An electronic news service for international students and scholars, owned by the Office of International Student and Scholar Services at Binghamton University, State University of New York

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Editor's Note: Today, Monday, January 15, 2007 is the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday. Most university offices, including the Office of International Student and Scholar Services, are closed.

Are you assisting new international students? Many new students have begun to arrive at Binghamton. New international students who have not yet visited the ISSS should come to the ISSS on Tuesday and Wednesday to pick up an early arrival packet. Due to meetings involving ISSS staff on Tuesday and Wednesday mornings, we suggest that new students visit the ISSS any time after 11:30am on Tuesday or after 11:00am on Wednesday. We are open until 4:30pm on both days. On Thursday, new students are asked to report to Orientation for check-in (see article 2 below).

1. Multicultural Resource Center Plans Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Activities
2. New International Student Orientation Begins Thursday, January 18
3. Course Registration Information for Spring 2007
4. Two New Articles Added to ISSS Web Page
5. Limits for F-1 Students Who Take On-Line Courses
6. BBC National Orchestra of Wales to Perform February 2
7. Why Do I Have So Many I-20s?
8. USCIS Introduces On-Line Version of Its Change of Address Form, AR-11
9. Income Tax Information: Form 1098-T, Tuition Statement

1. Multicultural Resource Center Plans Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Activities

A number of activities to celebrate the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. are planned on campus in the coming days.

2. New International Student Orientation Begins Thursday, January 18

International Student Orientation activities begin Thursday, January 18, and orientation packets will be distributed during orientation check-in, Thursday January 18 from 9:00am to 12 Noon in the University Union Tillman Lobby (in front of the Mandela Room in the Old University Union).

A schedule may be viewed at the ISSS website: http://isss.binghamton.edu/orientation/graduate/program.htm

3. Course Registration Information for Spring 2007

Please note that compliance with the University's Immunization Requirements is a pre-requisite for registration for new students. New international students with any questions or concerns regarding these requirements will find additional information at the following link: http://health.binghamton.edu/newstudents.htm

Schedule of Classes

The Schedule of Classes for Spring 2007 is 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.

Students with outstanding debts to the University, and students who have not complied with University Health Service requirements 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

Registration Starting Times and Room Assignments

Students are assigned starting times for spring registration according to their total cumulative credits, not including advance registration credits. Students can check their total cumulative credits by going to the BUSI Web Center http://busi.binghamton.edu and clicking on 'My Grades and Credits.' Check below for the schedule of starting times.

You can view and print your schedule from BUSI or the BUSI web at any time. Student schedules will not be mailed. Please look online for your classroom assignments.

* Classroom assignments are subject to change. Assignments on the BUSI web are the most accurate and up to date.

4. Two New Articles Added to ISSS Web Page

Two new articles have been added to the ISSS web pages. They are:
“Applying for a NYS Driver's License or Learner's Permit” and
"Getting Around: Guide to Owning a Car in the United States.”

Both publications are available at the following link:
http://isss.binghamton.edu/pubs/index.html

5. Limits for F-1 Students Who Take On-Line or Distance Education Courses

On-line courses have become increasingly popular for students, and many colleges and universities, including Binghamton, have greatly expanded their on-line and distance education course offerings in the past few years. But, the US federal government limits the number of on-line courses that an F-1 student can count towards a full-time course load during a required term.

Here is the text of the federal regulation:

What does this mean?

For Binghamton F-1 students, a full-time course load is required only during the Fall and Spring semesters. There is no requirement that students be enrolled during the Summer or Winter sessions, which are optional. Thus, a F-1 student can take as many on-line or distance education courses from Binghamton or from another institution as they wish (with Binghamton's approval) during Summer or Winter session. But, during the Fall and Spring semesters, an F-1 student is limited to only one on-line or distance education course that can be counted towards a full-time course load. If the course requires the student to come to the sponsoring university's location for a class, examination, or some other purpose integral to the completion of the course, then it is not considered “on-line” or “distance education” for the purposes of the federal definition, and is not subject to the federal limit.

Confused? Don't be. Send your questions regarding on-line or distance education courses to the ISSS at isss@binghamton.edu

6. BBC National Orchestra of Wales to Perform February 2

The BBC National Orchestra of Wales will perform at the Anderson Center's Osterhout Concert Theater on campus, Friday, February 2, 2007 at 8:00pm. This performance will be recorded by National Public Radio (NPR) for re-broadcast on BBC radio and on NPR.

