April 12, 2024 Immigration Advisory

1. Become a Peer Mentor
2. Deadline for cancellation of enrollment – April 26
3. Visa expired?
4. Tax for international students that receive grants/scholarships above the cost of tuition and mandatory fees
5. Last semester summer enrollment reminder 
6. Active Phishing Campaign Targeting WSU Students
7. FINAL NOTICE: Tax time! Sprintax software available

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1. Become a Peer Mentor

The application for international student Peer Mentors is open and will close on April 14th, 2024. Mentors are current students that volunteer to help newly arrived international students transition to their new lives in the US and at WSU. They connect these students with clubs, events, and resources during this transition period. Mentors can be from any country, including the US, and they can be graduate or undergraduate students.  

This is a great leadership opportunity for students. They will be able to develop intercultural communication skills, plan program-wide events, and have several career development opportunities, in addition to meeting people from all over the world.  

An updated resume and cover letter are required. Applicants will be contacted for a 30-minute Zoom interview soon after submission.  

Here is the link to the Handshake application for non-pullman locations

Here is the link to the Handshake application for Pullman locations

2. Deadline for cancellation of enrollment – April 26

April 26, 2024, at 11:55 p.m. Pacific time is the deadline to cancel your enrollment for spring 2024.

A cancellation of enrollment is when a student withdraws from ALL classes for the semester.

Please note that if you do this, it WILL impact your immigration status, so if you are thinking of doing a cancellation, please speak with an international student advisor.

Unless you have approval from ISSS due to specific reasons approved by the U.S. government, the cancellation will result in termination of your SEVIS record. This will put you out of status and require your immediate departure from the United States. So please speak with an international student advisor before requesting the cancellation.

3. Visa expired?

If your visa (the stamp in your passport given to you by the U.S. embassy abroad) has expired, it is important to remember that you are still able to maintain valid F-1 or J-1 status in the United States with an expired visa.

Your status is based upon the I-20/DS-2019 and your I-94, which you can access online. If your I-20/DS-2019 and the accompanying SEVIS record is still valid and your I-94 is accurate, you are in status, even with an expired visa.

You WILL need a valid visa if you plan to exit and re-enter the United States. If you do plan to travel internationally, please note that you will need to apply for a visa renewal at a U.S. consulate abroad if your current visa has expired. It is highly recommended that you apply for a visa in the country you have permanent residency or citizenship at. We have heard reports of denials/delays for individual applying on third countries, such as Canada.

ISSS recommends that if you are in this situation (holding an expired visa, but planning to travel internationally), speak with an international student advisor or your local DSO before traveling internationally.

There are increased delays and restrictions on visa issuance, even for visa renewals, and International and Student Services can help you prepare for these

4. Tax for international students that receive grants/scholarships above the cost of tuition and mandatory fees

If you receive throughout to year grants/scholarships above the cost of tuition and mandatory fees, please make sure to check your student account each semester (around mid-term is perfect) and connect with Bursar’s office within the same tax year if you do see a tax withholding charge. Charges within the same tax year can be fixed, but after December 31st it is more complicated.

5. Last semester summer enrollment reminder

If summer will be your last term in your program, then please note there are some additional requirements on enrollment (listed below).

As you will not be a continuing student for fall, summer is not considered a vacation term so you will need to be enrolled full time for the summer or apply for the reduced course load for last term.

• Graduate full-time summer enrollment: 3 credits
• Undergraduate full-time summer enrollment: 6 credits

If you need to apply for a reduced course load for the last semester for summer, you can find this request on MyPassport, under Enrollment Forms.

6. Active Phishing Campaign Targeting WSU Students

WSU’s Information Security Services (ISS) sent an announcement yesterday to all WSU. They recently identified a malicious phishing campaign that is actively targeting WSU students.

A cyber attacker is posing as a real WSU professor and is falsely recruiting for a part-time remote assistant position at the university. All WSU students are urged to not click on any links or open any unexpected attachments you receive from unfamiliar WSU or non-WSU users. Students are also urged not to supply any sensitive information to unfamiliar people via email or phone.

7. FINAL NOTICE: Tax time! Sprintax software available

ISSS offers free access to tax preparation software called Sprintax, which is specifically designed for international students and scholars. The deadline for filing 2023 taxes is Monday, April 15. 

Did you have NO income in 2023?

International students and scholars who did not receive U.S.-based income must still file tax Form 8843. Sprintax can assist you with that. Just log into myPassport. and select ‘Tax Software’ to fill out the form to request access to Sprintax. A unique verification code will be emailed to you at your WSU email within three business days. 

You will need to print and mail your completed Form 8843 to Department of the Treasury, Internal Revenue Service Center, Austin, TX 73301-0215  

Did you have income in 2023? 

Log into myPassport and select ‘Tax Software’ to fill out the form to request access to Sprintax. A unique verification code will be emailed to you at your WSU email within three business days.

International students and scholars who were employed at WSU in 2023 will receive a report of wage earnings called Form W-2 from the Payroll Services Office. W-2s are available after January 31. Students should use this form to complete and submit their tax return

• Did you receive a scholarship for room and board or are using a tax treaty benefit? This means you will receive a Form 1042-S. The Payroll Services Office is required to issue Form 1042-S no later than March 15. Form 1042-S is mailed to the address you provide in myWSU. IMPORTANT: You must wait until you receive Form 1042-S to file your taxes.

Sprintax webinars to prepare for your tax filing!

Tax questions? Sprintax offers YouTube videos, a blog, and tax webinars (listed below).  

Upcoming webinar dates, times, and registration links

• Monday, April 15 | 10-11 a.m. PDT | Register for the April 15 webinar here

Find additional tax information, visit our ISSS Tax page. 

Important: ISSS may not provide tax advice or information about tax treaties. Please consult a tax expert or use the chat function with Sprintax.