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Chronology
of Significant Events
History
While the concern of the federal government over the lack of accurate
and timely information on international students and exchange visitors
dates back to the Iranian hostage crisis of 1979, substantive efforts
to address this situation did not commence until after the 1993
World Trade Center bombing. In 1995, a federal interagency task
force was formed which laid the groundwork for the SEVP. In 1996,
a federal law (the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility
Act or IIRIRA) was passed which mandated the development and implementation
of an electronic reporting and tracking system.
The next year, a pilot reporting program (the Coordinated Interagency
Partnership Regulating International Students or CIPRIS) was begun
with selected schools in the Southeast. The terrorist attacks of
09/11/2001 placed the development of an electronic reporting system
on a fast track. Little more than a month after that date, Congress
passed a law (the USA PATRIOT Act) appropriating $36.8 million in
start-up funding for the program and mandating that it be implemented
by 01/01/2003. In early 2002, a beta test began of the "real-time,
interactive" Student and Exchange Visitor Information System
(SEVIS) with selected schools in the Boston area, and the Southeast
schools which had been participating in the CIPRIS pilot program
were merged into this beta test.
Future
Congress is expected to soon pass a third law (the Enhanced
Border Security and Visa Entry Reform Act, or some variation thereof)
with provisions related to the SEVP. Federal regulations will be
published by the Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) to
implement the SEVP for F-1 and M-1 student programs (before 07/01/2002),
and by the U.S. Department of State (DOS) for J-1 exchange visitor
student and scholar programs (no target date announced, but probably
before 07/01/2002).
Either these regulations or separate regulatory packages
will:
- establish a deadline, probably a date during calendar year 2003,
by which all schools and exchange visitor programs must be migrated
into the SEVP and using SEVIS for electronic reporting;
- mandate a federal recertification process for schools and exchange
visitor programs; and
- implement a student and exchange visitor fee to underwrite
federal operation of the SEVP and SEVIS. The "real-time,
interactive" version of SEVIS, which will likely be used
by schools with very small international populations, is expected
to be available nationwide sometime during the summer of 2002
(target date 07/01/2002). The "batch" version of SEVIS,
which will likely be used by most schools, is expected to be available
nationwide in the early fall of 2002 (target month 09/2002).
After the compliance deadline, schools and exchange visitor programs
which are not in compliance with federal SEVP requirements will
not be permitted to continue their F-1, M-1, or J-1 programs.
| Date |
Event |
| 1979 |
Iranian hostage crisis
This was the first event which caused the federal government
to be concerned that foreign nationals could enter the U.S.
as students and perhaps pose a security risk. |
| 1983 |
USCIS implements periodic, comprehensive school reporting
on F-1 students
Upon receipt of a computer printout containing information
on all F-1 students the Service believed to be enrolled, a school
was required to verify and correct information on the printout
and return it to the USCIS. Upon receipt, the USCIS then updated
their records in a database known as the Student/School (ST/SC)
system. |
| 1988 |
USCIS suspends periodic, comprehensive school reporting
on F-1 students
The information submitted by schools on computer printouts
was so massive that the USCIS found it was unable to input and
effectively manage the data. |
| 2/1993 |
World Trade Center bombing
The person who allegedly drove the truck containing
the bomb into the World Trade Center underground garage entered
the U.S. as an F-1 student to attend Wichita State University,
but subsequently dropped out of that school. |
| 1994 |
FBI Director called attention to the need to monitor
international students for security reasons
Louis J. Freeh, then Director of the FBI, made a speech
in California during which he called for a federal system to
subject international students to "thorough and continuous
scrutiny" for national security reasons. |
| 5/1995 |
CIPRIS Task Force formed
A federal interagency task force was formed to evaluate
the federal administration of F-1 and M-1 student programs,
and J-1 exchange visitor programs, and recommend changes to
facilitate reporting and monitoring. This group became known
as the CIPRIS Task Force and the reengineered program it recommended
became known as the CIPRIS program. CIPRIS stands
for the Coordinated Interagency Partnership Regulating International
Students. |
| 12/22/1995 |
Controls Governing Foreign Students and Schools That
Admit Them
This report, produced by the CIPRIS Task Force and
published by the USCIS, recommended comprehensive changes in the
F-1, J-1, and M-1 programs, including the conversion of reporting
and monitoring from a paper-based to an electronic system. |
| 9/30/1996 |
Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility
Act of 1996
This act, Public Law 104-208, is frequently referred
to by the acronyms IIRAIRA or IIRIRA. (See Newfront Software,
Inc., SEVIS Readiness Workshop handout entitled Illegal
Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996.) |
| 12/1996 |
CIPRIS Task Force vision concept paper approved by
USCIS Commissioner |
| 6/1997 |
CIPRIS
Pilot Program begins
This program encompassed:
- Twenty-one educational institutions in the Southeast U.S.