The Orchestra's program, selected by Swiss conductor, Thierry Fischer includes Strauss' Don Juan, Op. 20; Bartok's, Piano Concerto, No. 3; Stravinsky's Petrouchka; and Britten's “ Four Sea Interludes” from the opera, Peter Grimes. The program will feature

Welch pianist Llyr Williams.
Tickets for BU Faculty & Staff are $34.00, tickets for BU students are $20.00
For tickets and information: call 607-777-ARTS or on the web at: http://anderson.binghamton.edu

7. Why Do I Have So Many I-20s?

When the US federal government established the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) in early 2003, many of the federal regulations governing F-1 and J-1 students changed. Among the most significant regulations were changes to ensure the security of the production of I-20s and DS-2019s, to prevent fraud. As a result, in addition to the initial I-20 issued to students, schools are required to prepare new I-20s for F-1 students whenever a student:

• Changes or adds a major, minor or concentration
• Changes level of study
• Extends the ending date of the I-20
• Registers for the first time after previously attending another US school
• Adds a F-2 dependent to the SEVIS record
• Removes a F-2 dependent from the SEVIS record
• Needs a new I-20 to apply for a US visa abroad
• Loses or damages an I-20
• Has no remaining travel endorsement lines on page 3 of the I-20
• Applies for reinstatement to student status
• Applies for curricular practical training
• Applies for optional practical training
• Applies for economic hardship employment or employment with an international organization
• Needs to correct an error or update information on the I-20

Thus, it is not unusual for a student to have many I-20s! This can be frustrating for students, who wonder what they are supposed to do with so many pieces of paper, and need to determine which is the one to use for travel.

Here is advice from the ISSS about what to do with those I-20s:

• You must save all I-20s, even the ones that are no longer valid or are from a school you previously attended. Keep them together and in a safe place. You may also wish to make a set of photocopies as well (pages 1 and 3), and keep them in a location different from where you keep the originals. Those I-20s represent your immigration history in the United States. When you seek certain benefits from the US government such as employment, you may be asked to present copies of all previously issued I-20s as part of your application.
• The most recently issued I-20 is your current travel document. To tell which I-20 is the current one, check the issue date in the lower right hand corner of Page 1.

The ISSS knows that multiple I-20s can be cumbersome. The office has had to greatly expand its file space to accommodate the additional I-20 copies in students' files. But, it is all done to be in compliance with federal regulations.

8. USCIS Introduces On-Line Version of Its Change of Address Form, AR-11

On Friday, January 12, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that its Change of Address Form, AR-11, is now available on-line in addition to the usual paper version.

Form AR-11 is used by U.S. permanent residents and non-immigrant visa holders other than those in F or J status to report a change of address to the U.S. government, as required by law. BU students in F or J status, and BU J scholars should report any new or changed U.S. address to the ISSS, so that the ISSS can notify both the Federal SEVIS and the University's student record database of the change. This is accomplished by completing the ISSS on line form at: http://isss.binghamton.edu/forms/addrChange.html

For F and J students who report their change of address to the Registrar's Office, the updated information is also received by the ISSS and changed in SEVIS.

This new on-line service will be very helpful for any non-immigrant visa holder in a status other than F or J who needs to report a new U.S. address in order to comply with federal immigration regulations, as well as being helpful to U.S. permanent residents.

USICS provides an introduction to the new on-line form at:
https://egov.immigration.gov/crisgwi/go?action=coa

The Official USCIS Change of Address portal page is at:
https://egov.immigration.gov/crisgwi/go?action=coa.Terms

The USCIS News Release of January 12 may be viewed at:
http://www.uscis.gov/files/pressrelease/OnlineCoA.pdf

9. Income Tax Information: Form 1098-T, Tuition Statement

This is part of a weekly series of "Income Tax Information" that appear in ISSS-BU News . To view back issues go to: http://isss.binghamton.edu and click on "ISSS-BU News."

Today's income tax article is about Form 1098-T, “Tuition Statement” which is sent by U.S. colleges and universities to its students, to be used by the student, or the student's parents, for claiming an education tax credit on their federal income tax forms. You may receive form 1098-T from Binghamton University.

However, only those individuals who are residents for tax purposes can claim these tax credits. International students who have been continuously in F-1 or J-1 status for five years or less (entered the U.S as F-1 or J-1 2002 or later) generally file income tax forms as non-residents .

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