Government to Up Requirements for Student Visas
If you're not a U.S. citizen, studying in the United States can involve heaps of paperwork and fees. And, according to the Kansas City Star, those costs are scheduled to increase next academic year.
Currently, the government keeps track of international students and some visitors to the United States in a database called SEVIS, or Student Exchange Visitor Information Systems. Since various attacks revealed wide gaps in the U.S.'s system of monitoring students from other countries, SEVIS has been used by colleges and the government.
Apparently, Congress recently ordered increased automation and accessibility of SEVIS as a means of further improving the Department of Homeland Securities' tracking capabilities. Unfortunately, Congress allotted no government money for this project. Instead, the burden of funding is set to fall on international students and their universities.
Sources indicate that this troubles some University of Missouri officials who work with international students. Apparently, they're already spending 95% of their time keeping track of international students and helping those students adhere to the complicated procedures for applying for and renewing student visas and making sure all their international documentation is in order.
Rather than promoting the cross-cultural benefits of international education, it seems, demanding SEVIS regulations frustrate many of those who have to deal with student visa-related documents on a regular basis.
While some administrators have reportedly admitted that SEVIS regulations do mean extra work, they have also helped Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers find students who had violated the terms of their visas more quickly than they would have been able to do otherwise.
And some officials have allegedly argued that even doubling the current costs of student visas shouldn't act as a major deterrent to those students hoping to study at the college level in the United States, since the cost of a private college education is already so substantial.
Reports note that SEVIS works by receiving names of all accepted international students from American colleges, recording students' entry into the country and relying on college officials to update reports on the students' whereabouts. Academic progress, too, is evidently monitored. When a student drops out or goes missing, school workers report the details in SEVIS and ICE officials can take whatever action is necessary.
Understanding visa requirements can be a challenging and complex task. Feel free to take a look at Total Immigration's new pages on student visas, visas for temporary visitors, specialized occupation visas, seasonal worker visas and travel documents. If you need help completing the paperwork for your immigration or visa needs, we'll be happy to put you in touch with an immigration lawyer practicing in your area.