SEVIS Newsletter: September 2007 Quarterly
E-Newsletter

I-515A Issues and Solutions

Last year we saw a 30% increase in the number of I-515As issued. The primary reasons for the increase were that students forgot their travel paperwork or they were traveling with unsigned/outdated travel documents. The issuance of an I-515A causes the student to experience delays at the port of entry and to wait 30-90 days for DHS to update their paperwork. To prevent this inconvenience and delays, the following are “Best Management Practices” that the academic community have identified as helpful:

• Travel tip sheets stapled to I-20 or DS-2019;



• Affidavit signed by student exchange visitor verifying the status of his/her travel documents;



• Mandatory registration/orientation for students prior to travel events;



• Reminder notes or emails sent before travel seasons; and



• Development of travel booklet by DSO.

Through our combined effort we hope to significantly reduce the number of I515As issued. We welcome you to share your Best Management Practices with us.

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