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Important Definitions and Terms
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) |
SEVIS is a federal tracking system used by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the Department of State. It maintains real-time information about F-1 international students and J-1 exchange visitors throughout their stay in the U.S.
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| Visa | The official travel document that allows a person to enter a country for a specific purpose, such as study, work, or tourism. In the U.S., visas are issued by the U.S. Department of State and appear as a rectangular sticker placed in your passport. The visa includes your biographical information, visa type (e.g., F-1, J-1), and validity dates. It is required for entry into the U.S., but not for remaining in the country. Canadian citizens are exempt from visa requirements. |
| Status | Describes the immigration category under which an individual was admitted to the U.S., based on the purpose of their visit, such as study, work, or tourism. |
| I-94 |
The I-94 is the official record of a person鈥檚 immigration status after entering the U.S. or receiving an approval for a Change of Status. It is updated each time a person enters the U.S. from abroad and includes the immigration category and validity period. For F-1 and J-1 international students/scholars, the I-94 should list 鈥淒/S鈥, which stands for 鈥淒uration of Status,鈥 meaning they may remain in the U.S. as long as their I-20 or DS-2019 is valid. Your I-94 does not show whether a SEVIS record has been terminated. Only Designated School Officials (DSOs) can confirm that. |
| I-20 | The I-20 is an immigration document issued by a U.S. college or university for F-1 international students and their F-2 dependents. It confirms admission to a specific program of study and is required to maintain F-1 status. |
| DS-2019 | The DS-2019 is an immigration document issued by a program, such as a college or university, for J-1 exchange visitors and their J-2 dependents. It authorizes entry to the U.S. for a specific exchange purpose. There are many different J-1 categories, each with its own rules, but they all receive a DS-2019. |
| Department of State | The government agency responsible for the relationships between the U.S. and foreign countries. |
| Customs and Border Protection (CBP) | A division of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security that is responsible for the security of the international borders of the U.S. CBP evaluates all individuals who are applying to enter the U.S. as either a citizen, permanent resident, immigrant visitor, or nonimmigrant visitor. |
| Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) | A branch of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security that is responsible for overseeing the F-1 schools and J-1 programs, including oversight of individual students, scholars, dependents, programs, and universities. |
| Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) | A branch of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security that is responsible for enforcing immigration and customs within the U.S. |
| Transportation Security Administration (TSA) | A branch of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security that is responsible for overseeing transportation systems across the country, particularly airports, to ensure freedom of movement of people and commerce. |
| Designated School Official (DSO) |
DSOs are the 黑料网 employees who have been authorized by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to access SEVIS. DSOs can issue I-20s, update student information, authorize requests, and provide travel signatures. Each college or university has their own DSOs and PDSO and cannot access SEVIS records at other colleges or universities. |
| Principal Designated School Official (PDSO) |
There is only one PDSO at each university. The PDSO oversees the university鈥檚 compliance with federal immigration regulations, manages information in SEVIS, and serves as the primary point of contact for the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP). Each college or university has its own DSOs and PDSO and cannot access SEVIS records at other colleges or universities. |
| Reinstatement |
A petition submitted to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to request that a terminated SEVIS record be reinstated to active status. It is not available for all SEVIS terminations and, in this current situation, must be addressed on a case-by-case basis with an immigration attorney. |
Documentation FAQs
What鈥檚 the difference between visa and status?
- A visa is a travel document that allows an individual to travel to the border and apply to enter the U.S. in a specific category, such as F-1 student or J-1 exchange visitor.
- Status is the formal immigration classification that indicates the reason a person is physically present inside of the U.S.. A person鈥檚 immigration status is indicated on their I-94 record that is issued by Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
- A person uses their visa to apply to enter the U.S. and gain status in a particular category. A person can have multiple types of visas at one time, but only one immigration status at a time.
- A visa only has to be valid while a person is physically crossing the border into the U.S.. It is not a problem if the visa expires while a person is in the U.S. as long as their immigration status remains valid.
- Canadians are exempt from all visa requirements, but still must obtain an I-94 that indicates the status they were admitted with.
What does a visa revocation mean?
A visa revocation means that the U.S. Department of State has revoked or withdrawn a visa that has already been issued. Visas can be revoked by a consular officer or the Secretary of State at their discretion. Once a visa is revoked, it is invalid and can no longer be used for international travel.
What does a SEVIS termination mean?
A SEVIS termination means that a student or exchange visitor鈥檚 SEVIS record is changed to 鈥渢erminated鈥 status; this can indicate that the student/exchange visitor no longer has lawful F-1 or J-1 status. Historically, only P/DSOs terminated SEVIS records for things such as expulsion, failure to enroll, failure to report to the school, or unauthorized employment. Currently, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has begun terminating SEVIS records directly without any notice to either the school/program or to the individual student/exchange visitor.