TN 54 (02-24)
RM 10211.395 Procedure when the Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) Response
is “Refer Student/Exchange Visitor to their School/Program Sponsor”
Foreign students (F and M) and exchange visitors (J) must report to their school or
sponsor within a certain period of time after admission to the US. The school or sponsor
then has an additional period of time during which they must update (e.g., activate)
the student’s or visitor’s status in the Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements
(SAVE), Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS).
When a foreign student or exchange visitor is applying for an SSN, if
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The student or visitor has not reported to their school or sponsor or,
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The school has not updated SEVIS,
the SAVE initial verification (IV) response is “Refer Student/Exchange Visitor to
their School/Program Sponsor”.
If you receive this IV response for an SSN application, you have the following two
options.
A. Provide a written notice and delete the SSN application
Provide written notice (SSA-L676, Refusal to Process SSN Application) to the applicant
explaining why you cannot process the application and delete the SSN application.
On the notice
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include “We are unable to verify your ‘Active’ status in SEVIS. Please contact your
school or program sponsor to update your current status.”
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under “Please contact us when,” check the remark, “Your alien status changes, or is
renewed, so you can work in the U.S.”
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include the Department of Homeland Security fact sheet, “Information for Students
and Exchange Visitors Pursuing Employment in the United States” with the letter. See
RM 10211.305 for an exhibit of this fact sheet.
If you chose to hold the SSN application and when you submit the new IV request the
IV response is also “Refer Student/Exchange Visitor to their School/Program Sponsor”,
follow the instructions here (provide notice and delete the application).
B. Continue pending the SSN application
Some FO managers may work with the schools and sponsors to get the SEVIS records updated
without deleting the SSN application so they can later process the original application
without another contact with the applicant and without completing another application.
If you choose to hold the pending SSN application,
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submit a new IV request 48 hours after
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you receive information that the student is “activated” or “registered” in SAVE’s
SEVIS or
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the sponsor advises that the exchange visitor has been “validated” in SEVIS.
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If the IV response to the new IV request is also “Refer Student/Exchange Visitor to
their School/Program Sponsor”, provide written notice and delete the application in
accordance with A. above.
You must wait 48 hours from the date you receive verbal or written indication SEVIS
has been updated before requesting a new IV.
See also:
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RM 10214.110, How to submit an IV request
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RM 10215.115, providing written notice.
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RM 10211.235, Evidence of Immigration Status for the F1 and M1 Classes of Admission for an SSN
Card
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RM 10211.340, General Evidence of Immigration Status and Employment Authorization for the J1 (Exchange
Visitor) or J2 (Dependant of J1) classes of admission.