Oct 24th OISS Newsletter

Interested in carrying your flag if you are graduating in December?

Are you graduating this coming December? Would you like to carry your country's flag in the commencement ceremony? International students graduating in December will be able to carry their country's flag in the commencement procession. If you would like to represent your country, please email oiss@stthomas.edu no later than Friday, November 24th 2006. Only one person per country and ceremony will be allowed to carry their country's flag.

According to the St. Thomas Flag Policy approved by the President's office, only flags of countries that are Member States of the United Nations can be carried. For a list of Member States of the United Nations click here.

The first person to sign up from a country will be that country's flag bearer. So, contact oiss@stthomas.edu immediately if you want to represent you country.

If you have questions, contact OISS via email at oiss@stthomas.edu or call (651 962-6650) or stop by the office in 161 Murray Herrick.

Travel Signatures for your I-20

Expect to do some traveling outside the USA soon?

We know many of you are planning to travel outside the USA during the holidays, so in order to ensure that you do not have any trouble re-entering the US, we are recommending that you follow the steps below:

Have your I-20 signed by an immigration advisor. Although you may have a signature that states it is valid up to one year, if it is older than four months, we suggest you have your I-20 signed again.
Complete the verification form online so that we can draft a letter confirming that you are a current student studying at St. Thomas. This letter will be on our official letterhead and will be stamped with our office seal. We find it helps confirm your attendance and good standing.
Enroll for the next semester. This will give immigration officials verification that you are continuing your studies and are in good standing.
Request a transcript from the registrar's office. Although, we draft a letter supporting your attendance, we feel some immigration officials may request to see formal university documentation that you are taking classes and that you are enrolled for the following semester.
Bring with you current financial statements or scholarship letters matching the funding listed on your I-20. This is not always checked, but we heard of some instances where immigration officials have requested these documents, so it is good to have them with you.
If you have been indicated that you are a student who must adhere to Special Registration requirements, you should volunteer yourself at the airport for your exit interview. You must make sure you have your exit interview with immigration officials at the final airport you will be using to depart the USA. Check with the information you were given when you had your special registration interview to make sure that your departing airport is on the approved list.
If you are a student who recently applied for OPT and have yet to receive your OPT (EAD) card, you should contact our office for more information.
Keep all your documents in a safe place. Never put them in your checked luggage. Make sure you know the OISS contact information to help if you have questions or emergencies during your trip. Feel free to pick up a business card for any OISS staff member.
Enjoy your trip!