MONDAY APRIL 1 10:00 - 12:00
TUESDAY APRIL 2 1:30 - 4:00
WEDNESDAY APRIL 3 10:00 - 12:00
B) THE ISSO IS MOVING! WE ARE RELOCATING TO MADISON HALL ROOM 137
ON
TUESDAY
APRIL 9. Our phone numbers will not change!
C) MONA FOROUGHI IS OUT ON MATERNITY LEAVE!!
Mona and her husband, Navid, welcomed baby girl ELSA FOROUGHI on
March 16, 2013. All are happy, healthy and well! Mona hopes to return to
the office in June.
D) WELCOME JANET COFFEY!
Janet Coffey has joined our ISSO team to advise international students and
scholars, along with Reva Bailey, while Mona is away. Janet is currently out of
the office with a family emergency, but hopes to return soon. Meanwhile
Reva Bailey is providing advising and signatures during walk-in hours as listed
above for this week
2) IMPORTANT REMINDERS
A) Travel Signature for Travel Outside of the United States
Please note all students leaving the United States at any time must have a travel signature on the SEVIS I-20 form to enter the US (as well as a passport, F-1 visa, and enrollment verification letter from Charger Central). Advisors request at least 2 weeks advance notice to ensure the I-20 is signed on time; please drop off your most recent I-20 with a request form completed with travel info: dates, place, expiration (visa/passport).
Once advisors sign off on the I-20 we will call the telephone number provided or email the UAH email address on file.
Though the signatures are valid for 365 days from the date signed, advisors recommend students to get a new travel signature each semester. Not having a travel signature will likely cause problems and possibly denial at the port of entry.
B)
Optional Practical Training (OPT)
If you are completing all degree requirements this Spring and would like to apply for post-completion OPT, advisors suggest doing so as soon as possible as processing takes between 30-90 days before you will get your EAD card from Immigration.
IMPORTANT OPT DATES
Dates to submit OPT application to Immigration: betw February 3 -June 20, 2013
**Immigration allows students to send completed post-completion OPT applications 90 days before their expected completion date and 60 days after you complete your degree requirements.
University completion Date for Spring 2013: May 4, 2013
Last Date to submit OPT application to ISSO: June 20, 2013 (don't wait this long)
Range of dates you can choose for employment start date: May 6 -July 2, 2013
Please see an advisor during walk-in hours if you have any questions
or view our our website materials:
C) TAX TIME Continues!
It's that time again - TAX TIME! Please read the following very carefully and review the attachments. All tax forms should be submitted by APRIL 15, 2013.
FORM 8843 - IT'S REQUIRED BY THE INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE . . .
. . . If you or your dependent was physically present in the U.S. any day in the year 2012!
- Even if you DID NOT WORK in the US during 2012 you must complete and submit this form, if you hold an F1, F2, J1, or J2 student or scholar visa.
- If you DID work during 2012 but earned less than $ 3,800 in taxable income or scholarships, you need to complete and submit this form.
- The form 8843 is attached to this note, along with instructions.
IN ADDITION TO FORM 8843 YOU MAY NEED TO SUBMIT A TAX RETURN . . .
. . . If you or your dependent earned more than $ 3,800 or you otherwise have tax liability, you will need to complete and submit other federal and state tax forms! Even if you made less than $ 3,800 you will want to complete and submit a tax return if tax was withheld from your pay, in order to get a refund of the tax that was withheld.
- FREE TAX HELP AVAILABLE!The International Student and Scholar Office and the College of Business Beta Alpha Psi Accounting Honor Society will collaborate once again to offer FREE tax assistance to the UAHuntsville students and community who received more than $ 3,800 in income or scholarships and likely have a tax liability.
- The UAH tax assistance program (VITA) provides FREEASSISTANCE to complete the CORRECT 2012 tax forms. F and J students should in general, not complete tax forms using "TURBO TAX" like software advertised for U.S. Citizen Taxpayers who complete a 1040 form.
- 2013 TAX HELP DATES
Appointments available at 10:00am, 11:00am, 12:00 noon and1:00 pm only in BAB 120 - College of Business, Business Administration Building
Saturday, April 6 and Saturday, April 13
-
TO SIGN UP FOR TAX HELP, email tax@uah.edu -- include your full name, your contact phone number, and the date and time you'd like to schedule your appointment. You must attach your COMPLETED FORM 8843 to the email so they can determine your tax residency status PRIOR to the scheduled tax appointment.
- BRING THE FOLLOWING TO YOUR TAX HELP APPOINTMENT:
- Copies of ALL federal and state tax forms filed in previous tax years
- I-20 or DS-2019, I-94 card and passport (bring all passports used to enter the U.S.)
- Current W-2 (statement of income) as well as evidence of SCHOLARSHIPS (Remember all UAHuntsville employees can download their W-2 from their BANNER account under the EMPLOYEE tab)
- A blank check, or evidence of your bank routing number & account number.
- IN ADDITION BRING TO YOUR TAX HELP APPOINTMENT . . .
. . . if any of the documents below were mailed to you, bring them
to the tax appointment:
- 1042-S (statement of treaty benefit, scholarship, or fellowship)
- 1099-G (the state tax refund statement for the prior year)
- 1099-MISC (miscellaneous income)
- 1099-INT (statement of simple bank interest on a savings account)
- 1099-DIV (statement of dividends and distributions)
- 1098-T (statement of tuition paid) This form is not required for non-resident tax filing
