USCIS ELIS and Nonimmigrant Students
Fact Sheet

Introduction

The USCIS Electronic Immigration System (USCIS ELIS), launched on May 22, 2012, allows individuals to e-file applications for immigration benefits. It provides more accurate, convenient, and secure customer service and allows U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to process cases with greater efficiency and consistency.

Background

USCIS ELIS allows eligible foreign exchange students to e-file a Form I-539 application to extend, change or reinstate their nonimmigrant status. These answers should give Designated School Officials (DSO) and foreign exchange students a better understanding of USCIS ELIS and how USCIS handles the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) Form I-20, the Arrival-Departure Record Form I-94, and other documents.

Questions & Answers

Q1.  What is the SEVIS Form I-20?
A1. Foreign exchange students will receive a Form I-20 from the DSO of the educational institution that accepted the student to study in the United States. That student must have a Form I-20 to apply for a visa, to enter the United States, and to apply for benefits.

Q2.  Does the Form I-20 need a stamp to prove lawful status?
A2.  No. While an unstamped Form I-20 is valid, it does not indicate lawful status. Some state and federal agencies require foreign students to present a Form I-20 to identify the end date for the student’s program. However, a DHS stamp is not required for this purpose.

Q3.  How long will USCIS offer to stamp the Form I-20 and the DS-2019?
A3.  Although a stamp is not required, USCIS is providing a six-month transition and will continue to stamp the Form 1-20 and the Department of State Form 2019 through Nov. 21, 2012. Individuals may make an online appointment through InfoPass, http://infopass.uscis.gov to request this service.

Q4.  How will an unstamped Form I-20 affect work authorization?
A4.  A student should have no negative impact on off-campus employment if s/he has the USCIS-issued Employment Authorization Document and a Form I-20.

Q5.  How will an unstamped Form I-20 affect applying for state or federal benefits?
A5.  An unstamped Form I-20 should have no negative impact on applications for state or federal benefits, including driver’s licenses and state-issued identification cards. USCIS is actively communicating with Departments of Motor Vehicles (DMVs) to ensure their understanding that a Form I-20 does not require a stamp to be valid. International students and scholars who encounter issues with their state or federal benefit applications should contact the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) at (703) 603-3400 or SEVP@dhs.gov.

Q6.  What is the difference between a stamped and an endorsed Form I-20?
A6.  The Form I-20 is valid without an admission stamp and CBP discontinued the practice of stamping the form in early August 2012. A Form I-20 is endorsed when it is signed by a DSO, which allows the student to travel internationally or apply for employment authorization.

Q7.  How will USCIS ELIS handle the Forms I-20 and DS-2019?
A7.  USCIS will accept a photocopy or scanned electronic version of a valid Form I-20 or DS-2019. If USCIS needs to review the original document, USCIS will ask you to provide the original document. USCIS will adjudicate the request electronically. Although the student will receive the approval notice (Form I-797) through the mail, the scanned copy of the Form I-20 will not be stamped and returned. As of Aug. 10, 2012, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) no longer provides admission stamps on Forms I-20 and DS-2019 for prospective and returning international students and scholars (traveling with F, M, and J visas) seeking admission to the United States. This change makes CBP processes consistent with USCIS’s recent change to stop stamping the Form I-20.

Q8.  Can a student upload documents after finishing submitting payment?
A8.  Applicants should ensure all required documents are scanned and uploaded in USCIS ELIS before making their payment. If a required document is not uploaded, the applicant can wait to respond to a USCIS Request for Evidence, (RFE) or mail the missing document to USCIS, which may delay the time to receive a decision.

Q9. What do students enter into the (MM/DD/YYY) field if their Form I-94 only notes “D/S” and does not have a specific expiration date?
A9. If the duration of your student status is listed on your passport or Form I-94 as “D/S” instead of a specific expiration date, leave the (MM/DD/YYY) field blank. As a result of feedback, the USCIS ELIS Release A2.1 upgrade will allow students to enter D/S in the expiration date field.

Q10.  When will USCIS fix the function that says Optional Practical Training (OPT) is Unauthorized Work?
A10.  As a result of feedback from DSO’s, USCIS ELIS upgrade A2.1 will list OPT work as authorized. Until the upgrade is released, F-1 students who respond “Yes” to the employment question, will see a screen identifying OPT work as “unauthorized” and will need to provide details about their pre- or post-completion OPT in the “Additional Page Information” section.