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Transferring Your SEVIS Record

Eligibility

You are eligible to transfer your SEVIS record if you have been admitted to Wesleyan and you meet the following requirements:

  • You are currently in valid F-1 student status as an enrolled student at a SEVP-certified school or within your 60-day grace period following the completion of your academic program.
  • Your program at Wesleyan will begin no more than five months after your current completion date.

    OR

  • You are currently in F-1 status on post-completion Optional Practical Training (OPT) or within your 60-day grace period following the completion of your OPT.
  • Your program at Wesleyan will begin no more than five months after your post-completion OPT employment end date.

Determining Your SEVIS Transfer Date

Contact your current international student advisor (also known as a Designated School Official/DSO) to determine the date they will transfer your electronic SEVIS record to Wesleyan. We cannot process an I-20 for you until your record is transferred to us from your current institution.

  • If you are returning from a trip abroad after your transfer date, you must have Wesleyan’s I-20 with you, a passport valid six months into the future, and a valid F-1 visa (unless you are Canadian or returning from a trip to Canada or Mexico for 30 days or less).
  • If you are currently on OPT, your transfer date will end your post-completion employment authorization. You cannot continue working on OPT after your transfer date.

Steps for Transferring Your SEVIS Record

UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS: After you have been admitted to Wesleyan, the Office of Admission will contact you via email and request that you submit your Certification of Finances (COF) form to show proof of funding for your full program of study at the University.

After your have submitted your COF and it has been approved by Admissions, OISA will email you the F-1 international Student Transfer-In Form. You and your International Student Advisor (DSO) at your current institution must work together to complete the form and submit it to OISA via email or fax. You must also email or fax to OISA copies of your most recent I-94 record and U.S. visa.

Once you have completed this process and your SEVIS recored has been transferred to Wesleyan, OISA will create your Form I-20, upload a copy for you to access via the International Student & Scholar (ISS) Portal, and send you a confirmation email to your @wesleyan.edu address.

GRADUATE STUDENTS: After you receive your admission letter and your Wesleyan Credentials (Wesleyan ID number and Wesleyan email address) you will use your Wesleyan credentials to log-in to the ISS Portal to submit your Transfer In Request.

Before starting your request, please gather the following documents/information:

  • Passport Photo Page (Required)
  • F-1 Visa Stamp (Required)
  • Current Form I-20 (Required)
  • Most Recent I-94 Record (Required)
  • Dependent Documentation (if applicable)
  • Name, email address (Required) and phone number (Optional) of your current school/university Designated School Official (DSO)

ISS Portal Steps for Transfer-In Request (graduate transfer students only)

  1. Log in to your ISS Portal account by clicking on "LOG-IN TO ISS PORTAL"at the top right corner of the OISA website homepage. Use your Wesleyan credentials to log in to the portal.
  2. Once logged in, click on the gray house icon located at the left side of the black navigation bar.
  3. Select Site Home from the drop-down menu. You will be redirected to the ISS Portal main page.
  4. Select F-1 Student Requests from the menu on the left side of the page.
  5. On the F-1 Student Requests Page, click on Transfer In Request from the menu choices.
  6. On the next screen, select the term that you intend to start your program of study at Wesleyan.
  7. On the Transfer In Request page, start by carefully reviewing the Announcements and Instructions sections.
  8. Complete the following sections of the request to provide OISA with the information needed to create your immigration record in SEVIS:
  • Attached Documents: You will be asked to attach scanned copies of your Passport Photo Page, F-1 visa stamp, current Form I-20, most recent I-94, and documentation for your dependent(s). If you will be bringing dependents with you to Wesleyan, please upload a copy of each dependent’s Passport Photo Page and proof of adequate funding. Please upload your dependent(s) documentation in one file.
  • Questionnaires: Please complete each of the questionnaires in this section. If the questionnaire does not apply to you, respond by selecting “No.” Make sure to start at the top of the list and complete all questions.
  • Signature Documents: This section will ask you to review and digitally sign documents with important information that indicate your understanding. Please be aware that these are legal documents. Please contact OISA if you have any questions before clicking the buttons to digitally sign these documents.
  • Recommendations: The Wesleyan F-1 Transfer In Form will be sent to the Designated School Official (DSO) at your current school by clicking on “Request Electronic Recommendation.” Under “Non Wesleyan Recommender,” please fill in the first name, last name and email address of your DSO. The phone number field is optional. Click the “Add User” button to have your recommendation request emailed to your DSO. Make sure to follow up with your DSO to make sure that this request was received and processed.

You can click the "Save" button at the bottom of each questionnaire to save your responses as you go along; make sure you click the "Submit" button to add each completed section to your request.

When you have completed each section of the Transfer In Request, click the red "Submit" button at the top of the page.

If you start a request in the ISS Portal but are unable to complete it, you may return to it at a later time. Do not start a new one. To return to an existing request, please go to your ISS Portal User Home Page.

Receiving Your I-20

Once OISA creates your I-20, we will upload an electronic copy for you in the ISS Portal and send you a confirmation email to your Wesleyan email address with instructions on how to access it. Please review your I-20 carefully to ensure that the information is correct. The "Form Issue Reason" on page 1 should read: "Transfer Pending - (name of your current institution)." Contact OISA via email at oisa@wesleyan.edu if any corrections are needed on your form. 

If it is correct, print a copy of your I-20 and sign and date it in blue ink in the "Student Attestation" section on page 1. Students age 18 and under should also have their parents sign and date this form on the appropriate line. 

U.S. federal guidance permits SEVP-certified colleges and universities such as Wesleyan to issue Form I-20s electronically. You are allowed to print out the copy of your I-20 we upload for you in the ISS Portal, sign and date it, and use it for your visa interview and entry to the U.S.

If you would like OISA to mail you a printed copy of your original I-20, you must use University Express Mail Service (UEMS)/eShipGlobal to pay to have your document shipped to your address. Please follow these instructions to create your eShipGlobal account and pay for shipping of your I-20: 

  1. Register for an eShipGlobal (“UEMS”) student/scholar account.
  2. Activate your account by clicking the link sent to your email address, then log in to your account.
  3. Click the “I-20” icon.
  4. Enter and select “Wesleyan University” in the search box.
  5. Confirm or update your complete delivery address and current contact information.
  6. Select your preferred carrier (FedEx or UPS) from the options provided.

Once you reach the “Shipment Summary” page your request is complete, and OISA will automatically be sent a notification and your shipping label. You will automatically receive a confirmation email with your shipment and order details from eShipGlobal, and once OISA has processed and shipped your document, you will receive a notification via email with your tracking information.

You may also track or check the current status of your shipment at any time (real-time tracking is available 24/7) by logging into your eShipGlobal account, downloading the “UEMS” mobile app (iOS & Google), or by contacting eShipGlobal Customer Service.

If you encounter difficulties or have questions, please contact eShipGlobal Customer Service directly. eShipGlobal student support representatives are available Monday through Friday, from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. (CST) via email, phone, or chat online with a live representative.

  • Customer Service Email: studentsupport@eshipglobal.com
  • Customer Service Phone: 800-816-1615 or 972-518-1775 (U.S./Canada), or 001-972-518-1775 (International)

You can chat online with a live representative (log in to your account and click the blue tab labeled “Online”). You can also refer to eShipGlobal’s FAQ page for a list of frequently asked questions and answers.

Travel Outside the U.S. & Reentry as a Transfer Student

As a transfer student, you may exit the U.S. and reenter more than 30 days before your program start date listed on your I-20 as long as you have with you all your required immigration documents when you arrive at the port of entry.