Avoiding Delays in International Student Admissions

Dennis Jett, Dean, UF International Center

In the aftermath of September 11, obtaining visas for international students has become a much more lengthy process. It is now taking at least 20 to 30 days longer as INS more thoroughly reviews visa applications from abroad.

To avoid delays and minimize the risk of an international student not being able to come to UF because of these delays, the following steps are recommended:
1. Consider giving priority processing to international student applications as your college makes its admission decisions; and
2. Notify UFIC as soon as student is admitted on screen 007. Immigration documents (I-20/IAP-66) cannot be processed until a student is admitted on screen 007.

A delay in this process will make it impossible to prepare and mail the necessary documents needed to obtain the visa in a timely manner. After admission, it is very important for international students to maintain their legal status while studying at UF. Please see website http://www.ufic.ufl.edu/iss/immigration_guidelines.pdf for a brief summary of the most critical INS guidelines for meeting the legal requirements for international students in the United States.

To assist colleges and departments with any questions or concerns regarding international students, UFIC can make a brief presentation to your staff and answer any questions you may have regarding international student admissions, registration and legal requirements. Please contact Debra Anderson (danderson@ufic.ufl.edu or 392-5323 x 601), Coordinator for International Student Services, to schedule such a meeting or with any questions or comments.