select this link if you HAVE YOU BEE DENIED A VISA?
HAVE YOU BEEN TOLD THAT YOU ARE NOT IN SEVIS?  or HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT VISA APPLICATION PROCEDURES.

WARNING, WARNING, WARNING!!!!!!

INITIAL/BEGIN PROGRAM ARRIVALS -- IF YOU ARE ENTERING THE US ON AN INITIAL ATTENDANCE I-20 OR DS-2019 PLEASE BE AWARE THAT YOU MAY NOT ARRIVE ANY EARLIER THAN 30 DAYS FROM THE START OR BEGIN DATE LISTED ON THESE DOCUMENTS.   ARRIVALS EARLIER THAN THIS DATE WILL RESULT IN YOUR BEING SENT BACK TO YOUR HOME COUNTRY. 

LATE ARRIVALS -- IF YOU CANNOT ARRIVE BY THE START OR BEGIN DATE ON THE I-20 OR DS-2019 PLEASE BE AWARE THAT YOU MAY NOT ENTER THE US AFTER THAT DATE WITHOUT SPECIFIC APPROVAL FROM THE SCHOOL THAT ISSUED THE DOCUMENTS.  YOU MAY ALSO BE RETURNED TO YOUR HOME COUNTRY IF YOU ARRIVE LATE!

TRANSFERS -- IF YOU ARRIVE INTO THE US ON AN AUBURN UNIVERSITY I-20 OR DS-2019 YOU WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO TRANSFER TO ANOTHER SCHOOL UNTIL AFTER YOU HAVE BEEN ENROLLED AT AUBURN FOR ONE SEMESTER, NO EXCEPTIONS.  WHEN FIRST ENTERING THE US (INITIAL ATTENDANCE, BEGIN PROGRAM) YOU MAY ONLY ENTER THE US ON THE VISA AND I-20/DS-2019 FOR THE SCHOOL THAT ISSUED YOUR INITIAL ATTENDANCE I-20/DS-2019 AND MUST REPORT TO THAT SCHOOL. 

• US Department of State VISA Policy Cables index - provided copies of information sent to State Department consular officials regarding policies for processing visa applications and a WIDE range of issues.

• NAFSA:  compilation of agency documents from the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service and the U.S. Department of State

• 10/7/2003-**DOS Revises 'Visas Mantis' Clearance Procedure**
  On October 7, the U.S. Department of State (DOS) issued a cable revising the Visas Mantis clearance procedure to extend the validity of all Mantis clearances to 12 months, provided the conditions set forth in the cable are met. Among the conditions is the requirement that the applicant must be returning to the same program or activity to perform the same duties or functions at the same facility or organization that was the basis for the original Mantis clearance. The 12-month Mantis clearance had previously been granted to participants in U.S. government-sponsored programs. This cable expands eligibility for 12-month clearance to all Mantis applicants. Three-month, single-entry visas will still be required for Chinese and Russian nationals, but the 12-month clearance still applies. To view the entire text of the cable, access: http://www.nafsa.org/content/publicpolicy/NAFSAontheIssues/visasmantiscable100703.htm

• 6/2003 - DOS CABLE PRIORITY FOR STUDENT AND EXCHANGE VISITOR VISA PROCESSING
  6/2003 - Machine-Readable Passports Required for All Visa Waiver Travelers Beginning October 1, 2003
  6/07/03 DOS Cable STATE DEPARTMENT REVISES MANTIS CLEARANCE PROCEDURE

• 5/2003 DOS Cable VISAS AND NON-COMPLIANCE WITH NATIONAL SECURITY ENTRY EXIT REGISTRATION SYSTEM (NSEERS)

• 5/2003 - DOS Cable STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE NO. 17: STUDENT AND EXCHANGE VISITOR VISA PROCESSING

• AAU - AIEA message - posted 5/24/03

• Email regarding changes in US Consular Visa Procedures: Department of State issued an official cable amending the agency’s regulations to limit a Consular Officer’s discretion to waive the personal appearance and interview of nonimmigrant visa applicants to certain limited situations. - 5/22/2003  (PDF VERSION, MSWORD VERSION)

• Department of State background information Technology Alert List (2000), Consular Cable updating the TAL procedures and list (March 2003) and VISA Mantis System (NAFSA advisory)
   Dept of State cable "Subject: SUMMARY OF SPECIAL PROCESSING REQUIREMENTS" from 2001
   The Visas Mantis is a pre-check name-check procedure designed for all USG-sponsored programs.

• From NAFSA: Enhanced visa review conducted by an Interagency Panel on Advanced Science and Security (IPASS)

• SEVIS FEE information - NAFSA, US Federal Register posting

• Articles: 10/24/03, 11/06/03

• NAFSA INFORMATION ON THE US DHS VISIT PROGRAM: November 6, 2003. DHS has announced details of the US-VISIT program

• US DHS Fact Sheet- US-VISIT Program

• Remarks by Under Secretary Asa Hutchinson on the Launch of the US-VISIT Program

• 5/19/2003 - U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security.

• U.S. VISIT details discussed 5/19/2003 FCW.COM

• Suspending the 30-Day and Annual Interview Requirements From the
  Special Registration Process for Certain Nonimmigrants; Interim Rule (12/2/2003)
  DHS FACT SHEET - 12-1-2003
   The suspension of the 30-day and annual re-registration requirement
  applies to all aliens previously registered under the NSEERS program,
  whether call-in or POE registration, as well as any aliens registered
  subsequent to the effective date of this rule. This rule also clarifies how nonimmigrant aliens subject to NSEERS registration may apply for relief from registration departure
  requirements. Aliens subject to NSEERS registration are required to
  register their departure before an immigration officer at a designated
  port of departure and depart from that port on the same day.

• Registration and Monitoring of Certain Non-immigrants; Notice of Ports-of-Entry for Departure of Aliens Who Are Subject to Special Registration

  This rule will affect the ability of individuals from a number of countries who specifically are WITHIN THE US, DEPARTING the US, attempting to ENTER the US for the first time or who are already in the US and who travel outside (depart) the US with plans to RETURN to the US. Due to the complexity of the issue involved specific details and an FAQ are posted.....

• Special Registration for certain foreign nationals within the US.

• News articles on immigration issues

• Enrollment levels articles

HEALTH LINKS (SARS)

• US CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL WWW.CDC.GOV

• WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION WWW.WHO.INT

• Auburn University SARS outbreak information

Auburn University
immigration pages

U.S. Department of State, Embassies and Consulate around the world: 

• Links to United States Embassies and Consulates Worldwide

• US Dept of State Visa Services

• http://usinfo.state.gov/usa/infousa/educ/educate.htm

• http://exchanges.state.gov/education/educationusa/

http://travel.state.gov/links.html and http://usembassy.state.gov/
 

Embassies of other nations in the US:

http://www.embassy.org , http://www.embpage.org/ , http://www.embassyworld.com/