Metadata
Title
Emergency Information
Category
international
UUID
a8b3c429ea224034b7331fceb499d9f3
Source URL
https://global.utexas.edu/isss/about/emergency
Parent URL
https://global.utexas.edu/isss
Crawl Time
2026-03-16T04:26:37+00:00
Rendered Raw Markdown

Emergency Information

Source: https://global.utexas.edu/isss/about/emergency Parent: https://global.utexas.edu/isss

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

Examples:

See the section below if your immigration situation does not fall into the categories above.

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!

Health and Safety Emergencies

Examples:

Call 911. After you receive assistance, notify ISSS.

Additional Mental Health Emergency Support

The following resources are also available for emergency mental health support.

Health Insurance Questions

For questions about your health insurance, including how to use it in an emergency, refer to our frequently asked questions.

Several immigration issues are important and urgent, but not considered emergencies. If you have a non-emergent issue, please take a look at the instructions below to learn how to proceed.

This is not considered an emergency.

If you leave the U.S. without a signature and return when ISSS is closed, you will likely be issued an I-515A. This will require you to meet with ISSS once the office reopens.

See the section below to learn more about the I-515A process and Secondary Inspection.

### What to Keep in Mind:

This is not considered an emergency.

If you are on STEM OPT, you may have a STEM OPT report due over the holidays when the University is closed. 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.

You do not need to email ISSS. Instead, we have designed an online process to make it easier for you.

Immigration regulations allow ISSS to update your record within 21 days from the date you submitted the report in myIO.

### How do I complete my STEM OPT report?

Complete the STEM OPT reporting process in myIO.

ISSS will review your submission when the University reopens and update your SEVIS record as required. