Immigration Advising

The International Students and Scholars Office (ISSO) provides immigration advising to help you manage your immigration status. We offer one-on-one appointments, group advising, and live chat sessions with advisors. You can also send a message to an advisor through iComet.

Student using a self-service kiosk in the ISSO office.

March 2024 ISSO Services
In order to process requests submitted to the ISSO, advising services (both appointments and Live Chat) will NOT be available on the following days this month:

Wednesday, March 13, 2024 & Thursday, March 14, 2024


Contact ISSO Today

Live Chat

ISSO advisors are available to assist you via live chat during the following advising hours. All times are in Central Standard Time (UTC -6).

The Live Chat widget can be found at the bottom right hand corner of this page.

Current Students and Alumni

Mondays
1 p.m. – 1:45 p.m. CST
Tuesdays
9 a.m. – 9:45 a.m. CST
Wednesdays
1 p.m. – 1:45 p.m. CST
Thursdays
9 a.m. – 9:45 a.m. CST
Fridays
1 p.m. – 1:45 p.m. CST

Prospective Students

Mondays
10 a.m. – 11:45 a.m. CST
Wednesdays
10 a.m. – 11:45 a.m. CST
Fridays
8:30 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. CST

Check out this time zone converter to find prospective advising hours in your local time zone.

Call ISSO

For general information, call the ISSO at 972-883-4189 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. The ISSO staff answering our phone lines are not immigration advisors.

Schedule an Appointment

Appointments are available up to 7 days in advance. New appointment slots become available on a daily basis. If you don’t see an available appointment, please check back later.

Don’t see an available appointment? We have Live Chats available throughout the week to answer your immigration questions.

J-1 students, student interns, and scholars: email ISSOJ1@utdallas.edu to schedule an appointment with a J-1 advisor.

General immigration advising is for current F-1 students and alumni, as well as individuals seeking to change to F-1 status and individuals in other visa categories.

Immigration Advising Appointment


Walk-In Immigration Advising

A limited number of students can be seen for each walk-in period listed below. You must sign-in at the front desk to determine the available advising spaces for that day.

*Please note that JSOM students have priority to be seen for immigration advising in the JSOM CMC offices.

Prospective F-1 Student Advising

The ISSO Prospective Coordinators assist incoming students with the I-20 and Transfer-In processes,  such as:

  • Answer questions about financial documents required to obtain an I-20
  • Review I-20 applications
  • Provide guidance for visa interviews
  • Assist with basic Change of Status inquires (dependent on specific cases)
  • Support prospective students with general information about various campus offices

Note, questions regarding CPT, OPT, and other current student inquiries should be directed to General Immigration Advising. If you are a current student and book an appointment with the Prospective advisors, your appointment will be cancelled and you will be referred to General Immigration Advising.

Student Success Advising

The Student Success advisor is dedicated to providing comprehensive support for international students, extending beyond immigration-related matters. They are here to assist you during critical times when you face important decisions and challenges. In addition to offering immigration guidance, they also serve as a valuable resource hub, connecting you to resources both within and beyond UT Dallas.

  • Academic Issues (academic probation, academic integrity issues, and suspensions/dismissals)
  • Mental Wellness (addiction, depression, substance abuse, suicidal ideation)
  • Under Threat (assault, domestic violence, harassment, stalking, theft, threats)
  • Medical (student accident, hospitalization, student illness, injury, death)
  • Other (homelessness, hunger, financial problems, legal trouble, adjustment/transition issues, family emergency)

If you would like to book an appointment to speak with our Student Success Specialist, please send an email to InternationalSuccess@utdallas.edu.

Note, questions regarding CPT, OPT, and other current student inquiries should be directed to General Immigration Advising.

Send a Message in iComet

You can send a message to an advisor and receive a response through your iComet Portal. All admitted prospective students, current students, and alumni on OPT have access to the iComet Portal.

Alumni

If you are currently on OPT, you have access to the iComet Portal and should use the “Ask an Advisor” service to submit questions.

If you are not on OPT and no longer have an active NetID, you will not be able to use the iComet Portal. Confirm that you do not have iComet access by trying to log in to the iComet Portal. If you do not have iComet access, you may contact the ISSO at ISSOCurrent@utdallas.edu. Use the subject line “Alumni – No iComet Access.”

Your Status is Your Responsibility

ISSO advisors are trained professionals who seek to avoid errors and omissions when advising about immigration requirements and benefits. However, advisors can make mistakes.

International students must assume primary responsibility for knowing the requirements and benefits of their immigration status and for acquiring current information as it changes.

Information is available on the ISSO website and government websites including Study in the States and the Student and Exchange Visitor Program. Students and alumni may also choose to seek legal advice.

Legal Advising

The ISSO is able to provide general immigration information, but we are not able to provide specific legal advice. Our obligation to UT Dallas F-1 and J-1 students is to interpret the regulations as best as we can when presented with a specific set of facts. Specific legal advice is available, should students seek such advice, through dedicated channels outside ISSO.

Troubleshooting

I can’t log in to iComet. If you are having trouble recovering your NetID or password, please contact the OIT Help Desk.

I logged in, but I’m having trouble with the Ask an Advisor eForm. In most cases, iComet errors can be fixed by refreshing your browser and clearing your browser cache. You may also try accessing iComet from a different web browser.

If these options do not resolve the problem, please take a screenshot of the error you are experiencing and email it to ISSOCurrent@utdallas.edu with the subject line “iComet Error.”

Office Information

Office Hours

Monday – Friday, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Address

Student Services Building, SSB 3.400
The University of Texas at Dallas
International Students and Scholars
800 W. Campbell Rd., SSB34
Richardson, TX 75080-3021

Phone and Fax

Office Phone: 972-883-4189
Fax: 972-883-4010

Your voice matters; we encourage you to tell us how we are doing.