Update on Expanded Screening and Vetting for Visa Applications
On June 18, 2025 the State Department announced that moving forward it, “…will conduct a comprehensive and thorough vetting, including online presence, of all student and exchange visitor [visa] applicants in the F, M, and J nonimmigrant classifications.” This will include, but is not limited to, a visa applicant’s social media presence.
Keep your passport, I-20, I-94 Departure Card and all other important documents in a safe place.
Make a photocopy of all materials that you send to the United States Citizen and Immigration Services (USCIS) and set up a file for all of your USCIS related paperwork and keep this file in a safe place.
Never mail your passport.
Never send cash through the mail. Use a personal check, money order, or bank check. Money orders can be obtained at any United States Post Office.
All checks or money orders sent to the USCIS should be stapled to the appropriate documents.
All materials should be mailed to the USCIS as "Certified Return Receipt." The International Student Services office can provide you with the materials needed to do this.
Make certain that you inform the International Student Services office of any legal changes to your name or any changes to your physical address. These changes must be reported to the office within 10 days of the change.
Make sure to provide the International Student Services office with photocopies of all materials that are sent to the USCIS.
All college rules, regulations and policies apply to international students the same way they apply to all other students. International students also must abide by rules, regulations and policies set forth by the USCIS and other federal agencies.
It is important to understand that college rules, regulations and policies may at times differ or conflict with rules, regulations and policies set forth by the USCIS and other federal agencies. Therefore, it is important to make sure that you are familiar with your rights and responsibilities as an F-1 Student. If you have any questions regarding these rights and responsibilities, contact the International Student Services office.
Maintaining Lawful Status
In order to be eligible for and receive all the benefits that USCIS provides to International Students (for example: practical training, school transfer, change of status) it is necessary to maintain lawful status in the United States.
To maintain Lawful F-1 status you must:
Keep your passport valid.
Have a valid Form I-20 (a SEVIS generated Form I-20).
Your Form I-20 expires on the Program End Date, found on your Form I-20, or on the date you complete your academic program, whichever comes first.
Maintain full-time enrollment during the fall and spring semesters (a minimum of 12 credit hours per semester). With at least nine credits containing an on-campus component (either fully in-person or hybrid classes).
Note about Online or Distance Education Courses: F-1 students are not permitted to count more than one course, or three credits, toward the full course of study requirements. However, F-1 students may enroll in more than one course, or three credits, of online or distance education coursework after the full course of study requirements have been met. For example, if a student enrolls in three classroom based courses (worth a total of nine credits) and one online course (worth three credits), the student can enroll in more distance education courses.
Demonstrate normal progress toward completion of your degree or educational objective.
Accept no employment of any kind without proper authorization from the Coordinator for International Student Services or, if necessary, USCIS.
Inform the Coordinator for International Student Services/DSO at your institution (the institution who issued you your current Form I-20) of any legal changes to your name or any changes to you physical address within ten days of the change. The DSO must always have your current physical address.
What if I need to take a leave of absence from school or drop below 12 credits? It is important to understand that according to USCIS, there is no such thing as a leave of absence from school for an F-1 student since the main objective of an individual in F-1 Status is to be a student. If you are not enrolled full-time as a student during the academic year (Post-Completion Optional Practical Training not withstanding), then you are not engaged in the activity authorized and dictated by your status. This means that while the college can grant a student a leave of absence for academic, medical or other personal reasons, USCIS does not recognize a leave of absence.
In order to maintain lawful F-1 status, you must have the approval of the Coordinator for International Student Services/DSO before you reduce your course load below 12 credit hours for any term. The DSO can authorize a student to drop below a full course of study, taking at least six credit hours under the following academic circumstances:
Initial difficulty with the English language;
Initial difficulty with reading requirements;
Unfamiliarity with American teaching methods;
Improper course placement;
To complete their course of study within the current term (which means that the student will complete their program of study at the conclusion of the semester, and need to complete less than twelve credits to do so).
