Complete OIS Check-in

Check-in with OIS is required by law for all F-1 and J-1 international students. 

This requirement applies to all students who: 

• Plan to begin their NC State program in-person for the Spring 2024 semester;
• Transferred to NC State this semester from another institution in the U.S.;
• Started their NC State program while living in another country, and plan to continue their studies in-person for the Spring 2024 semester;
• Enrolled less than full-time while living in another country, and plan to continue their studies full-time in-person for the Spring 2024 semester;
• Plan to return to the U.S. for the Spring 2024 semester from a temporary leave of absence from their academic program;
• Completed the NC State Intensive English Program (IEP) program during the Fall 2023 semester; OR
• Have a pending change of status petition to F-1 or J-1 status with USCIS.

It does not apply to the following groups:

• Students on other visas (H-1, H-4, F-2, etc.) should NOT attend the OIS Check-in session, as it is not a requirement of those visa statuses.
• Dependents on J-2 visas are required to check in with OIS but do so through a separate dependent check-in process. Please complete the Dependent Check-in Form to schedule a J-2 check-in appointment. F-2 dependents are also encouraged to complete the dependent check-in process.

Steps 1-3 will be completed in your GlobalHome account. Login with your unity credentials (same credentials you use for MyPack Portal) and click on “OIS Check-in” under the “Requests” section on your GlobalHome homepage. You will receive an email each time you successfully complete a step. If you need to navigate away from “OIS Check-in” in between steps, you can return to this section in GlobalHome and resume the process with the next step.

Step 1: Review Pre-Arrival Information

You will be asked to read information important to new international students (travel information, campus resources, scam information, and immigration basics) and provide information regarding your current location, whether or not you have received your F-1 or J-1 student visa, and confirm any flight plans.

Once Step 1 has been completed, GlobalHome will automatically take you to Step 2.

Step 2: Review and Accept the OIS Compliance Agreement

You must carefully read the OIS Compliance Agreement and indicate your agreement with the various statements.

Once Step 2 has been completed, GlobalHome will take you to Step 3.

Step 3: Provide Emergency Contact Information

You now need to provide contact information for at least one person outside the United States and one person living in the United States.

Part 1 – Provide Immigration Documentation:

International students will now need to upload certain immigration documents into their GlobalHome account.  Return to the “OIS Check-in” section under “Requests” and you will be able to continue with Step 4. This step can only be done once a student has entered the United States as one of the required documents is only created once a student has physically entered the United States. The required documents are:

• I-20 (F-1 students) or DS 2019 (J-1 students)
• Passport bio page and US visa stamp
• Your I-94 from your most recent entry into the United States (Click “GET MOST RECENT I-94”,  then click “CONSENT & CONTINUE”,  then enter your information to print your I-94; if your I-94 is returned “Not Found,” wait 72 hours and try again. If it still returns as “Not Found”, please try the tips we have listed on our I-94 Retrieval Tips page. This will not prevent you from registering for and attending a live virtual check-in session)
• If your I-94 is still returned as “Not Found” after you try our tips, or your I-94 has incorrect information on it (for example, if only part of your name is listed or your birth date is incorrect), please use our I-94 Retrieval Errors Form in GlobalHome to request assistance from OIS. We will respond to your inquiry within 5 business days.

Part 2 – Update U.S. Address Information:

This step must be completed in MyPack Portal, not GlobalHome. You can complete this task by navigating to the MyPack Portal > Student Homepage > Personal Information tile. You will then click on Addresses (left side menu), scroll down, and click ‘Add SEVIS Local Address’. The address should follow these formatting guidelines:

• ADDRESS LINE 1: Your house or building’s street number and street name. Do NOT include your name or apartment complex name in line 1. Example: 1234 Wolfpack Dr.
• ADDRESS 2: Additional information, such as your apartment number and/or apartment name. Do NOT include city, state, or zip code information in line 2. Example 1:  Apt 302  Example 2: Valentine Commons, Building C Apartment 101
• ADDRESS 3: Leave blank
• CITY: Enter your city. Example: Raleigh
• STATE: Enter your state. Example: NC
• POSTAL: Enter the 5 digit postal code, also called a “zip code”. Example: 27123
• COUNTY: You may leave this blank. 

