FAQ for F/M Nonimmigrant Students Impacted by Hurricane Katrina

Updated 9/22/2005

If you are a J-1 exchange visitor contact your program directly. The following guidance may not be suitable for you. Your program will assist you.

If you are an F-1 or M-1 student, follow the directions in this FAQ if you are not able to contact your school.

This FAQ will be updated regularly as we are able to answer more questions. Please contact us at SEVIS.source@DHS.gov or at (202) 305-2346 ((800) 961-5294, toll free) if you have any questions we have not addressed.

1. I HAVE NOT YET ENTERED THE UNITED STATES. MY SCHOOL IS IN THE AREA IMPACTED BY THE HURRICANE. WHAT SHOULD I DO?

2. I DO NOT HAVE A PLACE TO LIVE OR MONEY? WHAT DO I DO?

3. IF MY SCHOOL WAS CLOSED, WHAT SHOULD I DO? [ Updated ]

3.1. Directions for students enrolled in schools that will be resuming operation for the Fall term

3.2. Directions for students enrolled in schools that will not be resuming operation for the Fall term

4. I AM A STUDENT AND I CANNOT CONTACT ANYBODY AT MY SCHOOL. WHAT DO I NEED TO DO?

5. I HAVE FOUND ANOTHER SCHOOL THAT WILL ACCEPT ME. CAN I TRANSFER SCHOOLS?

6. I WANT TO FIND ANOTHER SCHOOL THAT WILL ACCEPT ME. WHAT DO I DO?

7. I HAVE DECIDED I WOULD LIKE TO RETURN TO MY HOME COUNTRY AND POSSIBLY RETURN LATER. WHAT DO I NEED TO DO?

8. WILL I NEED A NEW VISA TO RETURN TO THE UNITED STATES?

9. HOW DO I GET MY TRANSCRIPT, RECORDS AND PERSONAL PROPERTY FROM AN IMPACTED SCHOOL?

10. I LOST MY DOCUMENTATION. HOW CAN I REPLACE IT?

11. HOW DO I REPORT MY ADDRESS CHANGE IF I AM NOT AT MY SCHOOL?

12. HOW LONG CAN I REMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES IF I AM NOT ENROLLED IN SCHOOL? [ Updated ]

13. I HAVE BEEN APPROVED FOR POST-COMPLETION OPT AND WAS WORKING IN THE IMPACTED AREA. I NO LONGER HAVE A JOB, WHAT DO I DO?

14. I HAVE ALREADY SUBMITTED MY I-515A TO THE SEVP OFFICE FOR PROCESSING, WHAT DO I DO? [ Updated ]

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1. I HAVE NOT YET ENTERED THE UNITED STATES. MY SCHOOL IS IN THE AREA IMPACTED BY THE HURRICANE. WHAT SHOULD I DO?

Try to contact the school directly. (Their Web site may be your best source of information.) We recommend that you delay travel until you can be sure that the school is operational.

New Students

If you are unable to contact your school prior to your report date (see block 5 of your Form I-20 if you are a new student), your school will assign you a new report date if they are operating. In this case, your school will also issue you a new Form I-20 that you must have before you travel.

If you wish to apply to another U.S. school, contact that school directly to obtain a new Form I-20. You will not need to repay the SEVIS I-901 fee but will need to obtain a new visa reflecting the Form I-20 that your new school sends you.

Continuing Students

If you cannot contact your current school (the one with your SEVIS record), please email SEVP at SEVIS.source@DHS.gov. Give us your name, date of birth, SEVIS ID number, and school information. Let us know if you wish to delay entry until the school is operational or if you wish to try to transfer to another school.

If you wish to transfer to another DHS approved school, you will need to contact that school directly. If the new school accepts you, they will work with SEVP to transfer your SEVIS records.

2. I DO NOT HAVE A PLACE TO LIVE OR MONEY? WHAT DO I DO?

The Web site at http://www.firstgov.gov/Citizen/Topics/PublicSafety/Hurricane_Katrina_Recovery.shtml has links to government and relief agencies in the affected areas. After you get settled, please contact your school. If you cannot contact your school, contact SEVP at sevis.source@dhs.gov or at (202) 305-2346 ((800) 961-5294, toll free).

3. IF MY SCHOOL WAS CLOSED, WHAT SHOULD I DO? [ Updated ]

Check the list of schools linked here for your school and follow the instructions that they have given us for you. If your school is not on the list, call the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) at (202) 305-2346 ((800) 961-5294, toll free).

The list contains all DHS approved schools in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama. It contains the information we have about whether or not the school is operating normally and contact information, if available

Some schools have indicated they will accept displaced F-1 students. We have also included information from DHS approved schools that have contacted us offering to accept displaced students.

The comments contain information we have been given by the school or may contain a Web site address and information from that site. Many Web sites update regularly. Our information may be dated. Please check the school’s web site when possible.

We will continue to update this list. If you cannot contact your school, contact SEVP by phone or by email at SEVIS.source@DHS.gov.

There is also a Web site for displaced students at www.campusrelief.org. It lists schools that will accept displaced students. If you contact one of these schools, you should ensure that they are authorized by DHS to accept F-1 students. This is not a U.S. government Web site and we cannot vouch for its accuracy.

3.1. Directions for students enrolled in schools that will be resuming operation for the Fall term

If the list does not have a point of contact, the school’s Web site may have someone you can contact. If you have already contacted the International Student Office, follow the procedures outlined by the school. If you have not contacted your International Student Office, try to do so. If you cannot contact them, follow the directions for students who cannot contact their school.

