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We accidentally omitted the following countries from the enrollment report in our ISSSO News newsletter that was recently mailed to all of our students and scholars.

The omission occurred while transferring the newsletter between two computers on a removable USB Drive. Instead of transferring the corrected version that had all the countries represented at UH, we copied the draft version that was missing the countries listed below (they were one complete table of a data base). The wrong version was then sent to the printer. A corrected version in full color is available on our website. Please note that Pakistan is number four in enrollment (Top Ten List of Countries; the newsletter only lists nine countries)! We apologize for this accidental omission.

• Pakistan 126
• Panama 2
• Peru 7
• Philippines 15
• Poland 14
• Portugal 3
• Romania 12
• Russia 29
• Saudi Arabia 16
• Senegal 2
• Singapore 13
• Slovenia 1
• Solomon Islands 1
• South Africa 10
• Spain 9
• Sri Lanka 18
• Suriname 1
• Sweden 1

TPEG and scholarship application forms for the academic year of 2004-2005 are now available at ISSSO's front desk. You can also download the application forms here. The deadline for submitting your completed application is on April 1, 2004.

Press Office U.S. Department of Homeland Security

February 17, 2004

Contact: USCIS, Public Affairs 202-353-8472

Press Release

USCIS ANNOUNCES NEW H-1B PROCEDURES - REACHES CAP

Washington, D.C.-- U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced today that it has received enough H-1B petitions to meet this year's congressionally mandated cap of 65,000 new workers. After today, USCIS will not accept any new H-1B petitions for first-time employment subject to the FY 2004 annual cap.

USCIS has implemented the following procedure for the remainder of FY 2004:

USCIS will process all petitions filed for first-time employment received by the end of business today. USCIS will return all petitions for first-time employment subject to the annual cap received after the end of business today. Returned petitions will be accompanied by the filing fee Petitioners may re-submit their petitions when H-1B visas become available for FY 2005 The earliest date a petitioner may file a petition requesting FY 2005 H-1B employment with an employment start date of October 1, 2004, would be April 1, 2004 Petitions for current H-1B workers do not count towards the congressionally mandated H-1B cap. Accordingly, USCIS will continue to process petitions filed to:

• Extend the amount of time a current H-1B worker may remain in the United States
• Change the terms of employment for current H-1B workers
• Allow current H-1B workers to change employers
• Allow current H-1B workers to work concurrently in a second H-1B position

USCIS also notes that petitions for new H-1B employment are not subject to the annual cap if the alien will be employed at an institution of higher education or a related or affiliated nonprofit entity, or at a nonprofit research organization or a governmental research organization. USCIS will also continue to process H-1B petitions for workers from Singapore and Chile consistent with Public Laws 108-77 and 108-78.

On March 1, 2003, U.S Citizenship and Immigration Services became one of three legacy INS components to join the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. USCIS is charged with fundamentally transforming and improving the delivery of immigration and citizenship services, while enhancing our nation's security.

The large, foreign national student community at UH has benefited from VITA's assistance in preparing their U.S. tax returns (Forms 1040 NR or 1040 NR EZ) in accordance with complex tax laws. The University of Houston was approved as a VITA site in 1998 for UH foreign nationals. The VITA program is offered by the Houston Chapter of CPAs in cooperation with the Internal Revenue Service. The VITA program consists of volunteers from the Houston Chapter of CPAs and the local community who review and /or prepare tax returns for those individuals who need help in the local community. Most campus volunteers will be provided by the College of Business. The site manager will train these volunteers in preparing nonresident alien tax returns. International Student Services will provide the publicity for this campus event.

Location - University Center (UC) in the Mediterranean Room (Rm 91) underground

Help-dates - February 7, 14, and 28; March 13, 20, and 27; and April 3 and 10 (Saturdays only)

Times - 10AM to 2PM

This program will not only provide an invaluable service to the foreign national community at the University of Houston, but also an enriching and educational experience for those students volunteering to help in preparing tax returns for UH foreign nationals.

(Note - The VITA program has partnered with the Mayor's Citizens' Assistance Office, some financial institutions, and a few local businesses to "receive the baton" that was passed from the IRS. The newly formed organization has taken on the name, Houston Asset Building Coalition (HABC). This coalition will now be responsible for all phases of the VITA program.)

"Special Registration" is a procedure involving interviews, fingerprints and photographs that takes place at U.S. ports of entry for certain individuals (mostly male) from certain countries. In addition, from November 2002 to May 2003, a series of separate "call-in" registrations took place where fingerprints, photograph, and an in-person interview at a district office of the (former) INS was required.

On Tuesday, December 2, 2003, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security announced the suspension of certain provisions of the Special Registration process. The suspension took effect immediately, and will remain indefinitely until such time as the Department of Homeland Security publishes a new announcement.

Some articles in the national news media (and on some web sites) are portraying the announcement as an outright termination of the entire Special Registration program. Not true!

Here are the changes and what remains in effect. First, the changes:

• The requirement that individuals specially registered at a US Port of Entry appear at a Department of Homeland Security office within 30-40 days after their admission to the United States is suspended.
• The requirement that individuals subject to special registration appear at a Department of Homeland Security office for an annual re-registration interview is suspended.
• Anyone subject to special registration who is in F, J, or M non-immigrant status monitored under SEVIS (Student and Exchange Visitor Information System) and who changes his mailing address will have met the change of address requirement for special registration by reporting the change of address to the Registration and Academic Records Office AND ISSSO. Completion of federal form AR-11 SR is no longer required for this population. (More about this below.)

