonimmigrants of Certain Students and Researchers from the People’s Republic of China, please also contact the State Department.

Thank you, again, for working alongside us through this pandemic. We value your support and we will continue working to keep you prepared and informed.

Respectfully,

Rachel Canty

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COVID-19 Update

Roundup of COVID-19 Resources for SEVP Stakeholders

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is working closely with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and other federal, state and local agencies to facilitate a whole-of-government response in confronting the coronavirus (COVID-19). Continue to visit these resources for the most up-to-date information:

  • Study in the States COVID-19 Resources page for information on and links to COVID-19 resources, including ICE guidance, Study in the States blog posts and resources from government partners.
  • Updated ICE guidance: In an effort to provide organized information, SEVP has worked with ICE Office of Public Affairs to reorganize SEVP’s information on the ICE Guidance page to ensure that all SEVP stakeholders have the latest news and updates on COVID-19.
  • Frequently Asked Questions: Due to the volume of questions received, answers to FAQs from SEVP stakeholders on the impact of COVID-19 on SEVP-certified schools and F and M students are documented in a time-stamped PDF document on the ICE Guidance page.

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What's New on Study in the States

Download SEVP's New Spanish Infographics

Visit the Study in the States Resource Library to download the following infographics in Spanish:

You can download these fully translated Spanish resources as PDFs in either full color or in black and white. Please also visit the Resource Library on Study in the States for additional free downloadable tools and resources to help international students and school officials to follow the rules and regulations that govern the international student process.

Check Out the New Study in the States Website

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has upgraded the Study in the States website. This upgrade reorganizes existing content and adds new features to the site. The website now has:

  • Side navigation menus on resource or help hub pages for an easier user experience.
  • A search bar that appears across the site and pulls content from across the site.
  • A "What's New" section on every landing page so users can view recently added, timely or seasonal content. 
  • A central Help Hub where students and schools can find information and guidance from the SEVIS Help Hub, STEM OPT Hub and SEVP Portal Help section.

Additionally, bookmarks from the old Study in the States website will not change and will redirect to the new site.

Visit Study in the States and enjoy the new and improved used experience for student, schools and SEVP stakeholders.

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Field Representative Unit Update

Working with DSOs and Schools Remotely During COVID-19

Julie Rabaey is the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) field representative for Territory 24, serving the entire state of Minnesota.  She started as a designated school official (DSO) in 1990 and continued with international student, scholar and faculty advising at several higher educational institutions before joining SEVP’s Field Representative Unit (FRU) in 2014.

In response to COVID-19, field representatives continue to:

  • Be a resource: 
    • We have reached out to you to confirm our availability.  We already had an established work-from-home office one day a week which we extended for a daily telework environment.  We can take your calls, reply to your emails and continue to effectively respond to your inquiries. We continue to be that person you know who is ready to address your questions and concerns during these challenging times. 
    • For schools who may not have a field representative currently available or assigned, we encourage you to submit your questions by calling the SEVP Response Center (SRC). 
  • Answer what we can: 
    • For many inquiries, we refer to the FAQs that are continually updated at https://www.ice.gov/coronavirus
    • We can point you to existing resources on how you manage student records in the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) and confirm your need to update your campus operational plan.
  • Conduct annual visits: 
    • During COVID-19, we continue setting appointments to virtually meet with the principal designated school officials and DSOs in our assigned territories. We can individually connect by phone and initiate a conference call for up to five participants. We intend to conduct our annual meetings in a professional, effective and efficient manner with minimal distractions.
    • We are learning about additional platforms such as Microsoft Teams and Skype for Business which we may utilize in the future, if systems are compatible. 
  • Deliver training and conduct presentations:
    • We are identifying options to virtually reach you as stakeholders and ensure technical success for larger audiences. As in the past, we need 6-8 weeks advanced notice as a formal invitation. 
    • We request no recordings of sessions. We have formal presentation materials available and will send, upon request, as an Adobe PDF for participants who need it in advance.

As always, thank you for your continued communication with us. We look forward to resuming our in-person visits with you! 

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SEVIS Update

Upcoming SEVIS Release 6.53: Conversion to 2020 CIP Codes

SEVP and the Department of State's Exchange Visitor Program will deploy Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) Release 6.53 tentatively scheduled for Aug. 28, 2020. As part of this release, current 2010 Classification of Instructional Program (CIP) codes and program descriptions will be replaced with the new 2020 CIP codes and program descriptions for all F, M, and J students and programs.

During the SEVIS 2020 CIP conversion, not all CIP codes will change. However, the new CIP codes will automatically convert from current 2010 CIP codes to the appropriate 2020 CIP codes for most F and M SEVIS records in Initial and Active SEVIS status. To allow for a smooth transition, designated school officials and alternate responsible officers should review the following articles on the SEVIS Help Hub to learn more about the conversion process:

SEVP will continuously update the CIP Conversion 2020 article over the summer.

Contact Us

SEVP Contacts

SEVP is dedicated to maintaining open communication with international students and academic officials. Our offices are open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET, except federal holidays.

SEVP has multiple contact options:

If you need assistance with passwords or Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) technical help, email SEVISHelpDesk@ice.dhs.gov.

ICE Contacts

To report national vulnerabilities or national security concerns, contact ICE's Counter Threat Lead Development Unit at CTLDU@ice.dhs.gov.

To report exploitation of student visa programs, contact your local HSI special agent by calling 1-877-4-HSI-TIP or visit www.ice.gov.

Disclaimer: The information presented in SEVP Spotlight is provided for informational purposes only and should not be considered legal advice.

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