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Coronavirus (COVID-19) Community Updates
For updated information related to NJIT’s response to the Coronavirus health crisis, please see complete announcement of new measures.
COVID-19: Updates for International Students
Information on this page will assist international students in understanding the new processes put in place by the OGI and answer some of their other questions buring the current COVID-19 crisis.
Last updated May 20, 2020
COVID-19: Updates for International Students
Travel
The government has recently provided some guidance on how SEVIS records should be updated: SEVIS records will not be terminated while classes are offered online. The university has decided to continue with online instruction for the remainder of the spring semester so students can return home without the concern of being called to report for face-to-face classes. As students and families make this difficult decision, we would like to remind students who decide to go home of the following:
- Are you able to access the technology used at NJIT for online coursework in your home country (e.g., Canvas, Gmail, Webex, etc.)? Will you require a VPN to access it?
- Have you considered the difference in time zones between NJ and your home country?
- For example, if your professor chooses to use Webex they may want to keep the same class time and date but will hold the class virtually, and you will still need to participate fully as if you were physically in the classroom. Also, keep in mind the time zone impacts of this.
- Is your passport valid for a return at any time? Your passport must be valid for 6 months beyond your return date to the U.S.
- Is your visa still valid for a return at any time?
- Be mindful that some US embassies and consulates in some countries are currently CLOSED and that we anticipate significant delays in renewing your visa. Check https://www.usembassy.gov/ before you leave the U.S. to confirm if the embassy/consulate you would be going to is still open.
- Does your I-20 have a recent, valid travel signature (travel signatures are valid for 1 year for current students)? If not, you need to have a new travel signature from our office. Visit our website for further instructions.
- Is this your last semester and you are applying for OPT? Please review the information on our website and contact our office if you still have questions BEFORE you travel.
- Did you know that the CDC and NJIT are strongly recommending suspending/canceling nonessential international and domestic travel?
- Have you discussed the potential risks associated with travel with your family back home?
We do not know how long these travel restrictions will last and what additional countries may be added to the restrictions already in place. If you decide to travel, be prepared, understand the risks, and be advised that you might not be able to return to the U.S. for an unknown period of time, your trip could be disrupted, or you may be quarantined upon your return.
The residence halls and dining hall will remain open. Any student who decides to stay on campus will be able to do so.
The travel ban on Europe, announced on March 11, 2020, stated that:
"The entry into the United States, as immigrants or nonimmigrants, of all aliens who were physically present within the Schengen Area during the 14-day period preceding their entry or attempted entry into the United States is hereby suspended and limited subject to section 2 of this proclamation... This proclamation is effective at 11:59 p.m. eastern daylight time on March 13, 2020." The ban is set to expire in 30 days but “shall remain in effect until terminated by the President.”
This means that students who go to Europe while classes are being offered online may not be allowed to return in time to resume face-to-face courses when these classes are instituted again. Depending on how long the ban is in force, students may lose the entire semester if they are not back in time. At this time, we strongly advise students to refrain from traveling to Europe until this ban is lifted.
In cases like this you have a few options: (a) you may apply for post completion OPT up to 60 days after the last day of final exams. For details about applying for Post Completion OPT, click HERE (b) you can start a new degree program to maintain your F-1 status (note that you will have to apply and be accepted to another program); (c) contact your embassy/consulate and see if they are chartering planes to return citizens to your country; or (d) contact an immigration attorney and apply for a change of status.
Immigration Status
No, your immigration status is not being impacted during this time. The government has created an exception to its own rule and allowed F-1 and J-1 students, for now, to take only online classes. In order to maintain your status, you must continue to adhere to the requirements set for your courses by your professors. When face-to-face classes are offered again you are expected to report in person to the campus.
As of today, there is no extension for your grace period or unemployment days. Plan accordingly and speak with your international student advisor if you have any specific questions.
Academics
Yes, students can withdraw from courses if the withdrawal will not impact their immigration status. During the COVID-19 outbreak, whether the student is abroad or in the US, undergraduate students must still be registered for 12 credits and graduate students for 9 credits in order to maintain their immigration status. Check your registration carefully before you request to withdraw from a course to ensure you are following these requirements. Failure to maintain full-time enrollment will result in SEVIS record termination.
The OGI does not review academic requirements for enrollment/withdrawal. It is the student’s responsibility to verify with their academic adviser/department if withdrawal from a course will be detrimental to their academic standing or cause delay in their progression toward graduation. Please remember that the OGI does not provide academic advising.
In order to withdraw from a course, students must verify with their academic department that withdrawing from the course(s) will not be detrimental to their academic standing or cause a delay in their progression toward graduation. If the academic advisor approves the withdrawal request, students must use the online Withdrawal Request Form to express their intention to withdraw from the course(s). Upon receipt of the form, an OGI advisor will review the request and contact the student as needed.
Considering the volume of applications and documentation processed by the OGI advisors, students must submit their withdrawal requests at least 7 days before the university’s official deadline to withdraw courses, which is April 24, 2020 for the Spring 2020 term.
Processing Applications
Yes, the OGI staff will continue to work while classes are offered online. This means we will process all applications received electronically. Since students should no longer come to the campus to drop off their applications, our office will receive the applications and requests electronically and will mail them directly to the student.
Even though classes are online now, academic advisors/department chairs are still working (though perhaps remotely). You must send the form to the advisor and ask him/her to sign it and scan/email it back to you. If your advisor does not have a scanner, ask him to email you to confirm that he/she reviewed your application and they approve it. You must save that email as a PDF and include it with your form when you submit it electronically. You may have to repeat this process with multiple advisors, depending on which form you are submitting.
