SEVIS Registration and Enrollment Reports on F-1 Students
If you complete the following steps then your registration will be reported automatically in SEVIS.
1. Summary
2. What is the SEVIS registration/enrollment confirmation requirement?
3. When must this information be reported to SEVIS?
4. I'm a new F-1 student. What should I do?
5. I'm a continuing F-1 student. What should I do?
6. What is the local living address requirement that's part of this report?
7. What is the permanent foreign address requirement that's part of this report?
8. What happens if my registration and enrollment is not sent to SEVIS?
9. Where can I get more information about this and other immigration topics?
This document explains your role with registration and enrollment confirmation requirements of the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) and what the International Services Office (ISO) does to confirm to the federal government that you are officially registered and enrolled at The George Washington University (GW). Most importantly, this document also explains what you can do to help the ISO send timely, accurate registration and enrollment reports to SEVIS confirming your continuing study.
In order for you to maintain lawful F-1 student status, the ISO must tell the federal government that you are registered for and enrolled in classes each semester. The following is what you should do in order to have us register you with the government:
1. Visit the ISO when you first arrive on campus to begin your studies and have us perform an immigration status check.
2. Register for the required amount of credits before the GW deadline to add/drop courses.
3. Maintain a valid "Current" living address (no PO Boxes) in your GWeb Information System record.
4. Maintain a valid "Permanent" address (address in a country other than the U.S.) in your GWeb record.
5. Maintain lawful immigration status by complying with all F-1 student requirements.
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The SEVIS Registration/Enrollment Confirmation Requirement
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Federal regulations require the ISO to notify SEVIS when you first enroll in classes. The regulations also require a registration and enrollment report each fall and spring semester while you continue your studies. A summer term report is required only if you are not eligible for a summer vacation. (Most F-1 students who have completed a "full course of study" during spring semester are eligible to take the following summer as a vacation period.)
New Students: SEVIS must receive your registration and enrollment report from the ISO no later than 30 days from the "reporting date" in Item 5 on your Form I-20.
Continuing Students: SEVIS must receive your registration and enrollment report from the ISO no later than 30 days from the first day of classes each fall and each spring semester.
We encourage you to consult with your GW academic advisor and register for classes using the Web prior to your arrival on campus. Pre-registration will have no effect upon your SEVIS registration/enrollment report.
You are required to visit the ISO when you first arrive on campus so that we can perform an immigration status check and clear you for SEVIS registration. When classes start, we will send your registration report to SEVIS if you have checked in with the ISO and have officially registered for classes. If you have not checked in with the ISO or are not officially registered for classes in the GW student records system, we do not send a registration/enrollment report on you to SEVIS.
What You Need to Do:
· Consult with your academic advisor and register for classes, preferably before you arrive on campus.
· Visit the ISO and have us perform an immigration status check as soon as you arrive on campus.
· If you believe you may not be able to register within 30 days of your I-20 reporting date, contact us immediately and make an appointment with an ISO Advisor to discuss your situation.
We encourage you to consult with your GW academic advisor and register for classes during the pre-registration period before each semester starts. This will have no effect upon your SEVIS registration/enrollment report.
When a new semester begins, we download your registration information from the GW student records system to our internal database on a daily basis. As soon as the download indicates that you are officially registered for classes, we send your registration/enrollment report to SEVIS. This report must be completed within 30 days of the beginning of classes.
What You Need to Do:
· Maintain your lawful immigration status by complying with all F-1 requirements.
· Consult with your GW academic advisor and register for classes each semester.
· If you believe you may not be able to register within the first 30 days of classes for any fall or spring semester, please contact us immediately and make an appointment to meet with your ISO Advisor.
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Current Local Living Address
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Your current local living address, as defined by SEVIS, is the physical address of the place where you live. A postal box (e.g., PO Box 1234) is not a living address and will not be accepted by SEVIS. We will download your "Current" address from the GWeb Information System at the same time we download your registration information. If an acceptable current address is downloaded, we will send it to SEVIS as part of your registration and enrollment report. If you do not have a current address in GWeb or if you have one but it is a postal box, we cannot send a registration report on you to SEVIS.
The federal government requires that you inform them of your U.S. address and any changes in it. One of the benefits of being a GW international student is that if you maintain your "Current" address properly in GWeb, we will fulfill this responsibility for you! As a part of the data download from the GWeb system each work day, we can see if you address changes and report it to SEVIS.
What You Need to Do:
· Make certain that your current local living address appears as the "Current" address in your student record in the GWeb Information System.
· Be sure this address is your physical living address (not a postal box).
· If you move, update that address within 10 days of your move.
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Permanent Foreign Address
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Your permanent address must be outside the U.S. A U.S. address will not be accepted by SEVIS. We will download your "Permanent" address from the GWeb Information System at the same time we download your registration information. If you do not have a "Permanent" address in GWeb or if you have one but it is not acceptable to SEVIS (e.g., it is a U.S. address), we cannot send a registration report on you to SEVIS.
What You Need to Do:
· Make certain that your permanent foreign address appears as the "Permanent" address in your student record in the GWeb Information System.
· Be sure this address is in another country (not a U.S. address).
· Update this address in GWeb, as necessary, to maintain its accuracy.
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Failure to Comply with Registration Reporting Requirements
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If SEVIS does not receive a timely report each semester confirming that you are enrolled, your SEVIS record will be automatically terminated by the government, you will be ineligible for any F-1 benefits, and you will be expected to either apply for reinstatement to lawful F-1 status or leave the U.S. as soon as possible. We would like to work with you to avoid this situation.
If you would like more information on SEVIS registration and enrollment confirmation reports, or on any other topic that relates to your immigration status, please contact the ISO. The staff of this office is always pleased to provide you with information, counseling, and assistance to help you achieve your educational goals at GW while maintaining a lawful immigration status.
Revised: September 13, 2006
