Arrival in the U.S.A.
Upon your arrival in the United States you should have received the following materials:
- your copy of the Form I-20 or Form DS-2019.
- a small white Form I-94 Arrival/ Departure Record, usually stapled to your passport. Please make sure that the inspecting officer puts F-1 on your I-94 if you have an I-20 and J-1 if you have a DS-2019.
These are important documents! Keep them in a safe place. If you
should lose them, contact the office of the International Student Advisor
immediately.
It will be necessary to file for replacement with the Department of Homeland
Security - Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services. There is a
$160.00 fee to replace a Form I-94.
Within one week of your arrival bring your I-20 or DS-2019, white
Form I-94 Arrival/Departure Record, your passport, and your visa to the
assistant in the office of the Dean of Students and International Student
Advisor. She will make photocopies of all these forms for your file.
It is also necessary for her to record your address and telephone number
in the Grand Rapids area. The Department of Homeland Security requires that you fill in and submit an AR-11 Change of Address form
every time you have a change of address. We trust that you took careful
note of the statements on page 2 of the Form I-20 and Form DS-2019 when
you signed it.
Remember at all times that you agreed to comply with the terms and conditions
of your admission when you entered the U.S. Some of the most important
matters are:
. you are not permitted to work off-campus or to engage in business
unless you have received permission to do so from school officials or
the Department of Homeland Security - Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration
Services;
. you must maintain a passport which is valid for a period of no less than 6 months at all times, unless you are exempt from passport requirements;
. you must be a full-time student in the educational program to which you were admitted at Calvin Seminary - 9 credit hours per quarter for M.Div., M.A., and M.T.S. students and 6 credit hours per quarter for Th.M. and Ph.D. students (audit hours are not applicable);
. If your status changes because of reduction of course load, health, loss of financial support, or employment, report these changes immediately to the Dean of Students and International Student Advisor or his assistant. These changes must be entered into SEVIS (Student and Exchange Visitor Information System).