Here are the provisions that remain in effect:

• Special registration at U.S. Ports of Entry, including fingerprinting and photographs will continue
• The requirement that all special registrants go through a departure procedure at the appropriate airport, seaport or land port before leaving the United States will continue
• The Department of Homeland Security retains the right to announce future "call-in" registrations
• Individuals who, prior to December 2, 2003, failed to appear for a 30-day re-registration interview, or an annual re-registration interview, remain subject to penalties as allowed under law

What it all means

The good news is that students, scholars, and spouses no longer have to worry about trips to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration (USCIS) offices for 30 day re-registration interviews or annual re-registration interviews. This announcement comes just as individuals were beginning to reach their one year anniversary date for previous special registrations. Also, F, J and M students and scholars can now fulfill the required special registration ten-day change of address report by submitting the change of address to the UH Registration and Academic Records office in the E. Cullen building or online following the instructions at http://issso.uh.edu/Announce.html#addresschange. You should additionally report the change directly to ISSSO so we can confirm that the main administrative system has the correct data.

However, the Department of Homeland Security can, as a matter of discretion, notify specific individuals subject to special registration to appear for one or more additional continuing registration interviews in those particular cases where it may be necessary to determine if the individual is complying with the conditions of his non-immigrant visa status. The Department of Homeland Security can also continue to announce additional "call-in" registrations in the future, should it wish to do so.

Special registration at U.S. ports of entry will continue, along with the requirement that all individuals subject to special registration must go through an exit procedure before departing the United States.

To read a Department of Homeland Security fact sheet on the changes, visit: http://www.dhs.gov/dhspublic/display?content=2468

To read the official interim rule as published in the Federal Register, visit: http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/14mar20010800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2003/03-30120.htm

1. Urgent: Policy For Reduced Course Load For F-1 Graduate And Professional Students
2. Urgent: Graduate Student Employment Overload Policy & Procedures

We need your current international (home country) address and current U.S. street address on file in the UH computer system. To confirm that we have access to accurate information on file or to add or change information, log on to the following web address: https://www.stu.uh.edu/iXpress/Newmenu_sys/srv/intro.dml. Click on “Records” at the top and select “Address Change.” Then update your U.S. address and update or add your International Address (i.e., your home country address) by clicking on the “Edit” button. Please note that legally you CANNOT have a P.O. Box for your U.S. address. If you have a P.O. Box for your U.S. address, you must change it to a street address.

You need to do this even if you have reported your change of address to the government using form AR-11 and even if you have informed our office and/or completed a SEVIS Data Sheet online.

BOTH YOUR INTERNATIONAL ADDRESS AND U.S. STREET ADDRESS ARE REQUIRED FOR MAINTAINING YOUR F-1 OR J-1 STATUS, ISSUING SEVIS DOCUMENTS, AND KEEPING YOUR RECORDS CURRENT IN SEVIS.

DO THIS TODAY!

International students and scholars should be aware that the university may close during severe weather conditions (e.g., hurricane, etc.) or other emergencies. How can you know if UH is closing? Houston media will be alerted to the weather closing(s)/updates, and they will broadcast updates throughout the weather situation. Local network television stations such as channels 2, 8, 11, 13, 24, 26, 39, 45, and 47 will be notified. The local radio stations that we work with are KUHF (FM 88.7), KTRH (AM 740), KPRC (AM 950) as well as KHMX (FM 96.5), KQQK (FM 106.5), KLOL (FM 101.1,), KILT (FM 100.3), KHJZ (FM 95.7), KRBE (FM 104.5) and KTBZ (FM 107.5). Any of these station may be monitored for ongoing communication from UH or the UH System regarding any weather closing or other emergency situations. At UH, email is sent to all faculty, staff, and students, and a voice mail message is sent to all voice mailboxes. Employees can access their voice mail from their home phones if necessary. The same message is put on the UH switchboard, 713-743- 1000 and the UH OnCALL line, 71 3-743-2255.

Changes in the Law that May Affect Your Study in the U.S.

Any alien in the U.S. is required to report his or her address to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) within ten (10) days of the change of address. You report your address on the Form AR-11. If you have had to report for special registration, you must use Form AR-11SR. You may locate the Form AR-11 and AR-11SR at the web site at: http://www.immigration.gov/graphics/formsfee/forms/index.htm

You can fill in the Adobe fillable form online; however you must print it, and mail it to the DHS address indicated on the form. You must also sign the form.

Please also notify the International Student and Scholar Services Office of your change of address. Mail to: International Student and Scholar Office, University of Houston, Houston, TX 77204-3024, or fax: 713-743-5079.

Under new F-1 regulations the F-2 dependent cannot engage in full-time post secondary education (beyond high school) unless the F-2 was previously enrolled full-time prior to January 1, 2003 and applies for a change of status to F-1 before March 11, 2003. If an F-2 was not full-time previously, he or she cannot be enrolled full-time this semester. If you are F-2 and are currently enrolled for a full course of study you either need to drop to part-time hours or if you were previously full-time apply to change your status to F-1 no later than March 11, 2003.

If you have any questions, please call 713-743-5065 and make an appointment to see an International Student Counselor.

For additional information, or if you have any questions, please call us at 713-743-5065.