# Request For Volunteers To Participate in a Foreign Student/ Exchange Visitor Program Pilot > Briefs, arguments, decisions, and more. URL: https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/documents/fr%3A97-1205 ## Record - **Collection:** Federal Register - **Document type:** Notice - **Published:** January 17, 1997 - **Citation:** 62 FR 2685 ## Text DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE [INS No. 1800-96] Request For Volunteers To Participate in a Foreign Student/ Exchange Visitor Program Pilot AGENCY: Immigration and Naturalization Service, Justice. ACTION: Notice. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: The Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS), consistent with its statutory authority to regulate foreign students and exchange visitors under sections 101(a)(15)(F), (J) and (M) of the Immigration and Nationality Act as amended (the Act), and in consultation with the United States Information Agency (USIA), the Department of State (DOS), and the Department of Education (DoE), is initiating a pilot program (hereinafter referred to as ``the pilot'') for the 1997/1998 academic year, commencing with the 1997 fall semester, to redesign and improve the collection and reporting of information regarding foreign students and exchange visitors as required under Subtitle D, section 641, of the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 (Pub. L. 104-208). The INS and USIA are seeking out schools and exchange visitor programs located in Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina willing to volunteer as participants in the operation of the pilot. The states of Georgia, Alabama, South Carolina, and North Carolina have been identified based on their location within the eastern time zone; their being subject to uniform jurisdiction under the Atlanta District Office, which also has immigration jurisdiction for the Port-of-Entry at Hartsfield International airport; and Atlanta's accessibility to INS headquarters project managers and contractors via daily direct non-stop air flights to and from the Washington, DC., area. The types of schools and exchange visitor programs solicited include universities, colleges, vocational training schools, flight schools, and post secondary English as Second Language schools. Since the INS is limiting pilot participation to approximately 20 schools and/or exchange visitor programs, it is possible that not all eligible applicants will be selected. The INS will conduct an on- site visit prior to selecting pilot participants. DATES: Requests to participate in the pilot must be submitted in writing on or before February 26, 1997. The limited period for submission of requests to participate in the pilot is necessitated by the statutory requirement that INS establish a national foreign student and exchange visitor information collection program by January 1, 1998. The INS will notify all schools, institutions, and exchange visitor programs of the status of their request on or before March 31, 1997. [[Page 2686]] ADDRESSES: Please submit written requests in triplicate to: Brian Collins, Foreign Students and Schools Pilot Program; INS Support, 13600 EDS Drive, M/S A5S-A52; Herndon, Virginia 20171. To ensure proper handling, please reference INS No. 1800-96 on your correspondence. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information regarding nonimmigrant ``F'' or ``M'' portions of the pilot contact: Maurice Berez, Adjudications Officer, Adjudications and Nationality Division, Immigration and Naturalization Service, 425 I Street, NW., Washington, DC 20536, telephone (202) 514-5014. For information regarding the nonimmigrant ``J'' Exchange Visitor program portion of the pilot, contact: Diane Culkin, Program Designation Officer, or Tamara Martin, Program Designation Officer, Exchange Visitor Program Services, United States Information Agency, 301 Fourth Street, SW., Washington, DC 20547, telephone (202) 401-9810. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Background and Statutory Authority In June 1995, the INS established a task force to conduct a comprehensive review and analysis of the current process for the collection of information regarding foreign students and exchange visitors in the United States. As a result of the review, the task force proposed substantial changes for the collection of information on foreign students and exchange visitors. These changes were subsequently adopted by Congress. See Subtitle D, section 641, of Pub. L. 104-208. Section 641 requires the INS to collect information on an ongoing basis from schools and exchange programs relating to nonimmigrant foreign students and exchange visitors during the course of their stay in the United States, using electronic reporting technology to the fullest extent practicable. Accordingly, the pilot will test automated data systems and telecommunication technology through: (1) The issuance of machine-readable cards to foreign students and exchange visitors at the participating pilot schools and exchange visitor programs, and (2) computer-based reporting from schools to the INS on matters relating to the immigration status of foreign students and exchange visitors. Prior to August 30, 1997, the INS will amend existing regulations to cover the use of any forms and processes tested under the pilot and found suitable for use on a nationwide basis. Prior to promulgation of such regulations, participants in the pilot shall comply with all existing regulations governing their respective activities. Primary Pilot Objectives The primary objectives of the pilot are: To improve service by reducing paperwork and expediting processing required for students and exchange visitors for the duration of their nonimmigrant status in the United States; To collect accurate, timely, and