International Advising

UPDATE: If you need to leave the U.S. with an expired visa and will be renewing in your home country, please be aware that you may experience heightened scrutiny/vetting or delay in renewal.  Please schedule your request for renewal appointment as EARLY as possible. Please note that this information is subject to change at any time

UMKC COVID-19 UPDATES & TRAVEL GUIDANCE: https://www.umkc.edu/news/coronavirus.html

Who are your ISAO/immigration advisors?

 

Coordinator of International Advising:
Katie Sylvester – sylvesterk@umkc.edu

International Student Advisor:
Joyce Ward – wardjc@umkc.edu

Sponsored Student Officer (for students financially sponsored by their home government):
Alex Spenner – spenneral@umkc.edu

General Advising Questions: isaoadvisor@umkc.edu

 

How do I find an immigration attorney?

 

If you need advice from an immigration attorney:

Disclaimer: This does not reflect an endorsement and does not constitute any guarantees, warranties, or promises regarding the outcome of your legal matter. Exclusion of local or regional immigration lawyers from this list does not represent in any way a judgment on the services they provide.

Want to transfer out of UMKC to another school?

 

To request to be transferred out of UMKC, please ensure you have done the following:

  • Drop all UMKC classes
  • Submit a copy of the official admission letter from your new school
  • Submit a transfer form from your new school (if they have one)
  • Tell us what date you would like your records released to your new school
  • PLEASE NOTE: If you are currently on OPT/STEM, your work authorization will AUTOMATICALLY END the day that we release your SEVIS records to your new school
  • When your transfer has been processed you will receive an email from your ISAO advisor.

 

Are you maintaining your F-1 or J-1 status?

 

 

IMPORTANT: ARE YOU ENROLLED FULL-TIME?

 

  • All F-1 or J-1 students are required to be enrolled in:
    • Bachelor and English-only students: a minimum of 12 credit hours EVERY fall and spring semester
      • Of the 12, only 3 credit hours can be online. If more than 3 of the 12 are online = you will be considered under-enrolled.
    • Master and PhD students: a minimum of 9 credit hours EVERY fall and spring semester.
      • Of the 9, only 3 credit hours can be If more than 3 of the 9 are online = you will be considered under-enrolled.
  • If you absolutely cannot be enrolled full-time, you must submit a completed FTE form (form #1 or #2 found below)
    • We often have to update this form so please take it directly from this website to ensure the most recent form is being used.
    • If you do not fit into one of the allowed FTE form categories/reasons then you will NOT be allowed to be under-enrolled.
  • ISAO monitors enrollment the entire semester. If you drop below the required enrollment at ANY point during the entire semester, we will send out 2 courtesy emails. If you do not answer the emails and take no action, we will be required to terminate your I-20/DS-2019 for unauthorized drop below a full course load and you will have 15 days to exit the U.S.

 

Need to schedule an advising appointment?

 

  • Call 816-235-1113 to set up an appointment
  • We do not accept appointment requests via email
  • We do not accept same-day appointments (please see Walk-In advising hours below)
  • You must state the reason for the appointment

 

When are Virtual Walk-In Advising hours?

 

ISAO international advisors are currently holding virtual walk-in hours at the following times:

  • Tuesdays = 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM (Central Time)
  • Thursdays = 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM (Central Time)

Walk-in questions take less than 10 minutes and are on a first-come-first-serve basis.

Click HERE to access our Walk-In Advising Zoom meeting room.

Please note that we will only accept one person in from the waiting room at a time for privacy. This means you may need to wait in the waiting room for some time before the Welcome Center staff accepts you into the meeting.

Once you are accepted into the meeting room, our Welcome Center staff will ask you for a summary of your question(s). If they cannot help answer your question, then you’ll be directed to one of our advisors for further assistance/discussion.

If our Welcome Center staff determine your question will take more than 10 minutes, they may ask you to schedule an appointment with an advisor for another time so that no one has to wait too long.

 

Information & Forms

  1. Under-enrolled in Spring 2021? Spring 2021 FTE Form for F-1 Students (pdf)
  2. Under-enrolled in Fall 2020? FALL 2020 FTE Form for F-1 Students (pdf)
  3. Under-enrolled? FTE Form for J-1 Students (pdf)
  4. Concurrent Enrollment Form: Taking Classes At Another School? (pdf)
  5. Change Level from ALI to Academic Coursework (pdf)
  6. Required TRANSFER IN Form (pdf)
  7. Request to Extend I-20 or DS-2019 (pdf)
  8. Request to Add F-2 Dependent of F-1 Student (pdf)
  9. Request to Add J-2 Dependent of J-1 Student (pdf)
  10. Leaving the US? Request a Travel Endorsement (pdf)
  11. REQUEST FOR DOCUMENTS: Lose an I-20 or DS-2019? (pdf)
  12. Affidavit of Support (pdf)
  13. Getting your I-94 (external link to I-94 request page)
  14. Renewing Your Visa (pdf)
  15. Holds on Your Account & Important Information (pdf)
  16. Who To Ask and other Frequently Asked Questions (pdf)
Social Security Card information

 

 

Have an on-campus job? Filling out an I-9

VERY IMPORTANT: Please be careful when filling out your I-9 as stating incorrect information would be considered fraud and could result in the denial of benefits or change of status in the future. If you are unsure about how to answer a question, consult your employer’s human resources (HR) office for clarification.

Driver's License information

 

 

Leave of Absence information

 

 

Staying healthy and safe

 

 

Change of Status and Reinstatement information

I-539 Form: Application and Instructions (link to USCIS website)

 

Severe Economic Hardship information