- USCIS District Office in Atlanta, GA (USCIS/ATL)
- USCIS Port of Entry (POE) at Atlanta's Hartsfield International
Airport (USCIS/ATL)
- USCIS Texas Service Center (TSC)
- USCIS Headquarters (USCIS/HQ) in Washington, DC
- U.S. Department of State (DOS) in Washington, DC
|
| 1/1/1998 |
Statutory deadline for commencement of the F, J, and
M electronic reporting and monitoring system
This deadline was established by IIRIRA (see 09/30/1996).
While the CIPRIS Task Force (see 1995 thru 06/1997) was working
on establishing this monitoring and reporting system, the federal
government clearly did not meet this deadline. (See Newfront
Software, Inc., SEVIS Readiness Workshop handout entitled Illegal
Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996.) |
| 10/1999 |
CIPRIS Pilot Program officially ends
Program continued as an "operational prototype" and
was merged into the SEVIS real-time, interactive beta test in
early 2002. |
| 12/21/1999 |
Authorizing Collection of the Fee Levied on F, J,
and M Nonimmigrant Classifications Under Public Law 104-208
Proposed rule published by the USCIS in the Federal Register
(Vol.
64, No. 244, pp. 71323-71331). |
| 2/22/2000 |
AACRAO
submits comments to USCIS on proposed CIPRIS fee rule |
| Summer/Fall 2000 |
National "Student and Exchange Visitor Program"
(SEVP) developed
Development was supposedly based upon lessons learned from the
CIPRIS Pilot Program, stakeholder feedback, and relevant requirements
of IIRIRA. |
| 10/02/2000 |
A Dissenting Position by Those Who Have Been There
Position paper sent by 26 representatives of 20 CIPRIS
Pilot Program schools in the Southeast opposing efforts by NAFSA:
Association of International Educators to repeal legislation
mandating the SEVP. |
| 12/2000 |
USCIS/EDS SEVIS Beta Test site visits in Boston, MA,
area Conducted in preparation for deployment of the
SEVIS Beta Test of the real-time, interactive, Web-based reporting
system. |
| 4/4/2001 |
Letter
on implementation of SEVP/CIPRIS sent by ACE to USCIS
Letter from Terry W. Hartle, ACE Senior Vice President (representing
45 educational associations) to Kevin D. Rooney, USCIS Acting
Commissioner. |
| 5/24/2001 |
Ad on SEVP implementation placed in Roll
Call.
Ad placed by the American Association of Collegiate Registrars
and Admissions Officers (AACRAO)
in the newspaper of Capitol Hill. |
| 7/2001 |
USCIS/EDS SEVIS Beta Test site visits in Boston, MA,
area Conducted in preparation for deployment of the
SEVIS Beta Test of the real-time, interactive, Web-based reporting
system. |
| 8/28- 8/30/2001 |
SEVIS vendor meetings held in Charleston, SC
The SEVIS Interface Control Document, containing
the technical specifications for the "batch" system,
was distributed during this meeting, and included a "Data
Assembly Characteristics" section detailing for the first
time the data elements which will be required for reporting.
(For the most complete list of data fields to be reported,
see the following Newfront Software, Inc.,
SEVIS Readiness Workshop handouts:
- Data to Be Reported in the Student and Exchange
Visitor Information System (SEVIS)
- SEVIS Data Assembly Characteristics
- Additional Data Required by Current Law and Pending
Regulation
- F-1 Student Recordkeeping and Reporting Regulations)
The latest version of USCIS presentations and documents
used in the Charleston meetings can be found at:
|
| 9/4-6/2001 |
SEVIS vendor meetings held in San Diego, CA
See above links for the latest version of presentations and
documents used in these meetings. |
| 9/11/2001 |
Terrorist attacks occurred
According to authoritative sources, one of the hijackers
on American Airlines Flight 77, which crashed into the Pentagon,
was Hani Hanjour, an individual who entered the U.S. on an F-1
student visa to attend an intensive English language program
in Oakland, CA, and never enrolled in that program. Authorities
believe that Mohamed Atta, the presumed terrorist ringleader,
was aboard American Airlines Flight 11, which crashed into the
north tower of the World Trade Center, and that Marwan Al-Shehhi
was on board United Airlines Flight 175, which struck the south
tower. These individuals entered the U.S. on visitor visas
and subsequently applied to the USCIS for a change of status to
M-1 student to attend Huffman Aviation in Venice, FL, for flight
training. |
| 10/2001 |
SEVIS Beta Test training in Boston, MA
Training conducted for ten schools in the Greater Boston
area which are beta testing the real-time, interactive, Web-based
reporting system. |
| 10/2/2001 |
Letter
on Feinstein student visa proposal sent by ACE to Senate
Judiciary Committee
Letter from David Ward, President, American Council
on Education (representing 45 educational associations). |
| 10/02/2001 |
Letter
on national security and higher education issued by AASCU.
