SEVIS Student & Exchange Visitor Records Management 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A school certified by SEVP changes its legal name due to a merger. Which SEVIS document must be updated to reflect the new institutional name?
- Form I-20 only for future students
- Form I-17 (the school's SEVIS petition) (Correct answer)
- Form DS-2019 for all current exchange visitors
- The PDSO's personal SEVIS login profile
Correct answer: Form I-17 (the school's SEVIS petition)
Form I-17 is the SEVP certification petition that holds all institutional data; any material change such as a name change must be reported and updated on the I-17 in SEVIS.
Question 2: Under the SEVIS Transfer Eligibility Date rule, when can a transferring F-1 student begin working at the transfer-in institution's Curricular Practical Training?
- Immediately upon acceptance to the transfer-in school
- On or after the program start date listed on the new Form I-20 (Correct answer)
- 60 days before the transfer release date
- On the date the SEVIS record is released by the transfer-out school
Correct answer: On or after the program start date listed on the new Form I-20
CPT at the transfer-in school cannot begin until the student's new program start date, as work authorization must be tied to the new academic program.
Question 3: What SEVIS action must a Responsible Officer (RO) take when a J-1 exchange visitor's program end date needs to be extended for legitimate academic reasons?
- Issue an updated DS-2019 with the new end date and update the record in SEVIS (Correct answer)
- File Form I-539 with USCIS on behalf of the exchange visitor
- Contact the Department of State directly for a program code amendment
- No action is required; extensions are automatic in SEVIS
Correct answer: Issue an updated DS-2019 with the new end date and update the record in SEVIS
The RO must update the program end date in SEVIS and issue the exchange visitor an updated DS-2019 before the current program end date passes.
Question 4: A DSO notices that an F-1 student has been enrolled below full-time for two consecutive semesters without any authorized reduced course load (RCL). What is the correct SEVIS action?
- Issue a warning letter and continue monitoring enrollment
- Terminate the SEVIS record for unauthorized reduced course load (Correct answer)
- Place the student on a Leave of Absence in SEVIS
- Transfer the record to a community college that allows part-time enrollment
Correct answer: Terminate the SEVIS record for unauthorized reduced course load
F-1 students must maintain full-time enrollment unless an RCL has been properly authorized; failure to do so requires the DSO to terminate the SEVIS record for failure to maintain status.
Question 5: Which of the following is a valid reason for a DSO to authorize a Reduced Course Load (RCL) for an F-1 student in their final semester?
- The student prefers a lighter schedule before graduation
- The remaining required courses total fewer credits than the full-time minimum (Correct answer)
- The student is working more than 20 hours per week on campus
- The student's GPA has dropped below 2.0
Correct answer: The remaining required courses total fewer credits than the full-time minimum
A student in their final semester may be authorized for RCL if the required courses needed to complete the degree are fewer credits than full-time requirements.
Question 6: SEVP requires schools to conduct an annual I-17 update in SEVIS. What is the primary purpose of this requirement?
- To allow SEVP to verify that all DSO personal identification documents are current
- To ensure the school's certification information, programs, and contact details remain accurate (Correct answer)
- To renew each individual student's I-20 on an annual basis
- To report the school's annual tuition rates to the Department of Education
Correct answer: To ensure the school's certification information, programs, and contact details remain accurate
The annual I-17 update ensures SEVP has current, accurate information about the school's programs, enrollment levels, DSOs, and other institutional details used to maintain SEVP certification.
Question 7: A J-1 exchange visitor subject to the two-year home-country physical presence requirement wishes to apply for an H-1B visa without first returning home. What must the exchange visitor obtain?
- A waiver of the two-year requirement from the Department of State or USCIS (Correct answer)
- An extension of J-1 status for an additional two years
- A no-objection statement from their home government only
- Approval from their RO and a new DS-2019
Correct answer: A waiver of the two-year requirement from the Department of State or USCIS
Exchange visitors subject to the 212(e) two-year home residency requirement must obtain a waiver (through one of several statutory bases) before changing to most nonimmigrant or immigrant visa categories.
SEVIS Student & Exchange Visitor Records Management 3
A school certified by SEVP changes its legal name due to a merger.
Which SEVIS document must be updated to reflect the new institutional name?