Yes. If you must remain in the US beyond the date indicated (in section 5) on your I-20, the form may be extended but it must be extended BEFORE the I-20 expires. You must request a Program Extension Form by emailing iss@sunypoly.edu. This form must be signed by your academic advisor indicating your new program end date and submitted to ISS. Requests for extensions should be submitted 30 - 90 days prior to the expiration date of the Form I-20 so the extension process can be completed prior to the expiration date on the document.

If you plan to travel internationally while on OPT the travel signature on page two of your I-20 is valid for six months. Contact ISS at iss@sunypoly.edu if you are on OPT and need to request a travel signature.

If you would like family or friends to visit you in the United States they will need to apply for B-1/B-2 Visitor Visas. Please contact iss@sunypoly.edu for information on visitor visas and a sample invitation letter you may write and send to them. This letter, explaining the reason for their visit, may be brought to their visa interview, the Port of Entry, or elsewhere as needed.

To find out if you need a visitor’s visa to enter Canada please check to see if your country is on the list available on the Canadian Government website at http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/visit/visas.asp

Applicants for Canadian visas must submit applications by mail to a Canadian consulate. For complete instructions please visit the Government of Canada website.

I have an F-2 visa and want to change it to a F-1 visa.

To change status from F-2 dependent to F-1 student, an application, fee, and supporting documents must be sent to USCIS. The PDSO will review completed application materials, make photocopies of them and mail packet for applicants.

Applicants for a change of status from F-2 to F-1 may not attend SUNY Poly until their change of status is approved by USCIS. For complete details on how to apply for a change of status, please contact iss@sunypoly.edu.

No. You can only obtain a new visa when you are outside the U.S. at a U.S. consulate or embassy. Keep in mind that you do not need a valid visa once you are inside the U.S. As long as you are maintaining your status and have a valid I-20 or DS-2019 and I-94 card.

In some cases, you can. Contact the individual U.S. embassy or consulate in Canada or Mexico. However, you cannot return to the United States until your visa is issued. If the visa is denied, you will not be able to return to the United States as a student. For more information about visa applications visit the Department of State website at https://travel.state.gov. You can also visit www.nvars.com, the site that provides appointments for consulates in Canada and Mexico.

You may start working when you have the I-20 with curricular practical training authorization on it and after the CPT start date noted on the I-20.

Check with your academic department about registering for another semester of internship. If your request is approved, please repeat the steps described under "I just got a internship job. What should I do?"

You may do as many internships as your academic department requires or allows. Keep in mind, however, that if you complete more than 365 days of curricular practical training you will not be eligible for Optional Practical Training when you graduate.

Please visit the OPT section of our immigration page.

It can take up to 90 days for OPT (and sometimes longer) to be granted. While it may take less time depending on the time of year a student applies, we recommend that SUNY Poly students plan to wait at least two months to receive Optional Practical Training authorization.

As a student on initial or STEM OPT, you are required by US immigration regulations to report the following events SUNY Poly within ten days:

• A change in your residential or mailing address
• A change in your employer or loss of employment
• Legal name change

To report this information please email iss@sunypoly.edu for appropriate forms.

You may be unemployed for a total of 90 days during your 12 months of OPT. Each day (including weekends) during the period of your OPT authorization that you are not employed counts as a day of unemployment. Students who are reaching the limit of their unemployment time should prepare to take action to maintain their status in the U.S. (secure admission to another college or university in the U.S. for further study, apply for a change of status) or prepare to leave the U.S.

If you earned a bachelor's, master's or Ph.D. degree at SUNY Poly in Science, Technology, Engineering or Math (known as a “STEM field”) and your employer is enrolled in the E-Verify program, you are eligible to apply for a 24-month OPT STEM Extension. The STEM Designated Degree Program List can be found on the SEVP website https://www.ice.gov/sites/default/files/documents/stem-list.pdf

You may file for the 24-month STEM extension up to 90 days prior to the end of your post-completion OPT. Here is the link to our STEM Extension procedures and the STEM OPT Application form to be submitted to the International Student Services Office.

You may apply for a replacement card by following all of the same steps required for a first time application. On the application form, however, you will need to answer questions about your previously issued card. The replacement card that will be mailed to you will have the same number as your previous card.

If you are not eligible for a social security number, you'll need to get a note from the Social Security Administration to take to the Department of Motor Vehicles with you when you apply for your license. A complete list of requirements for a New York State Driver’s License is available at the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles at https://dmv.ny.gov/driver-license/driver-licenses

Spouses on F-2 visas may not take part in full-time study. F-2 spouses may take part in study that is “a vocational or recreational in nature,” meaning to pursue a hobby or if the study is occasional, casual, or recreational. This means they may not take part in classes that lead to a degree. Spouses on J-2 visas may study in the United States.

If you need to go home immediately it is recommended that you inform your academic department and the ISS office. In some emergency situations, however, there is not time for a student to contact these offices. If this is the case, please email iss@sunypoly.edu as soon as possible.

After being admitted to another university please make an appointment to meet with an ISS advisor. If you have been given a Transfer Form from the new university it is important for you to bring it with you. If you have not been given a Transfer Form contact the university to ask if they have one. The ISS advisor who meets with you will discuss the “release date” that will be entered into the SEVIS database. After that date the new university will be able to make an I-20 for you.

All full and part time SUNY Poly international students are automatically enrolled in the State University of New York System International Health Insurance policy unless otherwise exempted by SUNY Poly. Information about health insurance for international students or visit the Wellness Center website.