3.2. Directions for students enrolled in schools that will not be resuming operation for the Fall term

If the list gives specific directions from the school, follow the school's directions. Otherwise, check the school’s Web site for specific instructions. If you cannot find any instructions that pertain to you or the school's Web site is not operational, follow the directions for students who cannot contact their school.

4. I AM A STUDENT AND I CANNOT CONTACT ANYBODY AT MY SCHOOL. WHAT DO I NEED TO DO?

Call SEVP at (202) 305-2346 ((800) 961-5294, toll free).

If possible, send us an email at SEVIS.source@DHS.gov. . In the email, give your name, your SEVIS ID number, if you have it (N followed by 10 digits on your Form I-20), the name of your school, and your contact information (include your current address, telephone number, and email address if possible). Briefly describe your situation and what concerns or problems you have. Let us know if you have your documentation (passport, visa, Form I-20, and Form I-94) with you.

If you do not have access to email, provide this information to SEVP at the time you telephone us. Try to have the information listed in the paragraph above available when you call.

We will work with you to find the best solution for your situation.

5. I HAVE FOUND ANOTHER SCHOOL THAT WILL ACCEPT ME. CAN I TRANSFER SCHOOLS?

If another SEVIS school will accept you, you may ask for a transfer. Contact the Designated School Official (usually this is a person in your International Student Office) at your new school.

6. I WANT TO FIND ANOTHER SCHOOL THAT WILL ACCEPT ME. WHAT DO I DO?

You can identify other schools approved for enrolling F/M nonimmigrants on the SEVP Web site at http://www.ice.gov/doclib/sevis/pdf/ApprovedSchools.pdf

7. I HAVE DECIDED I WOULD LIKE TO RETURN TO MY HOME COUNTRY AND POSSIBLY RETURN LATER. WHAT DO I NEED TO DO?

If possible contact your school to let them know of your intentions.

If it is not possible for you to contact your school, send an email to SEVIS.source@DHS.gov. Give your name, your SEVIS ID number if you have it (N followed by 10 digits on your Form I-20), the name of your school, and your contact information (include your current address, telephone number, and email address if possible). Briefly describe when and where you will depart the United States. Let us know whether or not you have your documentation (passport, visa, Form I-20, and Form I-94) with you.

If you do not have access to email, call SEVP at (202) 305-2346 ((800) 961-5294, toll free). Try to have the information listed in the paragraph above available when you call.

Before you return to the United States as a nonimmigrant student, be certain to contact your school to receive necessary guidance and documents.

8. WILL I NEED A NEW VISA TO RETURN TO THE UNITED STATES?

You will need a new visa if:

• Your visa expires while you are out of the United States
• You change visa categories
• If you are a new student and you want to go to a different school

9. HOW DO I GET MY TRANSCRIPT, RECORDS AND PERSONAL PROPERTY FROM AN IMPACTED SCHOOL?

If your school was impacted by the hurricane, allow a reasonable amount of time for the school to resume normal operations. Contact the International Student Office and they will advise you how to get transcripts and records. If you have lost personal property as a result of the hurricane, they should be able to advise you about the likelihood and procedures for recovery of that property.

10. I LOST MY DOCUMENTATION. HOW CAN I REPLACE IT?

Your school can reprint a Form I-20 for you. If the school is not available, contact SEVP at SEVIS.source@DHS.gov. In the email, give your name, your SEVIS ID number if you have it (N followed by 10 digits on your Form I-20), the name of your school, and your contact information (include your current address, telephone number, and email address if possible). Briefly describe your situation and what concerns or problems you have.

For the short term, you will not need a Form I-94. We will provide directions for replacement of the Form I-94 at a later time.

You can contact your country’s embassy or consulate to get a replacement passport.

11. HOW DO I REPORT MY ADDRESS CHANGE IF I AM NOT AT MY SCHOOL?

Follow the directions for students who cannot contact their school.

12. HOW LONG CAN I REMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES IF I AM NOT ENROLLED IN SCHOOL? [ Updated ]

If you arrived in the United States as a new student and were not enrolled in your program of study before the hurricane, you must make a decision to transfer to another school or leave within 30 days of your program or term start date.If you were enrolled in classes, but are no longer able to attend classes due to the hurricane, do one of the following:

• Report to the school where you were enrolled and attend classes when they resume, if the school will resume classes for the fall term.
• Transfer to another approved school
• Depart the United States

If you encounter difficulties, contact your school or SEVP at SEVIS.source@DHS.gov or at (202) 305-2346 ((800) 961-5294, toll free), if you cannot contact your school. We will help you and your school determine the best options for your situation.

13. I HAVE BEEN APPROVED FOR POST-COMPLETION OPT AND WAS WORKING IN THE IMPACTED AREA. I NO LONGER HAVE A JOB, WHAT DO I DO?

You are allowed to seek alternate employment. Be sure to report any changes of address to your Designated School Official. If you are unable to contact your school, send an email to SEVIS.source@DHS.gov. Give your name, your SEVIS ID number if you have it (N followed by 10 digits on your Form I-20), the name of your school, and your contact information (include your current address, telephone number, and email address if possible). Explain your current situation.

Keep your school informed of your situation (or SEVP if you cannot contact the school.)

14. I HAVE ALREADY SUBMITTED MY I-515A TO THE SEVP OFFICE FOR PROCESSING, WHAT DO I DO?

Send an email to SEVIS.source@DHS.gov with your full name, date of birth, date of entry to the U.S. and the new address to which we can forward your documents.

If you have any questions please contact the I-515A Processing Team on 202-305-2346 option #2.