Alerts & Announcements

Based on a combination of best practices, laws, and regulations, all students and scholars on visas and even permanent residents (i.e. all noncitizens) to carry the following documents at all times:

• Original state ID or Drivers license
• Clear paper copy of a valid passport
• Clear copy of a visa
• Clear paper copy of the I-20 or DS-2019 form
• Copy of the most recent I-94

Additionally, all noncitizens living in the United States must report any change of address within 10 days of the change.

Currently enrolled international students with F-1 or J-1 visas can easily report address changes by updating their local mailing address in my.Charlotte.edu. The address information correctly entered in my.Charlotte.edu will flow into the ISSO Portal, from whence it shall journey into SEVIS, the official electronic database for non-immigrant students at UNC Charlotte–this completes the address reporting process and satisfies the U.S. government’s requirements.

Faculty on H-1B visas are advised to submit the USCIS Form AR-11 to update their addresses.

When receiving any phone call from someone you don’t know, it is always safe to let the call go to voicemail.  If the caller is legitimate, they will leave you a message and explain how you can call them back.  We also urge you to ‘trust your gut’ when something feels like a scam and/or spam reach out to the ISSO to confirm if the threat is legitimate.  

Clues that the call is part of a scam:

Scammers do not act professionally. Scammers may be loud, pushy, rude, and scary in an attempt to get you to ‘act now’ to relieve your distress, without giving you time to carefully think through the situation.

Scammers demand payment via gift cards or Bitcoin. The U.S. Government does not accept payments via gift card or Bitcoin. USCIS only accepts payments: online using a credit/debit card, prepaid debit card or bank withdrawal; by mail with a card, check, or money order (money orders can only go to a USCIS Lockbox or a Service Center); or in person at a USCIS field office. If the person that you are talking to requests your fees in a gift card or Bitcoin, it is a scam and safe to hang up.

The phone number may appear to be from USCIS or another U.S. government agency. USCIS will not, nor will any U.S. government agency call you! Scammers can spoof the caller ID to make it seem like that the call is coming from a legitimate U.S. government agency. If the U.S. government needs to reach you, they will contact you through paper mail, or send you electronic communication as part of your electronic application process (such as the electronic I-765).

For more information regarding scams, please click here.

The ISSO would like to alert all students and scholars on F, J, or H visas about international travel. U.S. immigration policies are rapidly changing which might affect your ability to re-enter the United States to continue your studies or research. Therefore, we urge our international population to exercise caution when planning international travel and consult the ISSO website and ISSO advisors before committing to any international travel. As a reminder, required travel and re-entry documents can be reviewed on the ISSO Travel webpage.

Upon entering the U.S., all travelers are subject to inspection by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). This inspection can include personal belongings, documents, electronic devices, and social media. Therefore, when arriving at a U.S. border (such as an international airport), make sure your social media accounts and activities are following U.S. laws and visa regulations. Evaluate your social media activity and personal information, such as LinkedIn profile, professional biographies, and resume/CV to ensure a professional and accurate representation that is consistent with your application for admission.

Additionally, beginning May 7, 2025, every air traveler 18 years of age and older will need a state-issued REAL ID – compliant license or identification card, enhanced driver’s license, valid foreign government-issued passport, or another acceptable form of ID (such as a passport), to fly within the United States.

If you have any questions regarding travel or your visa status, please contact ISSO.

Effective April 11, 2025, non-U.S. citizens who stay in the U.S. for 30 days or longer are required to register online with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and have their biometrics (fingerprints) collected. Many individuals who already have certain immigration documents (such as an I-94 arrival record) may already be considered registered. Non-immigrant visa holders, including international students and scholars who hold F-1, J-1, H-1B, O-1, or TN status, as well as their dependent family members who entered the U.S. at the age of 14 or older, were automatically registered when they entered the U.S. This means many foreign nationals are already registered and typically do not need to take any further action.

Those who must register include, but are not limited to:

• Non-U.S. citizen children of international students, scholars, and faculty (e.g., F-2, J-2, H-4, O-3 dependents) who turned 14 after entering the U.S. must register within 30 days of April 11, 2025, or their 14th birthday. Children under 14 must be registered by their parents or guardians, though fingerprinting is not required until they turn 14.
  
• Canadian citizens who travel into the U.S. and did not receive an I-94 or fingerprinting must also register if staying for 30 days or longer.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has introduced a new online form G-325R and fingerprinting requirements to facilitate compliance. Before taking any steps, please consult the DHS Alien Registration Requirement webpage for more details.

Reminder: All non-U.S. citizens are required to carry proof of their registration (such as Form I-94, current EAD, passport, etc.). F-1/J-1 enrolled students will continue to report their address updates within 10 days in my.charlotte.edu. F-1 students on OPT/STEM OPT will continue to report their address updates within 10 days in the SEVP Portal. F-1s’ dependents’ addresses are reported by the F-1s via proxy in either of the two methods above. The registration requirement doesn’t change this.

J-1 scholars and researchers will report their address updates using the address update eform in the ISSO Portal.  

H-1B faculty will report their address updates using USCIS form AR-11.

Important Note: While ISSO staff are trained in the visa categories sponsored by UNC Charlotte and authorized by USCIS, they are not immigration attorneys or legal advisors. This information is for general guidance only and should not be considered legal advice. If you have any specific questions about your situation, we encourage you to consult with a private immigration attorney. For a list of attorneys, you may use the search feature on the American Immigration Lawyers Association website.