New F-1 and J-1 students only need to select ONE of the options listed below as both options feature the same content. We prefer you attend a check-in session AFTER you arrive to United States. Check-in sessions will last approximately 1.5 hours.

Option 1:

The first will be a live virtual check-in session through Zoom. During this session an OIS advisor will give a live presentation regarding your immigration status. You will have the opportunity to ask questions and interact with the OIS advisor throughout the presentation. Registration is required in order to attend and can be done in your GlobalHome account. Login with your unity credentials and click on “Events” in the upper right corner of your homepage to access the live session options. Click “I’m attending” for the session you wish to attend.

• We will offer two live virtual check-in sessions for Spring 2024. Please see GlobalHome for details.
  • Wednesday, January 3, 2024 at 2:00pm Eastern Time
  • Tuesday, January 9, 2024 at 10:00am Eastern Time

Please Note: If you choose to attend check-in via Option 1, OIS will log your attendance in GlobalHome and you will receive a confirmation email within 2 days. Please do not contact OIS unless it has been at least 2 days since you attended a check-in and you have not received this email.

Option 2:

For students with schedule conflicts during the live virtual sessions (Option 1), OIS has created a new option to view a recording of a Zoom check-in session on demand. We will share when the recording is available . You can access this check-in using the Online Check-in Session accessible in GlobalHome once you’ve completed Steps 1-4.  If you select this option, you must watch the entire presentation and receive a passing score on a REQUIRED QUIZ to complete the check-in requirement. Your OIS check-in requirement will not be complete until you pass the required quiz with a score of 22/22 (100%).

Please note: You will only see confirmation of your check-in attendance on the homepage if you select Option 1. If you select Option 2, you will receive a notification in GlobalHome once you pass the required quiz.

What happens after I complete my check-in tasks? The OIS check-in team will manually review your documents, check-in tasks, enrollment, and other registration checkpoints to confirm your eligibility for SEVIS registration. Provided there are no issues, we will register your SEVIS record and you will receive email confirmation of such.

Why is it taking some time to receive confirmation of my SEVIS registration?  Simply speaking, the large volume of check-ins to process is the main reason the SEVIS registration process takes time. Each of our new students uploads 4 documents, so that’s a lot of documents for us to individually review! In addition, each new student’s check-in tasks are manually reviewed. The OIS check-in team is small but mighty and they are going as fast as they can so we appreciate your patience as we manage this huge task of getting everyone registered!

Should I be worried there’s something wrong with my submissions if I don’t hear anything for several days? Nope! As long as you’ve followed the check-in instructions, done all your check-in tasks correctly (including uploading your documents), your SEVIS record will be registered, it just may take some time due to the reasons mentioned above. If there is an issue with your check-in documents, check-in tasks, or enrollment, rest assured we will notify you immediately and tell you how to fix it! 

Can you give me an update on the status of my SEVIS registration? Unfortunately not. Due to the sheer volume of registrations we are processing, we aren’t able provide each student with a “play by play” update of the process. Thank you for understanding this limitation and refraining from seeking an update. We hope you will trust that we are working on your registration even if you don’t hear anything from us for several days. 

Do I need to wait for confirmation from OIS about SEVIS registration to apply for a SSN or driver’s license? It is strongly recommended that you wait at least 10 days from arrival and several days from receiving your SEVIS registration confirmation to apply for a social security number or driver’s license. The reason for this is because the Social Security Administration (SSA) and Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) use a database fed by SEVIS and the CBP I-94 database to confirm your eligibility for these benefits. So, if you apply before that database has received information from SEVIS and the CBP I-94 system, the DMV/SSA may not be able to initially confirm your eligibility, resulting in a need for you to make a second trip to the DMV or SSA to complete the application process (and nobody wants that!) 