Letter from Constantine W. (Deno) Curris, President, American
Association of State Colleges and Universities. |
| 10/05/2001 |
Letter on CIPRIS/SEVP implementation sent by ACE
to Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA)
Letter from David Ward, President, American Council
on Education (representing 45 educational associations). |
| 10/10/2001 |
Letter on CIPRIS/SEVP and pending legislation sent
by ACE to Rep.
F. James Sensenbrenner (R-WI)
Letter from David Ward, President, American Council on Education
(representing 45 educational associations) on CIPRIS/SEVP and
H.R. 2975, the Patriot Act of 2001. |
| 10/12/2001 |
Letter
on SEVIS sent by ACE to President George W. Bush
Letter from David Ward, President, American Council on Education
(representing 45 educational associations). |
| 10/12/2001 |
ACE
testifies on SEVIS before Senate subcommittee
David Ward, President, American Council on Education (representing
45 educational associations) testifies on SEVIS before the Senate
Subcommittee on Technology, Terrorism, and Government Information. |
| 10/25/2001 |
Memorandum
analyzing provisions of USA PATRIOT Act which are most important
for higher education
Prepared by Hogan & Hartson L.L.P. for the American Council
on Education (ACE). |
| 10/26/2001 |
USA PATRIOT Act became law
This act, Public Law 107-56, added air flight schools, language
training schools, and vocational schools to the schools which
must comply with SEVIS requirements, and authorized $36.8 million
for SEVIS implementation and expansion prior to a 01/01/2003
statutory deadline. (See Newfront Software, Inc., SEVIS Readiness
Workshop handout entitled Uniting and Strengthening America
by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct
Terrorism Act of 2001.) |
| 10/29/2001 |
Homeland
Security Presidential Directive-2 published -Combating
Terrorism Through Immigration Policies
This directive ordered the federal government to implement "measures
to. prohibit certain international students from receiving education
and training in sensitive areas." and directed the Attorney
General, among others, to track, among other things, ".the
classes in which the student enrolls, and the source of funds
supporting the student's education." It also ordered the
USCIS to conduct periodic reviews of all institutions authorized
to enroll international students and exchange visitors, including
checks for compliance with record keeping and reporting requirements.
|
| 11/30/2001 |
Enhanced
Border Security and Visa Entry Reform Act of 2001
(S. 1749) introduced into the U.S. Senate
This act, introduced by a group of senators which includes Sens.
Edward Kennedy (D-MA) and Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), would make
substantive changes to IIRIRA §641 (statutory authority for
the SEVP).
Note: It is expected that either S. 1749 or H.R. 3525
(see 12/19/2001 and 12/20/2001) will soon be passed by both
houses of Congress and signed into law by the President. The
USCIS has publicly stated that the new F-1 student regulations,
which are targeted for publication on 07/01/2002, incorporate
the student provisions of this bill. (See Newfront Software,
Inc., SEVIS Readiness Workshop handout entitled Enhanced
Border Security and Visa Entry Reform Act of 2001.) |
| 12/2001 |
SEVIS
Beta Test begins in Boston , MA
Ten schools in the Greater Boston area are testing this Web-based
version of SEVIS. |
| 12/19/2001 |
Enhanced
Border Security and Visa Entry Reform Act of 2001 (H.R.
3525) introduced into the U.S. House of Representatives
This act, introduced by Rep. F. James Sensenbrenner (R-WI),
would make substantive changes to IIRIRA §641 (statutory authority
for the SEVP). (See Newfront Software, Inc., SEVIS Readiness
Workshop handout entitled Enhanced Border Security and Visa
Entry Reform Act of 2001.) |
| 12/20/2001 |
Enhanced Border
Security and Visa Entry Reform Act of 2001 (H.R. 3525)
passed by the U.S. House of Representatives
The legislation was then forwarded to the Senate Committee on
the Judiciary.
