<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"><head><META HTTP-EQUIV="Content-Type" CONTENT="text/html; charset=us-ascii"><meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 12 (filtered medium)"><style><!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:"Cambria Math";
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:Calibri;
panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";}
h1
{mso-style-priority:9;
mso-style-link:"Heading 1 Char";
mso-margin-top-alt:auto;
margin-right:0in;
mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
margin-left:0in;
font-size:24.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";
font-weight:bold;}
a:link, span.MsoHyperlink
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:blue;
text-decoration:underline;}
a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:purple;
text-decoration:underline;}
p
{mso-style-priority:99;
mso-margin-top-alt:auto;
margin-right:0in;
mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
margin-left:0in;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";}
span.Heading1Char
{mso-style-name:"Heading 1 Char";
mso-style-priority:9;
mso-style-link:"Heading 1";
font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";
font-weight:bold;}
span.EmailStyle19
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:windowtext;}
span.EmailStyle20
{mso-style-type:personal-reply;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
font-size:10.0pt;}
@page WordSection1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
--></style><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapedefaults v:ext="edit" spidmax="1026" />
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapelayout v:ext="edit">
<o:idmap v:ext="edit" data="1" />
</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><h1>CBP Issues Formal Announcement Regarding Discontinuation of Admission Stamp for F’s, J’s and M’s<o:p></o:p></h1><p>U.S. Customs & Border Protection (CBP) has issued a formal announcement that as of August 10, 2012 <b><i><u><span style='background:yellow;mso-highlight:yellow'>admission stamps will no longer be provided on Forms I-20/DS-2019 for prospective and returning international students and scholars traveling with F, M, and J visas.</span></u></i></b> This change makes CBP processes consistent with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service’s (USCIS) recent change to stop stamping Forms I-20/DS-2019 upon change of status or extension of stay in the F, J or M categories. USCIS implemented this change as part of the launch of its online immigration benefits system, <a href="http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/menuitem.eb1d4c2a3e5b9ac89243c6a7543f6d1a/?vgnextoid=b1659e415d116310VgnVCM100000082ca60aRCRD&vgnextchannel=b1659e415d116310VgnVCM100000082ca60aRCRD">USCIS Electronic Immigration System</a>, as it transforms the agency from a paper-based system to an online environment.<br> <br>During this transition to the online system, some international students and scholars without the stamp may encounter difficulties in acquiring a driver’s license or state identification card. If a state benefit granting agency rejects an unstamped Form I-20/DS-2019, applicants may make an appointment with USCIS online through <a href="http://infopass.uscis.gov/">InfoPass</a> and take their Form I-20/DS-2019 to their local USCIS office to be stamped. This transitional step will end on Nov. 21, 2012.<br> <br>International students and scholars who encounter issues with their state or federal benefit applications should contact the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Student and Exchange Visitor Program.<br> <br>For more information from U.S. Customs and Border Protection, please click <a href="http://cbp.gov/xp/cgov/travel/travel_news/cbp_i20_stamp.xml">here</a>. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>John Mark Jones, Director<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>International Student Services<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Texas A&M University-Commerce<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>PO Box 3011<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Commerce TX 75429<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>(P) 903-886-5097<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>(F) 903-468-3200<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="www.tamuc.edu/isso">www.tamuc.edu/isso</a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>