Frequently Asked Questions

If you have questions pertaining to your immigration status, email global@utep.edu. This allows us to review your entire immigration record and provide comprehensive answers. When coming into the office, keep in mind our front desk is limited to document pick-up or basic questions. If you wish to speak with an international advisor, please join virtual advising.

OIP advisors will be available weekly to meet virtually with students. Click on the correct day during the designated timeframe to access the session through Blackboard:

• Tuesdays from 9:00am - 4:00pm Mountain Time
• Thursdays from 9:00am - 4:00pm Mountain Time

OIP advising is hosted over Zoom. Be sure your electronic device is equipped with zoom to join the advising session. Visit the following link to download zoom: https://zoom.us/download. Make sure you have a good internet connection. If you get disconnected, you might get put into a lower place in line. 

During these sessions, students can speak with an international student advisor on a first-come, first-served basis. We ask for questions to be limited to 10-15 minutes to accommodate all students. There may be times when you need to wait in line to receive advice. If you join during the advising hours above, you will be in the waiting room until it is your turn. We will meet with students in the order they joined the waiting room. Once the advisor is ready, you will be admitted to the session. 

As always, students may still email global@utep.edu for assistance.  We find that most questions are best answered through email as it allows us to review your entire record.

1. Continuing students are students who are maintaining F-1 status with an Active SEVIS record, and continuing in their same degree program at UTEP.
2. Transfer students are students who are new to UTEP because they just finished a degree at another U.S. school, or are leaving another U.S. school to continue their degree at UTEP. For immigration purposes, "transfer" refers to those with an Active SEVIS record only.
3. Change of Level students are UTEP students who completed a degree at one academic level, and are starting a new degree at a different level, or starting a second degree at the same level.

Students who would otherwise fit into any of the three categories above, but, who have allowed their F-1 status to expire are considered New/Initial students. Please see that section below for more information.  

Per F-1 regulations, you must apply for a Reduced Course Load (RCL) before the start of each semester that you enroll in a thesis/dissertation course. To learn more, visit the "Reduced Course Load (RCL)" tab in Maintaining F-1 Status.

The guidance for Part-Time and Full-Time Border Commuters is the same as for other students.

Students should always contact OIP for advising if they wish to drop a course BEFORE doing so. If they are informed they will be dropped and it will cause them to fall below full-time enrollment, communicate with OIP immedidately. The OIP advisor will review the student's options on a case-by-case basis.

OIP cannot prevent a professor from dropping a student from a class for any reason. Students should be in close contact with their professors and advisors to ensure they are keeping up with required coursework.

New/Initial students are typically students who are abroad who are not yet in F-1 status, and have recently been admitted to a program at UTEP.

Students who have previously held F-1 status at UTEP or another U.S. school, but allowed their status to expire, are also considered New/Initial. This includes students who took a leave of absence, or students who continue to enroll with an expired SEVIS record and are in violation of their immigration status.

What steps you will take depend on your degree level:

Graduate students must contact their academic department and the Graduate School

Undergraduate students must contact the Office of Admissions & Recruitment 

Both undergraduate and graduate students MUST contact the OIP to inform us of their plans.

If you will not attend UTEP, please email global@utep.edu. 

You can find thorough information on this topic at our Who Can Study? page. 

If you have been contacted by OIP, but you do not need an F-1 visa to study, please email global@utep.edu to inform us.

Effective Saturday, January 22, 2022, new requirements went into effect for non-U.S. travelers seeking entry to the United States through land borders and ferry terminals. All non-U.S. travelers are be REQUIRED to be fully vaccinated for COVID-19 and be prepared with the following: 

• Proof of COVID-19 vaccination, as outlined on the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) website 
• Verbal attestation to their reason for travel and COVID-19 vaccination status during a border inspection 

For further information on travel restrictions, you may visit the DHS FAQ Webpage.   

Students in valid F-1 status should be admitted into the U.S. if they are FULLY VACCINATED and:  

• They are coming to UTEP to attend an in-person class;  
• They are coming to UTEP to access the internet or programs in a UTEP computer lab to complete coursework. This includes students who do not have sufficient internet access, or who need specific materials, programs, or software at UTEP to complete course requirements;  
• They are an on-campus student employee coming to work;  
• They have been approved for Curricular Practical Training (CPT) and are coming for work; or  
• They are approved for Optional Practical Training (OPT) and are coming for work.  

If you are NOT vaccinated and are looking to enter the United States, you WILL NOT be allowed entry. 

Each admission into the U.S. is at the discretion of the CBP officer. 