Note: It is expected that either H.R. 3525 or S. 1749
(see 11/30/2001) will soon be passed by both houses of Congress
and signed into law by the President. The USCIS has publicly
stated that the new F-1 student regulations, which are targeted
for publication on 07/01/2002, incorporate the student provisions
of this bill. (See Newfront Software, Inc., SEVIS Readiness
Workshop handout entitled Enhanced Border Security and Visa
Entry Reform Act of 2001.) |
| 12/20/2001 |
Enhanced Border
Security and Visa Entry Reform Act of 2001 (H.R. 3525)
passed by the U.S. House of Representatives
The legislation was then forwarded to the Senate Committee on
the Judiciary.
Note: It is expected that
either H.R. 3525 or S. 1749 (see 11/30/2001) will soon be passed
by both houses of Congress and signed into law by the President.
The USCIS has publicly stated that the new F-1 student regulations,
which are targeted for publication on 07/01/2002, incorporate
the student provisions of this bill. (See Newfront Software,
Inc., SEVIS Readiness Workshop handout entitled Enhanced Border
Security and Visa Entry Reform Act of 2001.) |
| 1/2002 |
SEVIS-Smart,
published
An official publication of the Student and Exchange Visitor
Program (SEVP), this was the first issue (Volume 1, Issue 1)
of SEVIS-Smart |
| 1/2002 |
CIPRIS "operational prototype" schools
are transitioned to the SEVIS real-time interactive beta test
system |
| |
1/24/2002-Letter
on SEVIS implementation issues sent by ACE to USCIS
Letter from David Ward, President, American Council on Education
(representing 45 educational associations), to James W. Ziglar,
USCIS Commissioner. |
| 1/24/2002 |
Letter
on SEVIS fee implementation sent by ACE to USCIS
Letter from David Ward, President, American Council on Education
(representing 6 educational associations), to James W. Ziglar,
USCIS Commissioner. |
| 2/12/2002 |
Letter
on SEVIS fee implementation sent by ACE to USCIS
Letter from David Ward, President, American Council
on Education (representing 64 educational associations), to
James W. Ziglar, USCIS Commissioner. |
| 2/21/2002 |
USCIS
announces delay in publication of SEVP fee rule
This rule (i.e., regulation) will require each student and exchange
visitor to pay a fee, in addition to the required visa application
fee, prior to visa issuance. The fee is designed to pay for
operation of the SEVP. The fee rule was scheduled for publication
in the Federal Register in March of 2002. Publication
was apparently delayed so that the USCIS can recalculate the amount
of the fee to take into account the $36.8 million in start-up
funding appropriated by Congress in the USA PATRIOT Act of 2001
and perhaps other changes since 1999, when the fee was originally
calculated. It will likely be either a "final" or
an "interim final" rule when it is eventually published
in the Federal Register, probably later during calendar
year 2002. |
| 3/01/2002 |
Target date for having five SEVP "regional coordinators"
in place
These individuals will be employed by Electronic Data Systems
(EDS) and will presumably be available to schools needing information
and/or assistance in migrating to the SEVP electronic reporting
system. |
| 3/2002 |
Original target month for publication of federal
regulations establishing the SEVP and SEVIS for F-1 and M-1
students
In early March of 2002, the USCIS announced that the publication
of this rule (i.e., regulation) in the Federal Register
had been postponed. The new target date for publication is
sometime in the Spring or Summer of 2002, most likely before
07/01/2002.
Note: No public announcement has been made by the
U.S. Department of State regarding publication of a rule establishing
the SEVP and SEVIS for J-1 exchange visitors, although it is
clear that they must do so to implement the program for this
classification. |
| 3/2002 |
(House passes bill (H.R. 1885) containing HR 3525
provisions |
| 4/2002 |
Target month for initiation of a test of the "Admin-DSO"
concept While the "Admin-DSO" concept has
not yet been officially announced by the USCIS, a test of it is
scheduled to begin at the UCLA Extension School this month.
"Admin-DSOs" are support staff who may be authorized
to perform data input required by the SEVIS real-time, interactive
Web system, but not authorized to actually submit the data to
SEVIS. |
| NOTE: |
Future Significant Events
While the USCIS and EDS frequently talk about future
dates when various events are planned or targeted to occur,
they sometimes later back away from specific predictions and
indicate that something will occur in "early Fall 2002"
rather than on "09/01/2002", for example. When they
have consistently stated a specific date, that date is listed
below. When they have backed away from specific prior statements
and instead begun stating more general time frames, those more
general time frames are listed below. Please understand that
the timing of some future events listed below is, of course,
subject to change. |
| Late Spring |
SEVIS technical seminar in Washington , DC .