This authorization allows the F-1 Student to drop below a full course of study while maintaining lawful F-1 Status. Additionally, due to properly documented medical circumstances, the DSO can authorize a student to drop below a full course of study, taking at least six credit hours (or if necessary for medical reasons, carry no course load). If due to either academic or medical reasons you are considering reducing your course load to below 12 credit hours (or carrying no course load due to medical reasons) you MUST meet with the Coordinator for International Student Services prior to doing so to discuss your specific situation, your options, your responsibilities and the required documentation.
Points to Consider
Within the first thirty (30) days of each semester that you are enrolled at Hudson Valley Community College, you must check-in with the Coordinator for International Student Services, so they can indicate that you are present by "Registering" you in the Student Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS).
Working without proper authorization is considered by USCIS to be the most serious violation of its regulations.
It is important that you consult the Coordinator for International Student Services before you accept an offer of employment or begin to work. If you are eligible, the Coordinator for International Student Services will assist you with your application for employment authorization.
Make sure you meet eligibility criteria before your record in SEVIS transfers visa sponsorship to another school in the United States.
A Reduced Course Load (RCL) for academic reasons can only be authorized once per degree level.
Obtain extensions of status, as needed, in order to remain in the United States.
Individuals in F-1 Status are granted permission to stay for the period of time reasonably required to pursue a full course of study in an educational program, plus a grace period of 60 days in which to depart from the United States, transfer to another SEVIS Approved institution, apply for a change of status, or apply for employment authorization.
The 60-day “clock” begins when you Form I-20 expires.
Your Form I-20 expires on the Program End Date, found on your Form I-20, or on the date you complete your academic program, whichever comes first.
After the 60 grace period has ended, if you are still in the United States and have not received a valid Form I-20 from a transfer institution or applied for either a change of status or employment authorization (and are awaiting a decision), you will begin to accrue Unlawful Presence.
If you change programs of study or levels of study, you must notify the Coordinator for International Student Services/DSO since this information will need to be entered into SEVIS, and a new Form I-20 will need to be issued.
If you need additional time to complete your current program, you must apply for an extension before the completion date on your I-20.
If you believe that you will need more time than is permitted on your current visa document, contact the Coordinator for International Student Services for complete information.
Applying for a Social Security Number
F-1 students may apply for a Social Security Number as soon as they begin their studies at Hudson Valley Community College (as long as they are in Lawful Student Status and enrolled full-time, thus being eligible to work on-campus) and have secured on-campus employment. Please note that your College Identification Number (e.g., H00XXXXXX) is not a Social Security Number. The only way to obtain a Social Security Number is to formally apply for one.
To apply for a Social Security Number you must submit an application in person at a Social Security Administration Office. Prior to visiting the Social Security Administration Office, you must meet with the International Student Services office and they will provide you with a letter to facilitate your application. When you go to apply, you will need to bring with you the following items:
Your original passport
Your Form I-20
Your I-94 Card (the white card inside your passport)
A letter from your employer that proves that you have secured on-campus employment and indicates the nature of the employment that you will be engaged in
A letter from the coordinator for international student services/DSO that indicates that you are in Lawful F-1 Status, enrolled full-time, and authorized for on-campus employment
The Social Security Administration Office closest to Hudson Valley Community College is located in Troy, New York and is open from 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday (except for legal holidays).
Troy Social Security Office Suite 101 500 Federal Street Troy, NY 12180 Phone: 1-866-770-2662 TTY: 1-800-325-0778 Map and Directions
Applying for an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN)
An ITIN is a number used for tax processing, available for certain nonresident and resident aliens, their spouse, and dependents. An ITIN is only used for federal income tax purposes. This is an important point, because:
The issuance of an ITIN does not entitle the recipient to Social Security benefits or the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC);
The issuance of an ITIN does not infer or suggest anything regarding the individual's immigration status;
The issuance of an ITIN does not authorize the individual to work in the U.S.
