Summer Checklist 101
Reminders for International Students Ahead of Summer
By Javiera Sarmiento, Staff Writer
To avoid stress and trouble keeping an F-1 visa status, here are the items international students should check off their list before going home in May.
At the end of the academic year, the desire to return home is strong, and the tendency to leave everything for the last minute can become a problem.
Aside from figuring out where to live next year and finding a way to fit half your belongings in storage for months, there are extra academic, legal and even internal factors international students must resolve before leaving the U.S.
To help students create a list of critical reminders and dodge last-minute panic before returning home, iPulse spoke with a member of Lynn’s International Student Services team and international upperclassmen who are familiar with the drill.
“Students should check to see the expiration date of their student visas,” said Morayma James, the former assistant director for International Programs and Services. “In case they need to renew their visa for the upcoming academic year, there is a process that has to be followed, and that has to be done in advance as it requires several documents.”
Applying for an F-1 Visa renewal is a process that can be done online or in person, depending on each country’s consulate. To apply for a visa renewal, students must complete the visa renewal application — also known as Form DS-160 — and schedule a visa interview appointment at the U.S. consulate or preferably in their home country consulate to avoid delays.
Additionally, if a student as a visa that is not currently expired but will be by the time they re-enter the country in August, it is better to begin the process before summer, as some of the required documents to complete the process have to be provided by the university.
Verification of enrollment from the Registrar’s Office and a Valid I-20 signature are two documents students must request from Lynn before they depart, again considering how it would be more challenging to get them in time if asked for at the last minute.
“As we reach the last block of the year, the last thing we want to think about is having any more classes, and that’s when we forget to do our schedule for next year,” said Maria Sotomayor, a junior.
Scheduling an appointment to organize the next academic year’s classes is the student’s responsibility. Choosing not to go over fall and spring class options with academic advisors or even registering for them online is a mistake that can hurt any student, but even more for international students whose permission to stay in the country legally can become compromised as a result.
When reentering the U.S. in August, customs officials might ask for further proof to reassure the student is a current student. That is when copies of transcripts and class schedules come in handy.
Learning to manage time wisely and efficiently is the key to making it back home stress-free. Remember that Lynn’s International Programs and Services recommends international students request a new I-20 travel signature if their final signature is more than six months old.