This event, which will be sponsored by the USCIS, is intended
to provide additional technical information to commercial software
vendors and schools which are developing customized SEVIS-compatible
database and communication software. |
| 5/26 - 5/31/2002 |
NAFSA:
Association of International Educators annual conference
SEVP/SEVIS sessions held at this conference, which occurs in
San Antonio, TX. The USCIS and EDS customarily participate in
these presentations. |
| 5/29/2002 |
SEVIS real-time, interactive demonstrations. The
USCIS and EDS will offer continuous demonstrations of the SEVIS
Web interface throughout the day at the NAFSA annual conference
in San Antonio, TX. |
| 5/30/2002 |
SEVIS real-time, interactive demonstrations
The USCIS and EDS will offer continuous demonstrations of the
SEVIS Web interface throughout the day at the NAFSA annual conference
in San Antonio, TX. |
Spring 2002
to
Summer 2002 |
Publication of "proposed" federal regulations
establishing the SEVP and SEVIS for F-1 and M-1 students
03/2002 was the target month USCIS originally announced for
publication of this rule (i.e., regulation) in the Federal
Register. The Service has stated that this rule will
be published a "proposed rule" with 60 days allowed
for public comment. The USCIS will then evaluate the public
comments, revise the proposed rule as appropriate, and later
publish either an "interim-final rule" or a "final
rule." Either an interim-final or final rule will be
required before the USCIS can legally require schools to implement
the SEVP and SEVIS.
Publication of federal regulations establishing the
SEVP and SEVIS for J-1 exchange visitors
The U.S. Department of State (DOS) has not publicly announced
when it expects to publish regulations in the Federal
Register implementing the SEVP and SEVIS. It is generally
thought that the J-1 regulations will be published about the
same time as sometime after the USCIS publishes new F-1 and
M-1 regulations. The DOS has not announced what type of rule
they will publish (i.e., proposed, interim-final, or final),
nor how long the public comment period, if any, will be.
It is likely, however, that they will publish a rule in a
similar manner to the USCIS (see previous item). As with the
USCIS regulations, either an interim-final or final rule will
be required before the DOS can legally require program sponsors
to implement the SEVP and SEVIS.
Publication of a federal notice or regulations establishing
an SEVP/SEVIS compliance deadline for schools enrolling F-1
and/or M-1 students. This rule, which will be published
in the Federal Register, will establish the deadline
by which all U.S. schools enrolling F-1 and M-1 students must
be in full compliance with the new system. While it is hazardous
to predict the compliance deadline in advance of its official
publication, it is generally expected that it will be sometime
in calendar year 2003 and that it will not be earlier than
one year after the date the SEVIS batch interface is available
for all schools to use (see "Fall 2002" below).
Publication of a federal notice or regulations establishing
an SEVP/SEVIS compliance deadline for J-1 program sponsors.
This rule will establish the compliance deadline by which
all J-1 program sponsors must be in full compliance with the
new system. While it is hazardous to predict the compliance
deadline in advance of its publication in this proposed rule,
it is generally expected that it will not be earlier than
one year after the public availability of the SEVIS batch
interface (see "Fall 2002" below).
Publication of a federal notice or regulations requiring
all schools authorized to enroll F-1 and/or M-1 students to
submit to a recertification process with the USCIS. As
a prelude to or as a part of each school's transition from
the current system to the mandated SEVP, school recertification
will be required. (See "Target Date for the Availability
of (I-17)" and "Target month for USCIS initiation
of a nationwide school recertification program" below
for more information.)
Publication of a federal notice or regulations requiring
all J-1 program sponsors to submit to a recertification process
with the DOS. As a prelude to or as a part of each
program sponsor's transition from the current system to the
mandated SEVP, school recertification will be required. |
| Summer 2002 |
SEVIS test server available for public
testing of "batch" transmissions. The
government has announced that it will have a SEVIS test server
available this summer for software vendors who wish to test
the software they are developing for commercial sale, and
for testing by any schools which may be developing SEVIS-compliant
software for internal use. |
| 7/1/2002 |
Target date for availability of SEVIS
real-time interactive system to schools and exchange visitor
programs. This is the Web-based system for the transmission
of data on individual students and exchange visitors (in contrast
to the "batch system" which permits the transmission
of data on groups of students and exchange visitors) via the
Internet. While it is possible that some DOS visa issuing
posts and some USCIS ports of entry (POEs) may be utilizing
the electronic "data share" capabilities of SEVIS
by this date, it is unlikely that many will be able to do
so.