The Department of State (DOS) has stated they will not consider intervention or other documents from international offices in order to expedite or grant emergency visa appointments. It is DOS policy that students can request an emergency appointment if they are nearing their program start date on their I-20. Therefore, students do not need any documentation from OIP to do this. Be sure to review specific requirments for your nearest consulate/embassy.

Keep in mind that many consulates remain closed, or have limited appointment availability. There is a significant backlog of applications in line, and unfortunately, some students may not be able to obtain a visa in time to arrive for their desired semester.

Please bring the documents listed in the specific consulate/embassy page. We also recommend bringing a copy of your Fall 2022 detailed course schedule if you have already enrolled.

All students should have the following on them and readily available (not in checked baggage):

• Valid, unexpired passport
• Unexpired F-1 visa (unless eligible for Automatic Visa Revalidation)
• Most recent I-20 with valid travel endorsement
• Students on OPT: EAD or receipt notice, and job offer/verification letter
• Review current COVID-19 Travel Restrictions prior to your travel for further document requirements

It is a requirement of your F-1 status to have a valid passport at all times while in the U.S.

Students who are currently in the U.S. should contact their home country's consulate immediately for renewal procedures. Some consulates might be able to issue emergency appointments. If the consulate is not processing passport renewals, students should keep detailed records of their attempts to contact the consulate and renew their passport.

Students who are currently outside the U.S. will need to renew their passport before they will be permitted to enter, and should contact their home country's consulate immediately for renewal procedures. Some consulates are able to issue emergency appointments at this time. You will likely be unable to enter the U.S. until you receive a new passport. Entry with an expired passport is generally not permitted, but will be at the discretion of the CBP officer at the port of entry. 

Travel signatures (found on page 2 of the I-20) are only required when you will enter the U.S. from abroad. If you remain in the U.S. and have no travel plans, a travel signature is not required, but it is recommended in case you have any last-minute, unexpected travel.

The Travel Endorsements section on your I-20 states that each signature is valid for a period of one year. However, some CBP agents may require the student's travel signature be no more than 6 months old at the time of entry. Therefore, we recommend that students obtain a new travel signature after 6 months, given the current situation.

New/Initial, Transfer, and Change of Level students do not need a travel signature when entering with their new I-20 for the first time.

Please see the "Other" section below for more information.

CBP has discretion on whether or not to admit students returning to the U.S. after the beginning of the semester, even if they are in compliance with enrollment requirements with an Active SEVIS record. This includes students entering through airports and by land.

Students who have a fully online schedule that are planning to cross at a Mexico or Canada land border should be cautious, and be prepared for questioning and potential denials at the border if not crossing for on-campus classes or employment directly related to their F-1 student status.

Although the current guidance does not prohibit students from entering after the start of the semester, CBP is a separate government agency and may follow different internal guidelines that we do not know about. We will be unable to predict how CBP will handle these situations until they happen.

Be sure to review the current COVID-19 Travel Restrictions prior to your travel.

Travel restrictions remain in effect for many countries worldwide. You can see a current list of restrictions in the CDC Website. Contact your local consulate/embassy for further details and recommendations.

F-1 students are permitted a 60 day grace period after completing an academic program to remain in the United States. If you are unable to find commercially available flights, you MUST reach out to your home country's consulate for guidance and recommendations.

If you are still unable to leave the U.S., and it has been 30 days since graduation, please reach out to global@utep.edu for individual guidance. Some examples of recommendations include:

• Apply for Optional Practical Training (OPT) by the end of your grace period;
  
  
• Begin a new academic program that begins within 5 months of your graduation, and receive your new I-20 from OIP or transfer your SEVIS record to another school before the end of your grace period;
  
  
• Apply for a Change of Status to B-1/B-2 visitor immigration status (consultation with an immigration attorney is required before applying). 
  
  
  

We recommend addressing any questions about quarantines to Environmental Health & Safety (EH&S) at COVIDaction@utep.edu. Be sure to include your country of origin, date of entry, and contact information. 

There are current COVID-19 Restrictions in place that require documentation to travel to the United States.

Information can be found at the links below:

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/noncitizens-US-air-travel.html#anchor_1634928201933 

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/testing-international-air-travelers.html 

It is unknown how long this requirement will be in place. If you have questions, we recommend contacting your airline directly for the most up-to-date information. Keep in mind your airline may have specific restrictions as well. Be sure you are aware of those restrictions prior to travel.

We recommend visiting the following sites for up-to-date information:

COVID-19 Testing: https://www.utep.edu/chs/covid-testing/

COVID-19 Vaccination: https://www.utep.edu/resuming-campus-operations/vaccine/index.html

The I-765 form instructions state that an individual must be within the U.S. in order to apply for work authorization, including OPT. At this time, USCIS has not issued any updated guidance, but SEVP has indicated that they have raised this issue. We will update this page if we receive any new guidance.

