Under current U.S. immigration law, you must “maintain your status.” If
you don’t, the consequences can be very serious. But what does “maintaining
your status” mean? “Status” refers to the visa type that
you currently hold and all the regulations pertaining to that visa type.
Please contact the International Students and Scholars office (OISS) whenever
you have questions regarding your status.
1. Continue with the activity for which you were admitted to the U.S.
If you were admitted to be employed as a full-time researcher, or faculty
or staff member at UNLV, continue with your research, teaching, or full-time
employment. Be sure to notify OISS if there are changes in your appointment,
such as change in job duties or department, change of appointment percentage,
change of title or funding, or if you plan to leave UNLV. If you are a
J-1 student, register for and complete a full course of study each and
every fall and spring semester as follows: 12 credit hours for undergraduates,
9 credit hours for graduate students without an assistantship, 6 credit
hours for graduates with an assistantship.
2. Maintain a valid (unexpired) visa document – Form DS-2019 (J-1
students and scholars), Form I-20 (F-1 students), I-797 Approval Notice
and I-94 card (H-1B scholars), I-94 card (TN scholars).
3. Maintain a valid (unexpired) passport that is valid for at least six
months into the future at all times.
4. Never engage in unauthorized employment. Do not perform activities
that are not authorized under your current visa, such as unauthorized work
at another institution.
5. Always check with an OISS advisor at least two weeks before traveling
outside the U.S. to make sure you have all the necessary documents and
signatures.
6. If you change your local home address, notify the OISS AND U.S. Citizenship
and Immigration Services (USCIS) by completing form AR-11 (or AR-11SR for
Special Registrants). If you are in J-1 or F-1 status, you
only need to notify OISS so that we can update your SEVIS record. Please see the OISS
website for information on Change of Mailing
Address Requirement.
7. If you are in J-1 status, purchase and maintain adequate health insurance
for yourself and all your dependents for the entire duration of your stay
in the U.S., in accordance with U.S. federal guidelines.
8. Read each and every Office of International Students and Scholars (OISS)
e-mail message that you receive. These e-mail messages contain OISS Newsletters
and important announcements that international scholars need to know.
9. If you plan to have your spouse or children under 21 years of age either
join you, or travel out of the U.S. separately from you, you need to obtain
proper immigration documentation for them. Check with the OISS office about
the proper procedures to follow.
10. “When in doubt, check it out!” at OISS. Seek advice and
clarification from OISS staff regarding immigration-related issues. The
OISS office is located in the Student Services Complex, Room 311. The office
hours are Monday-Friday from 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. The office
phone number is (702) 895-0143 and the office e-mail address is: OISS@unlv.edu.