Applications without the appropriate signatures will not be processed.
A list of all required supporting documentation is on our website. Go to the FORMS page to retrieve the form you need. Then click on the right column to get additional information. You will be redirected to a new page and the list of supporting documentation will be there.
Processing time remains 7 business days. Since we will mail your document to you when it’s ready, please allow extra time beyond the 7 business days for mail delivery. To avoid delay, upload all required documents when submitting a request.
No, the OGI does not recommend returning home if you plan to apply for Post-Completion OPT. Students have to be physically in the U.S. to apply for OPT. You will not be able to return to the U.S. past the program end date on your I-20 if you have not applied for Post-Completion OPT. If you have questions, please contact us for an online appointment. In addition, please review more information on our website.
Because all applications are being received electronically, you do not need to submit the $200 money order now. Once face-to-face courses resume, we will contact you directly to give instructions on how to submit the money order.
In the event that you are having issues submitting the form, please email us at global@njit.edu and explain what the issue is. We will contact you directly for assistance.
Employment
No. All of the employment reporting is online, so continue to follow the instructions on the OGI website for employment reporting. There is nothing extra that you will have to do beyond what we have posted on our website.
As of now, USCIS has not changed the regulations regarding the number of unemployment days permitted while on post-completion OPT and the STEM extension. If you are on post-completion OPT, the regulations allow you to start your own business or volunteer - either option must be in your field of study and can be reported instead of paid employment (you must be able to document that you are working at least 20 hours/week). Refer to our website for important information about the difference between volunteering and unpaid employment. If you are on the STEM extension, USCIS regulations still require you to have paid employment and they do not allow you to start your own business.
As a reminder, even during this outbreak students are still responsible for reporting employment within the required deadlines. For information about how to report your employment, visit our website.
Yes, you can work remotely if you are on OPT or STEM extension, either within the U.S. or if your employer has an office outside of the U.S., as long as your employer can assess your engagement using electronic means. Students participating in STEM OPT do not need to submit an updated Form I-983 just to report remote work but must continue to submit their semi-annual updates or any other material change to their employment.
In cases like this you have a few options: (a) you can start a new degree program to maintain your F-1 status (note that you will have to apply and be accepted to another program); (b) contact your embassy/consulate and see if they are chartering planes to return citizens to your country; or (c) contact an immigration attorney and apply for a change of status.
Yes, you are okay to continue to complete your CPT from the office or home, if that measure was instituted by your employer. Please work directly with your employer if you have questions or concerns in regards to your health and safety. You must still abide by the policies outlined by your approved CPT. Moving classes to online does not permit you to now work full-time on an approved part-time CPT authorization. Please review our website for additional information or contact your immigration advisor.
No. Be aware of scams saying that USCIS has changed their policy and now allows students to work off campus without authorization. That is not the case. Students MUST secure proper authorization (CPT, OPT, etc.) BEFORE they engage in off-campus employment.
No. Economic hardship employment is available for F-1 students who had an unexpected change in their financial condition that was due to some very specific reasons. The loss of a job that is not listed on your I-20 (such as work in an office, bookstore, dining hall, etc.) is not a valid reason to qualify for economic hardship. Please review more information on our website. If you meet the criteria for economic hardship, contact your international student advisor and she will schedule a virtual appointment with you.
Furlough means that you were given a mandatory time off from work with no pay but with the assurance from the employer that your job will resume at some point in the future. According to SEVP, if your employer considers you to remain employed you do not need to report unemployment in your SEVIS Portal as your immigration record will not be impacted.
Yes. If your SEVIS record remained active while you were abroad, you will be eligible for practical training (CPT or OPT), assuming you meet all other requirements.
As of today, USCIS has not changed its policy. You must be in the U.S. when submitting your application.
Taxes
If students in 2018 or 2019 filed federal tax returns as residents for US tax purposes when they were actually nonresidents for US tax purposes, they may have received checks or direct deposits from the IRS as part of the US government’s stimulus package. Students who received a payment, but are not qualified residents for tax purposes, should return the payment to the IRS.
Website information from the IRS regarding the Economic Impact Payments has been updated as of May 7, including how to return payments received in error. This includes information regarding return of direct deposit payments. The link to the full guidance is here.
If you need to return a payment, keep copies of the check and any correspondence, and send the mail with delivery tracking.
If the payment was a paper check:
- Write "Void" in the endorsement section on the back of the check.
- Mail the voided Treasury check immediately to the appropriate IRS location listed below.
- Don't staple, bend, or paper clip the check.
- Include a note stating the reason for returning the check.
If the payment was a paper check and you have cashed it, or, if the payment was a direct deposit:
- Submit a personal check, money order, etc., immediately to the appropriate IRS location listed below.
- Write on the check/money order made payable to "U.S. Treasury" and write 2020EIP, and the taxpayer identification number (social security number, or individual taxpayer identification number) of the recipient of the check.
- Include a brief explanation of the reason for returning the EIP.
Here are the IRS mailing addresses to use based on the state where you live (refer to the IRS website if the state where you live is not listed below):
New Jersey
Kansas City Refund Inquiry Unit
333 W Pershing Rd
Mail Stop 6800, N-2
Kansas City, MO 64108
New York
Brookhaven Refund Inquiry Unit
5000 Corporate Ct.
Mail Stop 547
Holtsville, NY 11742
Pennsylvania
Philadelphia Refund Inquiry Unit
2970 Market St
DP 3-L08-151
Philadelphia, PA 19104
Contact the OGI
You can still contact your international student advisor via email or phone during this time. We are also introducing online advising through Webex. If you wish to speak with your advisor through video conferencing please email her directly to schedule a date and time.