Frequently Asked Questions

New International Students must complete the Immigration Intake upon arrival to the U.S..  Failure to complete the Intake procedures in accessVIS endangers a student’s status in the United States.

Students must complete the online Immigration Intake and upload the following documents:

• Passport
• U.S. Visa
• I-20 / DS-2019
• I-94 Electronic Document

If you wish to return to Stony Brook University we recommend beginning the readmission process at least 3 months prior to the start of the semester.

• If you have been outside of the United States for less than 5 months you may request to have your SEVIS record reactivated and an updated I-20 with valid travel signature issued. Please note that the reactivation of your F-1 record is at the discretion of SEVP and not guaranteed.
• If you have been outside of the U.S. for more than 5 months you are required to request a new I-20 from Visa and Immigration Services and apply for a new F-1 Visa prior to your return. 

In order to obtain a Form I-20 you must submit the Readmission Following Leave of Absence request in accessVIS. Follow the steps below to do so:

For more information on returning from a leave of absence, please click here.

Please visit our homepage to view our advising hours. You may schedule a virtual appointment with an International Student Advisor by clicking here.

Once you are admitted within the application system, your admission must be updated within the university's main system.

You will then receive an email from our accessVIS system within a few days with instructions on how to request an I-20.

I-20 requests are reviewed once a student is matriculated. Matriculation depends on communication between multiple offices, and takes time.

If you have been matriculated and submitted your I-20 request, please allow 2-3 business days for processing.

 In order to be matriculated as an Undergraduate student, you must pay your tuition deposit.

The matriculation process is a Graduate School process, and therefore outside the scope of our office. If you have not yet been matriculated, we recommend that you reach back out to your academic department to confirm nothing further is needed from your end and that your department has sent all your materials to the graduate school for processing. 

We issue I-20s for undergraduate students for a period of 5 years in case they need extra time to complete their degree. If they don't, their I-20 will be shortened in their last semester. The issuance of an I-20 for a period of 5 years doesn't necessarily mean you will need all 5 years to complete your degree; completion times may vary due to the amount of credits you take each semester, your academic progress, etc.

For students with only a given name and a blank surname on their passport, SEVIS requires us to list their name within the “Surname/Primary Name” field. When submitting your I-20 request, you should match what your Passport says.

See SEVIS name standards for more information.

An AOI means that you have not fully been accepted by the major. As such, your I-20 will show your major as"General Studies."

When you are fully accepted by the major indicated in your AOI, we will be notified and an updated I-20 will be issued.

Acceptable sources of funding can be found on the bottom of our webpage here.

All I-20s are delivered electronically. Upon receipt, you must print and sign your I-20.

Unfortunately financial aid and scholarships are outside the scope of our office. If you have any questions about available financial aid or scholarships, please reach out to our Financial Aid department at finaid@stonybrook.edu.

For any questions about tuition as it relates to residency, please contact residency@stonybrook.edu

Please allow 5-7 business days for processing of all requests submitted in accessVIS.

 If a significant amount of time (over 7 business days) has passed, please email vis@stonybrook.edu with your name, Stony Brook ID# and provide the name of the request and date submitted.

You will be notified via email once your request is approved. If anything is missing, your advisor will contact you by phone or email.

If you are unable to collect your document from Visa & Immigration Services, you may authorize a friend or family member to collect the documents on your behalf. To do so, please complete the Authorize Friend to Collect Documents form in accessVIS.

Note: VIS will not release any personal documents without written authorization.

Students interested in working on-campus who do not already have an employment offer should visit Career Center’s Handshake website to apply for a position. Once you have been offered a position on-campus, your employer will need to issue you an Employment Authorization Letter with specific information pertaining to your position. If the department does not have this on file, they may email vis@stonybrook.edu directly for a template.

Once the letter is complete, you should fill out the SSN Authorization Request on accessVIS. You will receive an email when the process is complete and when you may pick up your letter. After receiving the SSN Authorization Letter from the VIS office, you should go to the Social Security office with the SSN Authorization Letter, I-20, I-94, passport, and offer of employment letter to apply for a Social Security number (SSN). Click here for more information.

