Dear International Students and Scholars at Yale,
Given some recent executive and agency actions, we wanted to remind you about some of the protocols for responding to law enforcement, as well as some requirements and simple actions you can take to maintain your immigration status in the U.S.
These reminders will help you be prepared for any encounter and at the same time maintain your immigration status by taking simple steps. OISS is always here to support you and answer any questions or concerns. If you have any questions, please contact your designated OISS adviser.
How to Respond to a Request from Law Enforcement
If you encounter immigration enforcement (ICE), ask the officer or agent for their credentials and then ask them to wait.
Then, please immediately contact the Yale Police Department (YPD) at (203) 432-4400. YPD is prepared for calls from the university community on these matters.
The Public Safety page provides information about YPD policies and procedures for outside law enforcement presence on campus. This page also provides detailed guidance on what to do when you encounter law enforcement. Please see Guidance for Contacts with Law Enforcement.
Requirement to Carry Immigration Registration Document
Section 264(e) of the INA requires every nonimmigrant of 18 years of age and over to carry evidence of immigration registration document (such as Form I-94, see below) “at all times,” including when traveling domestically or just going about daily life. Based on this requirement, we recommend that you do the following:
Traveling Locally (In and Around New Haven)
- Most Recent I-94 arrival and departure record (NOT the travel history)
- F-1 Form I-20 or J-1 Form DS-2019
- Passport bio page
- Visa issued by the U.S. consulate (Canadian citizens do not need a visa)
- I-797 Approval notice (for those in H-1B or O-1 status)
- EAD card (for those who rae currently on F-1 OPT or STEM OPT)
Traveling Outside of New Haven
You should carry all your original documents:
- Valid passport
- Most Recent I-94 record
- Form I-20 or DS-2019 for those in F-1 or J-1 status respectively
- I-797 approval notice for those in H-1B or O-1 status
- EAD card (for those who rae currently on F-1 OPT or STEM OPT)
Make Copies & Securely Share
In addition to the guidance above about carrying your immigration documents at all times, we also recommend that you make copies of all of your immigration documents and keep them in a separate safe place where someone else you trust can access them. Make sure to share the location of the copies of your documents with this trusted person so they know where to find them in case of an emergency.
