Reporting Changes

F-1/J-1 students are required to report changes in their personal or academic information to ISSS within 10 days of the change occurring.

Changes in your Contact Information

Current students should notify ISSS of any change in their contact information by updating the corresponding information in their MyIllinoisState account. Specific fields in MyIllinoisState correspond to specific fields in your SEVIS record. See the chart below for details. You must update the correct field in order for your information to be updated correctly in SEVIS. Please see the IT Help article on How to Update Your Personal Contact Information for general information on this section of your My account. After graduating, you will become a "non-integrated" user and will be able to update all of your contact information via the ISSS Portal.

MyIllinoisState		SEVIS	How to Update
Local Address (the U.S. address where you physically live) NOTE: If you have departed the U.S. due to COVID-19, do not delete your local address. Your local address should be kept as the address where you previously resided in the U.S.	=	U.S. Physical Address	Update your Local Address in MyIllinoisState
Mailing Address (Required if you cannot receive mail where you physically live)	=	U.S. Mailing Address	Update your Mailing Address in MyIllinoisState and notify your ISSS Advisor ONLY if you cannot receive mail where you physically live.
International Address (Address in your home country)	=	Foreign Address	Contact your ISSS Advisor to update
International Phone (your international phone number; MUST HAVE country code entered in Country field)	=	Foreign Telephone	Update your International Phone in MyIllinoisState (You must enter a country code in the Country Code field)
Mobile phone number (your U.S. phone number; Country code field should be BLANK)	=	U.S. Telephone	Update your Mobile Phone in MyIllinoisState (Do not enter a Country Code)
Preferred email address (for current students this should default to your ilstu email address)	=	Email Address	Automatically defaults to your ilstu email address. Cannot be updated. If you think your ilstu email address is incorrect, you should contact supportcenter@ilstu.edu for assistance.

Changes in your Academic Program

Changing majors/minors

F-1/J-1 undergraduate students who change majors or add a minor will automatically have their SEVIS record updated with the new information once it has been updated in their university account.

Starting a new degree program

F-1/J-1 students should update ISSS with any changes to degree program by completing the appropriate form.

Discontinuing One Degree and Starting Another

If you are a graduate student and are discontinuing your current degree program (i.e. you will NOT graduate from the program and will no longer pursue that degree) and starting a new degree program, you should submit an Academic Update Request.

Changing Degree Levels

If you are going to complete your current degree program and begin a new degree at another level, you should submit a Change of Level Request. For example, if you are changing from Bachelor's to Master's or Master's to Phd.

Starting Another Degree at the Same Level

If you are going to complete your current degree program and begin a new degree at the same level, you should submit a Change of Level Request. For example, if you are changing from a Master's in Business Administration to a Master's in Technology.

Extending your Program

F-1/J-1 students who will not complete their program by the program end date listed on their I-20/DS-2019 can request to extend. If you will not complete your program by the end date listed on your I-20/DS-2019, please visit the Extending Your Stay page for further details.

Leaving Before Completing your Program

F-1/J-1 students should always notify ISSS before discontinuing their program or withdrawing from the University. Please visit ISSS during walk-in hours to speak with your ISSS Advisor, if you will be withdrawing from the University or leaving before completing your degree.

F-1 students who will be taking a leave of absence or withdrawing from the University will need to submit a Record Termination Request. You should submit this form and have your SEVIS record terminated before you withdraw/drop your classes. Besides notifying ISSS, you should also contact your Academic Advisor and the University Registrar.

Transferring to Another School

F-1/J-1 students who will transfer to another US institution should visit the SEVIS Transfers page for further details. It may be possible for you to transfer your SEVIS record to the new institution.

Graduating

F-1/J-1 students who have applied for graduation should update ISSS by submitting a Graduation Form. After graduation, you have several options. Please visit the Completing Your Program page for details.

Life Event Changes

Adding Dependents

F-1/J-1 students wishing to add a spouse or child to their record as an F-2/J-2 dependent, should submit an Add Dependent Request.

F-1 students should also review the information on the Study in the States website about Bringing Dependents to the United States.
J-1 students should also review the information on the Department of State website About the J-2 Visa.

Changing Your Name

F-1/J-1 students who have changed their legal name must first update their passport to reflect the name change. Once you have updated your passport, submit a Name Change Request to have your SEVIS record updated and a new I-20/DS-2019 printed.

Besides updating your name on your passport and I-20/DS-2019, you may also need to update your new legal name with various government agencies and institutions like the Social Security Agency and the Department of Motor Vehicles, your U.S. bank and the postal service. This can be a vary complex process. One online resource for updating this information in the state of Illinois is https://newlastname.org/il-illinois/.

If you have any pending requests with USCIS, you should also consult with an Immigration Attorney about your name change or contact USCIS Customer Service for guidance.

Changing Status

Current international students who change visa status should notify ISSS by emailing internationalstudents@ilstu.edu or visiting their ISSS Advisor during walk-in hours. You will need to provide proof of your new status:

New non-immigrant status - provide new visa stamp in passport and I-94 arrival record or USCIS Approval Notice
PR-pending - provide USCIS Receipt Notice and EAD card (if applicable)
Permanent Resident - provide PR card (aka "green card")

If you were previously F-1 and have changed your status prior to completing your degree program, you will need to submit a Record Termination Request.

Lost Documents

Lost I-20 or DS-2019:

If your I-20 or DS-2019 has been lost, stolen, or damaged, you should submit a Reprint I-20/DS-2019 Request.

Lost Passport:

If you have lost your passport or believe it was stolen, then you should file a police report with the police that have jurisdiction over the area where you think the loss/theft occurred. You will need to apply for a replacement passport through your home country's embassy or consulate located in the US. Some embassies will require a police report be filed prior to issuing a new passport. Once you have been re-issued your passport, please provide ISSS with a copy.

Lost Visa:

You cannot apply for a new visa from within the US. Therefore, you will need to apply for a new F-1/J-1 visa the next time you decide to travel internationally. You will not be allowed entry back into the United States as an F-1/J-1 until you have received your new visa. Once you have been issued your new F-1/J-1 visa, please provide ISSS with a copy.

Other Life Events

F-1/J-1 students who are experiencing other life events that may impact their visa status should visit ISSS during walk-in hours. Examples of such life events include:

You have a serious medical condition that may impact your ability to pursue your degree program
Any other change you think may impact your status