ciee - council on international educational exchange

Hurricane Irene Approaches U.S. East Coast

As Hurricane Irene makes its way to the east coast, CIEE wants to provide some useful information on what to do if your community is affected. We will continue to post updates to the CIEE website and provide email updates and news that will be helpful to you. You can also call CIEE at 1-888-268-6245 at any time if you have questions about the storm. Please see below for helpful safety tips in preparation for the storm’s arrival:

Stay informed. Watch local news for storm updates. If Hurricane Irene is a serious threat to your community, evacuation instructions will be provided on the local news networks. You may also view updates on Hurricane Irene on the National Weather Service website.
The American Red Cross may arrive in your community if the hurricane does happen. They are an excellent emergency response organization and we ask you to look at their website to learn their latest news on the storm: http://www.redcross.org/.
Local authorities or the Red Cross may organize storm shelters for your safety. These shelters are excellent places to go, even if you only have questions. If there is a shelter available and the hurricane will be in your area, CIEE strongly advises you to go there for your safety.
Please know the police and fire departments are friendly and they will help you in an emergency situation.
Prepare yourself. CIEE encourages you to read more about hurricanes on the National Weather Service and the Red Cross websites. They offer excellent ideas for how to safely prepare for a hurricane storm.

Ask your employer if Hurricane Irene will affect your town if you’re not sure. Your employer may have experienced these storms in the past and will be able to tell you what to expect and what to do.

In the event that you must move to a temporary shelter, and if you have access to email or a telephone, please let us know where you are and that you are safe. If necessary, we will notify your CIEE agent in your home country so that they can notify your parents. You can email us at contact@ciee.org or call us, toll-free, at 1-888-268-6245.

SEVIS

SEVIS is the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System. It is the U.S. Government system for tracking all visitors to the U.S. You must register for SEVIS when you arrive, no later than 20 days after the start date listed on your DS-2019 Form. Registering for SEVIS is a requirement of your J-1 Visa and failure to do so will result in withdrawal from your CIEE program. If your arrival in the U.S. is delayed beyond the 20-day registration period, contact your representative to request a new DS-2019.

CIEE Offers Three Easy Ways To Register:

Go to www.MySEVIS.com

Log in with your DS-2019 Number and last name
Enter your address and contact information
Confirm or report your employer information

Call CIEE at 1.888.268.6245

Have your DS-2019 number, address information, and employer information available

Email CIEE at contact@ciee.org

Include your name, DS-2019 number, address where you are living, and employer information

Things To Remember About Registering For SEVIS:

You must be in the U.S. to register. Do not register from your home country.
You cannot register before your DS-2019 start date and you must register no later than 20 days after your DS-2019 start date. If you will be traveling more than 20 days after this date, contact your representative for a new DS-2019 form.
You can register with a temporary address, like a hotel or hostel, but you must update your address if you move.
CIEE recommends you register for SEVIS at least two days before you apply for a Social Security Number.
You need to register for SEVIS even if you already have a Social Security Number.
Finally, it is your responsibility to update SEVIS with any changes to your address, within 10 days of the change. You can update SEVIS using one of the methods described above.
You must also update SEVIS if you change your host organization, but there are special procedures for this. You must call CIEE at 1-888-268-6245 before taking any action to change your host organization.

CIEE is here to help you follow the rules and regulations of your visa. Please contact us if you have any questions regarding SEVIS.