SEVIS Newsletter: September 2007 Quarterly
E-Newsletter

Best Management Practices for Schools: SEVIS 5.7 Released

SEVP, in conjunction with the Department of State, conducted teleconference training sessions for SEVIS Release 5.7 on June 19 and 20, 2007. The training focused on M and J visa users in the upcoming SEVIS Release 5.7. Approximately 1,000 SEVIS users participated in the teleconference.

On June 29, SEVP added new functionality updates to its SEVIS database system. The release allowed SEVIS users to perform more tasks and effectively interact with SEVP.

Amy Bullock, Immigration Systems Support (ISS) for the Information Technology Management Branch (ITMB) at SEVP stated, “This new release provided SEVP, Department of Homeland Security and the Office of Exchange Coordination and Designation, Department of State with the functionality to broadcast messages to SEVIS users upon logging into SEVIS Real Time Interactive (RTI) for J Program Sponsors.”

Ms. Bullock adds, “In addition, School Officials (P/-DSOs) were given the capability to: Edit Optional Practical Training requests, terminate transfer-in records, enter a student’s major and/or minor by subject code and search for student records without entering additional search criteria.”

This release also included the new “Intern” category and the amended “Trainee” category, which replaced the “Trainee, Specialty” and “Trainee, Non-Specialty” categories. Sponsors currently designated for the “Trainee, Specialty” and/or “Trainee, Non-Specialty” categories can continue to conduct their programs as designated. Guidance for these categories of exchange will be provided to designated sponsors by the Department of State.”

The user manuals have been updated to reflect the changes implemented in SEVIS Release 5.7 and can be found at:

School Users:
http://www.ice.gov/sevis/schools/existing_schools/index.htm

Program Sponsors:
http://exchanges.state.gov/education/jexchanges/about/sevis.htm.

The following summarizes the changes to SEVIS with Release 5.7:

• Message Board: This new feature broadcasts messages from the Department of Homeland Security and Department of State (DoS) to SEVIS users based on the relevance of the information to a user’s role within the system. For example, a user with an ARO role will only receive information relevant to programs and EVs. If there are any messages for the user, they appear upon logging into SEVIS Real Time Interactive (RTI) for J Program Sponsors and can be accessed at anytime from within the application (Batch users will need to periodically log into RTI to access messages). The broadcast recipient has the capability to view and/or print the messages received. Broadcast messages will be removed from the message board automatically when the posting end date is reached. If there is no information to broadcast, users do not see the message board upon login.



• M-1 Extension: SEVIS restricts the entry of a new program end date for an M-1 Extend Program event to one year from the current Program End Date.



• Current Session End Date: SEVIS modified requirements for entry of the “Current Session End Date” field to require that date to be a valid date within the program dates. This allows past dates to be entered in the “Current Session End Date” field.



• Initial Status Student Actions: In addition to being able to register an Initial Status Transfer-In student, users have an option to terminate transfer-in records via the “Terminate Student” link added to the screen. Also, once Port of Entry (POE) arrival data displays in SEVIS, neither the “Cancel Student” nor the “Defer Attendance” links are displayed on an Initial Attendance, Initial Status student record.



• Student Major/Minor Selection: SEVIS school users have the option to enter a student’s major and/or minor by either entering the subject code or wildcard searches (indicated by asterisks). For example, searching the following returns major/minor subject titles with that exact wording anywhere in the name: *engineering*.



• Optional Practice Training (OPT) Edit Capability: Users have the option to edit OPT requests prior to adjudication. If supporting documentation has already been submitted, SEVIS will display a message notifying the user of appropriate action. School users are also able to edit Employer Name/Address of an Approved status OPT request until the Employment End Date is reached.



• Pending Status OPT Display: Regardless of the requested Employment End Date, OPT requests in “Pending” status display in both the “Students with Pending or Approved Optional Practical Training (OPT)” list as well as on the “Current Request/Authorization Details” page.



• Student Search: The Student Search functionality allows a search for a student using personal information without being required to enter additional search criteria. In addition, the PDSO and DSO could select up to three statuses when performing a Student Search by Status.



• Reinstatement: Upon submission of a student reinstatement request, the “Update Successful” page displays new instructions to the PDSO/DSO. The new instructions include: 1) advising the user to mail documentation to the appropriate DHS Service Center and 2) assigning a request ID to the reinstatement request.



• Visa Issuance Posts: The Visa Issuance Posts were updated with data provided by the DoS.



• New Exchange Visitor Categories: SEVIS will amend the current “Trainee” category to conform to new regulations and add a new “Intern” category. The amended “Trainee” category will replace the current “Trainee, Specialty” and “Trainee, Non-Specialty” categories. Sponsors currently designated for the “Trainee, Specialty” and/or “Trainee, Non-Specialty” categories can continue to conduct their programs as designated. Guidance for these categories of exchange will be provided to designated sponsors by the DoS.

The user manuals and online help have been updated to reflect the changes implemented into SEVIS Release 5.7. The amendments in SEVIS Release 5.7 demonstrates how SEVP listens to its users and refines its systems to work for the end-user communities.

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