See below for a full description on the difference between CPT and OPT.

CPT vs OPT

See below for the full OPT/CPT Workshop schedule.

Post-Completion OPT Workshop schedule

CPT and Pre-Completion OPT Workshop schedule

Visit our Tax Return page for more information on submitting your tax return.

Please note, the VIS office is not equipped to answer tax related questions. Due to the complexity of income tax laws, it is advisable to have questions answered by the IRS or a reliable tax consultant.

Your employer can visit our Resources for U.S. Employers page for information on the hiring of international students from Stony Brook University for internships or post graduate work.

When reentering the U.S. after traveling outside of the country, you must have the following:

• Valid travel signature (travel signatures are only valid for 12 months)
• Valid passport (valid for 6 months into the future)
• Valid F-1 Visa Stamp (if applicable)
• Undergraduates: Enrollment Verification from the Registrar
• Graduates: Good Standing Letter from your Department
• Students on OPT must also have their EAD card and letter from their employer verifying their employment.

Additionally, if you'll be renewing your F-1 visa we strongly recommend checking the U.S. Consulate/Embassy's website where you plan to apply for a list of required documents, as requirements tend to differ from country to country.

To obtain a travel signature please complete and submit the Travel Signature Request form in accessVIS.

For students on OPT, complete the pre/post completion OPT reporting form and select “travel signature” as reason.

Anyone can depart the country, however not everyone can reenter the U.S. Students in F-1 or J-1 status must return to the U.S. BEFORE the end date listed on their Form I-20/DS-2019 AND have a valid travel signature.

All countries have their own travel restrictions and requirements which differ depending on the individual's nationality. Be sure to check the country's official website for information on what documents you'll need to visit.

For instance, those traveling to Canada must:

• Have a Temporary Resident (visitor) Visa depending on your citizenship (Check Eligibility or Apply Here.)
• Have a valid travel document, such as a passport
• Be in good health

We advise students to prepare for taking a cruise in the same way that they would for international travel. Continuing students should carry:

• Original I-20/DS-2019 signed for travel within the last 12 months
• Passport (valid for 6 months into the future)
• Valid F-1/J-1 Visa
  
  
  • Undergraduates: Enrollment Verification from the Registrar
  • Graduates: Good Standing Letter from your Department

Although the cruise may not have a planned stop at an international port, it may travel through international waters or may need to make an unscheduled stop for mechanical reasons. Good preparation will ensure you are able to board the ship and return to Stony Brook smoothly.

If you are only traveling to Canada or Mexico for a period of less than 30 days, you may be eligible to re-enter the US on the basis of an expired visa in your passport under a process called “automatic visa revalidation.”

Click here for more information.

If your immigration status has recently changed, please email vis@stonybrook.edu and include any citizenship-related documentation you may have.

See below to view Philip Kleiner's presentation about immigration options after graduation.

View Presentation

Immigration scams are an unfortunate occurrence that may come in many forms. Scammers may even have very specific, detailed information about you and your immigration situation. Don't be a victim! Please visit USCIS to learn more about common immigration scams.

DO NOT give payment over the phone to anyone who claims to be a USCIS official. If you have any questions about your status, contact your VIS advisor.

Should international students & scholars wish to participate in a protest or demonstration, it is not prohibited under U.S. immigration regulations or other laws. International students and scholars should take the opportunity to familiarize themselves with local laws and standards concerning the ability to protest. It is important that the activities remain peaceful and respectful. However, should the activities appear to become threatening in nature, disruptive or some form of violence appears to be starting, it is advisable to leave the area. Should law enforcement officials be called, it is important to follow their instructions and leave the area as directed.

While each situation is different, generally only when people become disrespectful, ignore law enforcement personnel instructions, and violence is imminent is there a risk of being arrested or charged with a legal offense. It is important that international students and scholars understand that arrests, criminal charges, criminal proceedings, and convictions can impact student and scholar interactions with immigration officials and future immigration benefits.