Emergency Information

If you experience an emergency while the University is closed, please use the following guidance for support.

Examples of Immigration-Related Emergencies

• Trouble at the U.S. Port of Entry
• Immediate danger of being deported from the United States
• Detention by a federal officer

If You Are Experiencing an Immigration-Related Emergency

Call the UT Police Department at (512) 471-4441 and explain your situation to the dispatcher. If you have an important immigration need that isn't an emergency, please read instructions on this page to determine how to proceed.

Do not call 911 for immigration-related emergencies!

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Examples of Health and Safety Emergencies

• Personal injury
• Urgent and unexpected hospitalization
• Sexual assault
• Automobile accident
• Robbery
• Missing persons

Call 911. After you receive assistance, notify ISSS.

Additional phone numbers for mental health emergency support include:

• Call 988 to reach the National Suicide and Prevention Lifeline
• Call 512-471-2255 Counseling and Mental Health Center (CMHC) 24/7 Crisis Line (Students only)
• Call 512-471-3399 Employee Assistance Program (EAP) After-Hours Crisis Line (University employees only)

Have questions about how to use your student health insurance plan?

For questions about your health insurance, refer to our frequently asked questions for further information.

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Immigration-Related Issues & Questions that are non-Emergencies

• I Need a Travel Signature

  Please note that this is not considered an emergency. If you leave the U.S. without a signature and return during the time when ISSS is closed, you will likely be issued an I-515A (read more below) which will require to you to meet with ISSS once the office reopens. 

  Knowing how to maintain your I-20/DS-2019 travel signature is important. Here are some things to keep in mind:

  • The travel signature is needed to reenter the U.S., not for leaving the country.
  • The travel signature can be sent to you electronically.
  • The last advisor signature on p. 2 of your I-20 or p. 1 of your DS-2019 must be no older than 1 year from the day you reenter U.S. 
  • F-1 and J-1 Students: You may request a new I-20 travel signature or DS-2019 travel signature online in myIO.
  • J Scholars: Request a signature on your DS-2019 through myIO or by contacting the faculty and scholar services team directly.
• I Lost My I-20/DS-2019 and/or OPT EAD Card

  Lost I-20/DS-2019: Please note that this is not considered an emergency. In the event that you travel abroad and reenter the U.S. without your I-20/DS-2019, you will likely be sent to Secondary Inspection and issued an I-515A upon entry. See more on Secondary Inspection and I-515A below.

  Lost OPT EAD Card: USCIS has outlined the procedure for requesting a new card .  If you need more guidance, contact ISSS when the University reopens. 

• My Passport Was Lost/Stolen
  1. Please contact your local embassy to apply for a replacement. Some embassies require a police report in the case of a stolen passport.
  2. Contact the U.S. embassy or consulate where you got your visa to notify them of the loss.
  3. Email hotline@austin.utexas.edu (students) or scholars@austin.utexas.edu (scholars) to inform us of the situation.
• Resolving Holds

  It is possible that you may need to resolve financial and non-financial holds that may/may not impact class registration. This is not an immigration emergency. If you have questions about holds, email hotline@austin.utexas.edu for support.

• My Visa Is Delayed
  1. Let your department know about the delay, and ask if they can accommodate a late arrival.
  2. Contact ISSS when the office reopens to explore your options. You may email hotline@austin.utexase.edu (students) or scholars@austin.utexas.edu (scholars).
• I Am a New Student in Need of I-20/DS-2019
  1. If you have been admitted to The University of Texas at Austin for the upcoming semester and need an I-20 or DS-2019, you must complete the Check-In process in myIO.
  2. When the office reopens, an international student advisor will review your form and issue your immigration document.
• My STEM OPT Report is due

  If you are on STEM OPT, you may have a STEM OPT report due over the holidays. You may have received an email from SEVP/ICE instructing you to complete your 6-, 12-, 18-, or 24-month STEM OPT validation report and/or to email your Designated School Official (DSO) to verify the details of your employment. In lieu of an email, we have designed an online process to make it easier for you.

  How do I complete my STEM OPT report?

  You must complete the STEM OPT reporting process in myIO. Log into myIO and navigate to F-1 Practical Training > STEM OPT Request > STEM Reporting. Complete and submit the required report.

  ISSS will review your submission after the winter break and will update your SEVIS record accordingly. Note that immigration regulations allow ISSS to update your record within 21 days from the date you submitted the report in myIO. Rest assured we will complete this process in a timely manner.

• What Is Secondary Inspection?

  If the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer at the port of entry cannot verify your immigration status, or if you do not have all of the required documentation, the officer may direct you to “secondary inspection.” Secondary inspection allows CBP to conduct additional research in order to verify information without causing delays for other arriving passengers.

  The inspector will first attempt to verify your status by using SEVIS to check your immigration status. In the event that the CBP officer needs to verify information with UT Austin, contact UTPD. 

• I Received an I-515 When I Arrived at the Port of Entry into the U.S.
  1. If you travel without your immigration documents or a valid travel signature, the CBP officer will likely issue you a Form I-515 which provides temporary admittance into the United States.
      
  2. If you receive Form I-515A, you have 30 days from the date of entry to submit your immigration documents to the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) office.
      
  3. Email hotline@austin.utexas.edu (students) or scholars@austin.utexas.edu (scholars) when the office reopens so we can assist you in preparing your paperwork.