reliable information for use by Federal agencies charged with monitoring foreign students and exchange visitors; To improve communication and cooperation between the Federal Government, educational institutions, and exchange visitor programs; To calculate and determine the fees provided for under section 641(e) of Pub. L. 104-208. The INS will not impose such fees during the pilot; To work in concert with educational institutions and exchange visitor programs to improve the effectiveness of current foreign student and exchange visitor programs by testing the following: --Prototype Forms I-20 and IAP-66 which incorporate bar-code technology; --Prototype machine-readable student/exchange visitor cards to be used in place of Forms I-20 and IAP-66; and --Electronic reporting to the INS from pilot participants via the Internet and other electronic media. Application Requirements and Criteria Applicants must meet the eligibility requirements set forth in section I below. In addition, applicants must provide the information requested in Section II below. I. Eligibility Requirements To participate in the pilot, educational institutions and exchange visitor programs must: A. Be physically located in at least one of the following states: Georgia, Alabama, South Carolina, and North Carolina; B. Have continuously participated in a Federally approved foreign student or exchange visitor program for the previous 5 years; C. Have complied with the requirements set forth in 8 CFR 314.3 and 22 CFR part 514. II. Information Requirements Educational institutions or exchange visitor programs desiring to participate in the pilot must provide, in writing, the following information: A. A letter of request to participate in the pilot signed by an official who has the authority to enter into a participation agreement with the INS on behalf of the school, institution, or exchange visitor program; B. The school, institution, or exchange visitor program's legal name; its INS approval code and/or Exchange Visitor Program number; the original date of approval by INS or designation by USIA and, if applicable, the date of re-approval or re-designation; C. The mailing address of the school, institution, or exchange visitor program (if a P.O. Box, specify a street address location, telephone number, and facsimile number); D. Total size of student body at the school, institution, or exchange visitor program; E. A current job description of the primary and alternate official(s) responsible for foreign students and/or exchange visitors, together with the business telephone/facsimile numbers and Internet (e- mail) address for such official(s). These officials must be employed on a full-time basis in their position; F. The total number of: (1) F-1 and M-1 foreign students and J-1 exchange visitors at the institution for each of the previous 3 years; (2) individuals within each separate foreign student or exchange visitor category for such period, (3) dependents of such individuals in each separate category (F-2, M-2, and J-2) for such period; G. A description of: (1) The foreign student/exchange visitor record-keeping system currently in use; (2) the registration record- keeping system currently in use for the general student body, and (3) the communication links between such systems. The description should cover, among other things, hardware, software, operating systems and network architecture; H. If applicable, a description of Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) use at the school, institution, or program; and I. A sequential outline of the current procedures used by the school, institution, or exchange visitor program for administering foreign students and exchange visitors. This outline should cover the process from the point of receiving the foreign student's or exchange visitor's initial application for admission through registration, orientation, and completion or termination of program. Notification to Applicants The INS, in consultation with the USIA, will prepare a Memorandum of Understanding (``MOU''), to be signed by the INS and selected prospective participants, setting forth the terms and conditions of participation in the pilot. [[Page 2687]] Participation in the pilot is contingent on the INS conducting an on- site visit and the signing of the MOU. Duration of Pilot Although the INS anticipates that the duration of the pilot will be one academic year, it may extend the pilot for one or more academic terms, as deemed necessary to comply with the statute. The INS, if it deems appropriate, may terminate the pilot at any time. The INS may also, in its discretion, terminate participation in the pilot of an individual school, institution, or exchange visitor program at any time. OMB Reporting Burden The public reporting burden to prepare the requested application to participate in the pilot is estimated to be 60 hours, including time for reviewing instructions, identifying and describing existing data systems and computer capabilities, and completing and reviewing the collection of information required to apply. Please send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to the Immigration and Naturalization Service, 425 I Street, NW., HQPDI, Room 5307, Washington, DC 20536. These requirements have been approved by the Office of Management and Budget under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act, and are recorded as OMB Control Number 1115- 0204, with an expiration date of June 30, 1997. Dated: January 8, 1997. Doris Meissner, Commissioner, Immigration and Naturalization Service. [FR Doc. 97-1205 Filed 1-16-97; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4410-10-M --- Source: Frix Law Library, https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/documents/fr%3A97-1205. Public record. Not legal advice.