When completing the federal income tax return (1040, 1040A, 1040EZ, 1040NR, 1040NR EZ), the individual will enter their ITIN in the space for the SSN
Who is eligible for an IITIN? Only individuals who cannot obtain a Social Security Number are eligible for an ITIN. The ITIN is a 9-digit number, beginning with the number "9", and is formatted like a Social Security Number (###-##- ###). Any temporary IRS Number that was previously assigned is no longer valid.
How do I know if I need an ITIN? If you must file a U.S. tax return or you are listed on a tax return as a spouse or a dependent and you do not have, and cannot obtain a valid Social Security Number, you must apply for an ITIN.
Include your ITIN on the tax return to ensure prompt processing and receipt of any refund.
Each person listed on the federal income tax return must have a valid SSN or an ITIN.
If a federal income tax return requesting a refund is filed without a Social Security Number or ITIN for the primary filer and spouse, the refund will be delayed until they obtain the Identification number.
If a dependent SSN/ITIN is missing, the exemptions will be denied and refunds will be adjusted accordingly.
If you were previously issued a temporary IRS Number, you must now apply for an ITIN.
Is an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) valid for work purposes? No. An ITIN is not valid for work purposes. An ITIN is only used for federal income tax purposes. Alien individuals who are legally admitted to the U.S. as permanent residents, or in another immigrations status for which employment authorization can be granted, are eligible for Social Security Numbers. Individuals who are eligible for a Social Security Number are not eligible for an ITIN.
Scenario to consider: An international student is arrested for disturbing the peace and is fingerprinted. The charges are later dismissed. She returns to her home country for vacation, and when she applies for a new F-1 visa, her name appears in the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) Database. The consular official denies the F-1 visa, cancels her tourist visa, and tells her that it will take at least five weeks before the embassy receives the NCIC Report, which will explain why she is in the system. Eventually she gets her visa, but she misses a semester of school.
You already know that in order to maintain lawful status you are required to be enrolled full-time in school and that you cannot work illegally. Additionally, arrests like the one described in the scenario above can negatively affect your ability to study in the U.S. or even enter the U.S. on a student or tourist visa.
Criminal activity with immigration consequences include:
Arrests and/or convictions.
Willful misrepresentations on an immigration or visa application that result in securing immigration benefit through fraud. This can also include an application for admission to school if a Form I-20 or DS-2019 was issued and the student uses the document to enter the U.S.
Drug related offences which may or may not result in conviction.
Conviction for, or admission of, crimes of moral turpitude. These are usually serious crimes but for more information, contact an attorney or OISS.
Suspension or expulsion from school as a result of criminal activity, whatever the nature of the crime.
The immigration consequences of criminal activity include:
Delays in obtaining visas: ANY arrest or conviction will cause a positive hit in NCIC and delay new visa issuance. It does not matter if you take the record of your arrest or conviction with you to the consulate, as they will still have to wait for the NCIC Report.
Denial of immigration benefits in the U.S. including but not limited to extension, practical training and change of status.
Removal or deportation from the U.S.
Denial of visa or entry into the U.S.
How to avoid these consequences:
Do not drink and drive.
Do not use illegal drugs! Being arrested with even a small quantity of marijuana can make you deportable.
Do not lie or misrepresent your actions on immigration applications or to a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) employee.
If you have concerns regarding something that you have done, then talk with the OISS or contact an immigration attorney before you are interviewed or complete an application.
Do not assume that they won’t find out.
If you are arrested, you do have the right to an attorney and anything that you say can and will be used against you.
Make sure that you have a criminal attorney who is aware that there may be immigration consequences to any plea bargain or guilty plea and who works with an immigration attorney.
Remember, it is your responsibility to know the law and avoid committing crimes.
If you find yourself in a legal situation, the Office of International Student Services can help you find a competent criminal attorney who is familiar with immigration regulations.