Report Changes: Your Responsibility

During your time as an F-1 student, your record must be updated with the Department of Homeland Security. ISS can help you ensure your record is updated, but it is your responsibility to inform ISS of changes promptly. You must report the following changes to ISS within ten days:

Change in U.S. residential address
Change in permanent foreign address
Your phone number
Change to your legal name in your passport
Update of employment status or employer information

Submit the Address Change Report for F-1 Students on myHilltop or email ISS at iss@stedwards.edu to report changes.

Some updates must be reported to the Department of Homeland Security through SEVIS and must be changed on your I-20. Please tell ISS about these changes and request a new I-20. Keep all of your I-20s, even after you graduate or transfer schools. Do not throw them away, because ISS does not keep them forever, and you may need them later for immigration purposes.

Program Extension

If you are unable to complete your course of study before the completion date noted in item 5 on your I-20, you must request an extended I-20 before your current I-20 expires. If you are unable to complete your program by the completion date listed in Item 5 on your I-20, you must contact ISS as early as possible.

Do not wait until your I-20 expiration date is approaching. If you think you may need additional time to complete your program:

Meet with your academic advisor to review your graduation timeline.
Contact ISS early to discuss your options
Submit the I-20 Extension Request Form on myHilltop to request the extension.

Changing Schools

Because St. Edward’s issued your I-20 and manages your SEVIS record, you must maintain your F-1 status while enrolled at St. Edward’s and continue meeting enrollment requirements.

If you are considering transferring to another school, contact ISS before submitting applications, changing your enrollment, or making transfer plans.

Change of Level

If you complete your current program and plan to continue at St. Edward’s in a different program or educational level (for example, moving from a Bachelor’s degree program to a Master’s degree program), you must contact ISS before your current program ends.

Your immigration record and I-20 must be updated to reflect your new program. Submit the F-1 Change of Level form on myHilltop to inform ISS.

Change of Major

If you change your major or educational objective (for example, changing from History to Biology), contact ISS before making the change. ISS will update your SEVIS record and issue an updated I-20 when required.

Change of Funding

If there is a substantial change in the source or amount of your funding, report this change to ISS, and a new I-20 will be issued to you.

Name Change

The name on your I-20 should match the name on your passport. If you change any part of your legal name—first/given name, middle name, or last/family name—on your passport, this change should be reflected on your I-20. Conversely, if you want a different name on your I-20, ISS will wait for you to change your passport first before updating the I-20. Note that SEVIS is a separate database from the St. Edward’s database.

Failure to report your information could result in the automatic termination of your I-20 SEVIS record by the Student & Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) without warning. If your I-20 SEVIS record is terminated while you are still in the U.S., you may begin to accrue days of unlawful presence.

Disclaimer: The ISS staff will provide regulatory and practice information related to F and J status, as it stands at the time of the consultation. Regulatory content is designed for SEU students and is not intended to constitute legal advice and is not a substitute for legal counsel.

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