1. Last Minute Instructions for Income Tax Filers
2. Essential Workshop on Post-Graduation Employment Issues and H-1B Visas Wednesday, April 18
3. Questions or Concerns Regarding International Health Insurance? Please Make Your Appointments Now
4. Latest News on H-1B Cap Filings
5. Will the Travel Signature on Your SEVIS I-20 or SEVIS DS-2019 Expire Soon?
6. Have You Submitted Your Practical Training Application Yet?
7. Early Registration for Fall 2007 Continues
8. Income Tax Season Comes to a Close

1. Last Minute Instructions for Income Tax Filers

As a helpful guide to our readers, we would like to remind you that the deadline for filing federal and state income tax returns is Tuesday, April 17, 2007.

Non residents for tax purposes (F and J students and their dependents who have been in the United States for five or fewer years in that status—entered the United States in 2002 or later, and J scholars who have been in the United States for two or fewer years in that status – entered the United States in 2005 or later, are eligible to use CINTAX , a free web-based tax preparation product for filing federal tax forms.

If you have not yet obtained a CINTAX access password, you may still request one by going to the following link:
http://isss.binghamton.edu/taxes/cintax.htm

If you already have a CINTAX access password and are ready to log into CINTAX, go to the following link: http://www.cintax.us

If you had no U.S. income for calendar year 2006 (other than bank interest), file form 8843.

If you had U.S. income for calendar year 2006, you file form 1040NR EZ or form 1040NR

Please note that federal non-resident income tax forms cannot be e-filed. You must mail in the forms.

CINTAX will chose the correct federal income tax forms for you, and complete them based on the information you provide. You will then be able to print them from the web and mail them to the Internal Revenue Service.

If you had any New York State–sourced income for 2006, and your total income (from NYS and other states) as reported on your federal tax return was more than $7500, you must also file a New York State tax return. If your income was less than $7500 but New York State tax was withheld and you would like a refund of that tax, you should also file a New York State tax return.

It is strongly recommended that you view one of the ISSS on-line web workshops for complete instructions on completing your New York State income tax return. There is also an on-line web workshop on federal income tax and CINTAX . All workshops and the New York State income tax forms may be accessed from the following link:
http://isss.binghamton.edu/taxes/webworkshp.htm

2. Essential Workshop on Post-Graduation Employment Issues and H-1B Visas Wednesday, April 18

What may be the most important immigration workshop offered this year will be held Wednesday, April 18 at 4:00pm in Lecture Hall 10. Will you be seeking employment in the United States after graduation? Does the news that the mandated cap for H-1B visas was reached on the very first day of filing have you confused and/or concerned? Do you have questions regarding H-1B visas, labor certification, PERM and employment-based permanent residency? Are you confused about the H-1B “cap” and the “cap gap?” What about those 20,000 extra H-1B visa slots for those with U.S. master's degrees or higher? You do not want to miss this workshop!

Learn about your options under U.S. immigration law from special guest and featured speaker, nationally known immigration attorney, professor of law and author Stephen Yale-Loehr from the law firm of Miller Mayer in Ithaca, New York. This workshop is co-sponsored by the Office of International Student and Scholar Services and the Career Development Center.

3. Questions or Concerns Regarding International Health Insurance? Please Make Your Appointments Now

International students and scholars who use the international health insurance, administered by HTH Worldwide are reminded that Diane Sliwinski of the ISSS staff is available to assist you with your insurance claims, medical bills and other insurance-related questions. She is available by appointment, and also for walk-in hours on Wednesdays from 1:30pm to 3:30pm.

During the time period May 1 through May 14, Diane will not be available. Therefore, students and scholars with health insurance questions or concerns regarding the International Health Insurance are urged to schedule an appointment or come to walk in hours before May 1.

4. Latest News on H-1B Cap Filings

This past week, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services published three updates on H-1B cap filings, on April 9, 10, and 13.

To recap the original announcement, on Tuesday April 3, US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that it had received enough H-1B petitions as of Monday, April 2, 2007 to meet the mandated cap for Fiscal Year 2008, which begins October 1, 2007. USCIS reported that it had received more than 150,000 cap-subject H-1B petitions by Monday afternoon.

In keeping with its regulations, when the cap limit is reached on the first day of filing, a computer-generated random selection process applies, including cases filed on the “final receipt date” and the following date, which is April 3, 2007. Any cap-subject H-1B applications received on or after April 4, 2007 will be rejected.

The three updates addressed different issues. The first update, published on April 9, explained how USCIS will conduct “premium processing” for these cases. Premium Processing is a service that requires payment of a special fee of $1000.00. In return, USCIS promises to adjudicate such cases in fifteen days.

Since the random selection process for cases received on April 2 and April 3 must be conducted before any H-1B petitions can be reviewed, USCIS has determined that the fifteen day premium processing period will begin once a petition has been selected for processing through the random selection process.