While there have been no changes to the 90/150 unemployment limits for OPT/STEM OPT, SEVP has stated that, for the duration of the COVID-19 emergency, students who are working in their OPT opportunities fewer than 20 hours per week are considered as engaged in OPT.

If you are not maintaining status, you must obtain employment or a volunteer position before you reach your unemployment limit. You may temporarily work/volunteer less than 20 hours per week to maintain status.

Remember to report ALL changes within 10 calendar days through the “OPT Notification of Changes” e-form in Sunapsis. 

At this time, Social Security Administration (SSA) offices are not open for walk-ins. If you have received a job offer and are eligible to apply for an SSN, you should contact your local SSA office by phone to determine current application procedures and schedule an in-person appointment. Accommodations will be at the discretion of the SSA office. 

Students arriving from abroad who already have an on-campus position should plan to arrive in the U.S. as early as possible to check in and start the SSN process. Students arriving for Fall 2022 and have a program start date of 08/22/2022 may enter as early as July 23. Delays in arrival may result in inability to start your position on time. 

IMPORTANT: The SSA may require you to quarantine in the U.S. for a certain period of time (usually 14 days) before allowing you to come to their office for your appointment. This includes Border Commuter students and students who are temporarily living outside the U.S. due to COVID-19. Check with the SSA for specific guidance, and plan ahead so that you can make arrangements if needed. 

If you are outside the U.S. and you are a new student, you will not be able to apply for an SSN from abroad. 

• With the exception of Border Commuters, F-1 international students are eligible to work on campus up to 40 hours per week during the summer, and up to 19 hours per week while school is in session.
  • You can find more information at our Employment & SSN page.
  • You can find on campus jobs through Job Mine at the UTEP Career Center.
    
    
• You can find emergency aid options, including the Food Pantry, emergency loans, etc., at the Dean of Students Emergency Aid website. For specific needs, you can reach out to the Dean of Students Office directly at dos@utep.edu. 
  
  
• To set up a tuition payment plan, please visit Student Business Services' Paying for Tuition page.
  
  
• To find information about scholarships, please visit the Office of Scholarships page.
  
  
• The El Paso International Student Fellowship is exploring options to help students with various issues (not including tuition payment). You can reach out to one of the organizers, Linda Nodjimbadem, at lindan@utep.edu.
  
  

If you are able to visit the OIP office in person:

• Submit the 'Travel Signature Request' in Sunapsis if you only need an updated travel signature on page 2 of your I-20. Do not come to the office until you are notified by email that your request has been approved. 
  • Once approved, you may drop off your I-20 before 10:00 a.m. on any business day during the week and pick it up the same day after 2:00 p.m. MST
• Submit the 'I-20 Replacement Request' in Sunapsis if your current I-20 is damaged, lost, or you need a new one for another reason. A new travel signature will also be provided. Do not come to the office until you are notified by email that your request has been approved.
  
  

If you are NOT able to visit the OIP office in person, and will arrange shipping, you should only submit the I-20 Replacement Request in Sunapsis, whether you need a new travel signature or a new I-20. You will receive an email once your new I-20 has been created and is ready for shipping. You will receive instructions with your approval email on how to arrange shipping.

You may pick up your I-20 during normal business hours after you have received an approval email (see first question on this page for current business hours).

Option 1: To arrange shipping abroad or within the U.S., please complete the “Document Shipping Request (eShipGlobal)” through Sunapsis. DO NOT submit the e-form until you are prepared to pay for the shipment.

Option 2: If you are currently in the U.S., you may alternatively email a prepaid USPS Priority Mail Flat Rate Envelope shipping label in PDF format to global@utep.edu. DO NOT MAIL ANYTHING TO THE OIP OFFICE. Please see instructions below:

1. At www.usps.com, click on “Mail & Ship” at the top, and then “Click-N-Ship.” You’ll need to make an account if you don’t already have one, and then go to the option to make a label. For “Where are you sending from?” use: 
   UTEP Office of Intel Programs
   500 W University Ave
   Union East 203
   El Paso, TX 79968
2. Then “Where are you sending to?” will be your address. You can enter a shipping date of the date you are making the request, and then select the option of “I am Shipping Flat Rate.” Then you’ll proceed to select Priority Mail, and Flat Rate Envelope.
3. Once you pay for that label, it will provide you with a PDF of the label, which you will need to email to global@utep.edu.