Do I need to wait for confirmation from OIS about SEVIS registration to start/complete the I-9 process and start my on-campus job? No, you are not required to wait for OIS confirmation of your SEVIS registration to start/complete the I-9 process and start your on-campus employment. You are legally eligible to begin your on-campus employment once you are within 30 days from the start of classes. However, to ensure a smooth I-9 verification process, we strongly recommend that you have at least completed YOUR part of the check-in process so that we have everything we need to register your record. The I-9 process verifies your eligibility partly by a review of your documents and partly by pinging a database fed by SEVIS. As long as you have completed your check-in tasks completely and correctly, including uploading your immigration documents, the OIS check-in team will be able to work with the NCSU I-9 team to coordinate registration of SEVIS records that have an earlier deadline for registration after completing the I-9 process. So, if you need/want to start your on-campus job (and thus need to do the I-9), then please do go ahead and start that job!

Do I need to wait for confirmation from OIS about SEVIS registration to get my NCSU ID card? Nope! But, remember that you should not break quarantine if you are in a quarantine period still. If you are not required to quarantine or your quarantine period if over, you may obtain your NCSU ID card. More information about obtain this process can be found on our First Things page.

What should I do if I have general I-9 questions. For general and specific questions, you can email i9questions@ncsu.edu

Where can I get my I-9 login info? Your username and password to login for the I-9 process should be emailed to your NCSU email address from Perfect Compliance. This information does not come from OIS and is not connected at all to the OIS check-in process. 

Can I do the I-9 before confirmation of my OIS check-in? Yes! We recommend that you have at least completed YOUR part of the check-in process so that we have everything we need to register your record. The OIS check-in team works with the NCSU I-9 team to coordinate registration of SEVIS records that have an earlier deadline for registration after completing the I-9 process. 

When am I eligible to start my on-campus job? F-1 may begin on-campus employment up to 30 days prior to the start of classes. 

J-1 students cannot begin their on-campus employment until the program start date on their DS-2019. Additionally J-1 students need prior authorization from OIS before beginning on-campus employment. You can find more information on how to request this authorization here.

Do I need to wait for confirmation of my OIS check-in/SEVIS registration to start my on-campus job? Nope! But we DO recommend that YOU make sure you’ve completed all your check-in tasks, document upload, etc. so that we have everything we need to register your SEVIS record to ensure no issues occur with the I-9 process when you complete that within the first few days of starting your on-campus job.

Where can I find information about social security? The best place for information is on the social security page of our website. 

Where can I find information about driver’s licenses? The best place for information is on the driving and cars page of our website.  

Do I need a social security number to start my on-campus job? No, you are permitted to complete the I-9 and begin your on-campus employment prior to applying for and/or receiving a social security number. You should apply for one as soon as possible after that however, as the university must eventually collect this information for tax reporting purposes (see the question below about the application timelines)

Is there a special application process for NCSU international students at the Social Security office? OIS works with the Social Security Administration to create a process for NCSU international students to apply for the SSN at the beginning of each Fall and Spring semester because of the large volume of new students we receive at those times. Students needing to apply during the Summer or after the Fall or Spring event should make their own plans to apply at the Social Security office.

What is the recommended application timeline to apply for the SSN and Driver’s License? It is recommended that you wait to apply for the SSN and/or driver’s license at least 10 days after your arrival in the U.S. and several days after OIS has registered your SEVIS record. The reason for this is because the Social Security Administration (SSA) and Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) use a database fed by SEVIS and the CBP I-94 database to confirm your eligibility for the SSN and driver’s license. So, if you apply before that database has received data from SEVIS and the CBP I-94 system, the SSA/DMV may not be able to initially confirm your eligibility, resulting in a need for you to take additional action to complete the application process (such as an additional trip the SSA/DMV office, and nobody wants that!). While technically you are eligible to apply before these timelines, practically speaking, it’s best to wait until the relevant government databases are updated and those offices can confirm your eligibility for the benefit to minimize inconveniences to you. If you choose to apply before these timelines, understand that doing so may create additional steps for you to complete and that OIS cannot expedite the registration process for you based on your decision to apply before the recommended timelines.