To read the update, visit: http://www.uscis.gov/files/pressrelease/H1Bfy08PremProc040907.pdf

The second update, published on April 10, provided an update to the counting of H-1B petitions. The update stated that as of April 9, USCIS had determined that approximately 119,193 of the H1-B petitions it had received on April 2 and 3 are subject to the mandated cap, and that a review of those cases continued.

But the good news was that USCIS had only received 12,989 cases for applicants who have a U.S. master's degree or higher. Up to 20,000 petitions for applicants who have a U.S. master's degree or higher may be exempted from the mandated cap. So, this means that the cap of 20,000 for these exempt cases remains open for the time being, until the 20,000 limit is reached. Thus for this group, petitions received after April 3 will continue to be accepted until the limit is reached.

To read the update, visit: http://www.uscis.gov/files/pressrelease/H1Bfy08CapUpdate041007.pdf

The most recent update was published on Friday, April 13. It announced that the review and counting of those cases subject to the mandatory cap and received on April 2 and 3 had concluded, and that the random selection process took place on Thursday, April 12. The final number of cases received on those two dates that were subject to the mandatory cap was 123,480. Those petitions that were selected will receive a receipt notice. Those petitions not selected will be returned with their fees. The total process is expected to take four weeks. For those petitions selected who had requested premium processing, the 15-day premium processing period began April 12. There was no additional information on the count of those petitions who are exempt from the mandatory cap where the applicant has a U.S. master's degree or higher.

To read the update, visit: http://www.uscis.gov/files/pressrelease/H1Bfy08CapUpdate041307.pdf

5. Will the Travel Signature on Your SEVIS I-20 or SEVIS DS-2019 Expire Soon?

Later this week, the ISSS will begin publishing its annual Spring travel series, with up-to-date information on what you need to know if you are an international student who will travel this summer.

A large number of international students have SEVIS I-20s or SEVIS DS-2019s that are in need of an updated travel signature. Do you need a new travel signature from the ISSS? Take a look at your most recent I-20 or DS-2019. If you have an I-20, look at page 3. If you have a DS-2019, look at the travel signature in the lower right hand corner of page 1. If the date that the ISSS staff person signed the I-20 or DS-2019 for travel is before September 1, 2006, and you plan to travel either within or outside the United States this summer, bring in the I-20 or DS-2019 to the ISSS for an updated signature. If you have a spouse and/or children with a dependent I-20 or DS-2019, the travel signature on that form should be updated as well.

Note: If you have submitted an application to the ISSS for curricular practical training, optional practical training or extension of stay, you will receive an updated SEVIS I-20 with a new signature as part of the CPT, OPT or extension process.

6. Have You Submitted Your Practical Training Application Yet?

International students in F-1 status who will be graduating in May 2007 and plan to apply for optional practical training are reminded to file their practical training applications well in advance of the date they would like practical training to begin. Currently, the USCIS Vermont Processing Center is taking approximately twelve weeks to process EAD cards for practical training.

In general, the ISSS recommends that practical training applications be filed at least twelve weeks (three months) in advance of the requested starting date. Your application must be received by the USCIS Vermont Processing Center before your degree completion date, which is May 19, 2007 for Spring 2007 semester graduates. Applications are available in the ISSS. Please allow 7 to 10 days for ISSS processing. Still have questions? Then make an appointment with Karen Keefe-Guzikowski, Assistant Director or Amelia Shafer, International Student Advisor.

7. Early Registration for Fall 2007 Continues

Advance registration for all students for Fall 2007 continues from now through May 11. Secure next semester's courses NOW by registering on-line using the BUSI (Binghamton University Student Information) system. BUSI is available from 8:00 am to 6:00 am (22 hours/day) seven days a week during this time period.

To read the complete announcement from the Registrar's Office, including a schedule of registration starting times, visit: http://registrar.binghamton.edu/newinfo.html#regdates

Schedule of Classes

The Schedule of Classes for Fall 2007 is now available online at http://busi.binghamton.edu/schedule.html . The online schedule is the most up to date and accurate source of course information and is the only published version of the Schedule of Classes.

Outstanding Obligations and Missing Health Forms Will Block Students

Students with outstanding financial obligations and students who haven't submitted a health form to the Health Service office will be blocked from registering. Students can also view their account balances and pay any outstanding debts through the BUSI Web Center: http://busi.binghamton.edu .

After registration, you can look at your schedule on BUSI or the BUSI web at any time. Classrooms will be assigned in mid-August. Please look on-line or in the printed schedule of classes (available in late August) for your classroom assignments.

8. Income Tax Season Comes to a Close

With the passage of April 17, 2007, this year's income tax season will come to a close. For students who used CINTAX , your CINTAX tax records remain available to you until June 15, 2007, at which time all files will be deleted. Be sure to print and save a copy of all income tax returns, and keep them in a safe place with your important records. The ISSS will continue to display its supply of income tax forms for several more weeks, to allow for students who need to file amended returns or those who are filing late. Then, the forms will be placed in storage.

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