Foreign
nationals enter the United States on a variety of
visa types coded with letters according to the
purpose of their trip. At UMF, most degree
seeking students arrive on F-1 visas, most
short-term "exchange" students and
professors are assigned J-1 visas.
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The type of visa held
by an individual strictly regulates,
among other things: |
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- Length of
Stay Permitted
- Ability to
accept employment (including paid
internships, honorariums, and per
diems)
- Ability to
accept public welfare benefits
- Whether the
individual is subject to a
requirement to return home upon
completion of his/her program
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In addition,
there is a new Special Registration Requirement
for some male citizens
INS issued a notice requiring certain
nonimmigrant aliens to appear before, register
with, and provide requested information to BCIS
on or before January 10, 2003. It applies
to certain non-immigrants from Afghanistan,
Algeria, Bahrain, Eritrea, Lebanon, Morocco,
North Korea, Oman, Qatar, Somalia, Tunisia,
United Arab Emirates, and Yemen who were last
admitted to the United States on or before
September 30, 2002, and who will remain in the
United States until at least January 10,
2003. The specific requirements are set
forth in the notice, which became effective
December 2, 2002. To view this notice, issued
November 22, 2002, access:
http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/14mar20010800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2002/02-29958.htm.
Changes of
address now require official notification
directly to US Bureau of Immigration and
Citizenship Services on Form AR-11
All non-U.S. citizens are now required to give
notice to BCIS within 10 days of any change of
address in the U.S. A willful failure to give
written notice to BCIS is a misdemeanor crime. If
convicted, the alien (or parent or legal guardian
of an alien under age 14 who is required to give
notice) can be fined up to $200 or imprisoned up
to 30 days, or both. The alien may also be
subject to removal from the United States. (INA
§ 266(b)). Compliance with the requirement to
notify BCIS of any address changes is also a
condition of an alien’s stay in the United
States. Failure to comply could also jeopardize
the alien’s ability to obtain a future visa
or other immigration benefit.
Address changes must be self reported using an
official immigration form (Form AR-11) which is
available on line at::
http://www.immigration.gov/graphics/formsfee/forms/ar-11.htm
You may also complete an online change of
address.
The office of
Enrollment Services and Exchange Programs at the University of Maine at
Farmington provides assistance to students and
scholars in interpreting Immigration and
Naturalization regulations. The office is not
charged with the responsibility, legally or
ethically, to report infractions of immigration
laws. Rather, counseling about options and about
the ramifications of particular courses of action
is offered to persons seeking immigration
assistance. While the advisor strives to be of as
much help as possible, in some cases we are asked
about matters which can be more appropriately
addressed by other departments and individuals on
campus. In these cases, the staff is happy to
provide such referrals.
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If you are planning to do anything
other than study full time in Farmington, Maine,
see your international advisor. Do not accept
employment, leave the USA, or drop below
full-time enrollment without first seeing your
advisor.