Target date for the 24/7 operation of the SEVIS Help
Desk - (800) 892-4829. It is anticipated that employees
of Electronic Data Systems (EDS), the private company which
has the contract with USCIS to develop and support the SEVP
and SEVIS, will staff the SEVIS Help Desk. These individuals
will be familiar with the SEVIS technology and how schools
and program sponsors should use that technology.
Target date for the availability of (USCIS Form I-17)
via the SEVIS real-time interactive system. During
the initial implementation of the SEVP and SEVIS, it is possible
that this electronic version of USCIS Form I-17 will be supplemented
by a logistical, paper back up, and that the electronic version
may be unavailable to schools wishing to be authorized to
enroll F-1 and/or M-1 students for the first time. While
the (USCIS Form I-17A) will likely continue to exist in paper
form, it is possible that the I-17 will eventually become
an exclusively electronic process. |
| 7/2002 |
Target month for USCIS initiation of
a nationwide school recertification program. Every
school which enrolls F-1 and/or M-1 students will be required
to comply with recertification requirements. The USCIS will
communicate recertification policies and procedures at an
appropriate time prior to commencement of the program. |
| Early Fall 2002 |
Target for national availability of
SEVIS batch system to schools and exchange visitor programs.
This is the system for the transmission of data on groups
of students and exchange visitors (in contrast to the "real-time
interactive system" which permits the transmission of
data on individual students and exchange visitors) via the
Internet. The USCIS and EDS initially announced that 09/01/2002
was the target date for the availability of the batch system,
but recently stated that it would be available in "early
Fall 2002". It is likely that some DOS visa issuing
posts and some USCIS ports of entry (POEs) may be utilizing
the electronic "data share" capabilities of SEVIS
by this date.
|
| 1/1/2003 |
Deadline established by Congress (
USA PATRIOT Act of 2001) for SEVIS to be ready and available
for use on a national scale. This is a statutory
deadline which the USCIS must meet. It is not a deadline which
schools must meet. (See Newfront Software, Inc., SEVIS Readiness
Workshop handout entitled Uniting and Strengthening America
by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct
Terrorism Act of 2001.)
Target date for having the electronic "data
share" capabilities of SEVIS operational at American
Consulates (AmCons) and USCIS ports of entry. The
date American visa posts and POEs come on line with the system
may be especially important if the "Transitional Program"
which appears in U.S. Senate and House bills becomes law.
If the USCIS were to decide that full implementation of SEVIS,
as required by those bills, occurs when all AmCons and POEs
are integrated into the new system, then schools and program
sponsors which are participating in SEVIS at that time could
be relieved of what appear to be burdensome reporting responsibilities
under the "Transitional Program". |
| 1/30/2003 |
Deadline for nationwide school compliance
with the SEVP and SEVIS in relation to F-1 and M-1 students.
The USCIS will publish this date in the Federal Register
(target publication date is 07/01/2002), thus giving schools
notice of when they must be in compliance. It is generally
thought that the USCIS will give schools at least one year to
come into compliance, measured from the date the "batch"
system is available for use on a national scale. The target
month for the availability of the batch system is 09/2002,
making it likely that 09/2003 will be the earliest compliance
deadline the USCIS might establish.
Deadline for nationwide program sponsor compliance
with the SEVP and SEVIS in relation to J-1 exchange visitors.
While no public announcements have been made by the
U.S. Department of State (DOS) in relation to the publication
of implementing regulations or the compliance deadline for
exchange visitor program sponsors, it is generally expected
that their timeline will be similar to that of the USCIS for
schools which enroll F-1 and M-1 students. |
| The Future |
Student/Exchange Visitor ID Card.
It is probably only a matter of time before an USCIS-issued
secure ID card, containing biometric identifiers, will be
required of all students and exchange visitors. This ID card
will likely facilitate visa issuance and/or reissuance, U.S.
entry and/or reentry, and USCIS benefit processing.
Adjudications at USCIS Service Centers. It
is likely that many applications for USCIS benefits will be
sent to the Service Centers via SEVIS and that the adjudication
of those applications will be communicated back to the foreign
national and school via SEVIS. |
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Copyright © 2002 Newfront Software, Inc. |
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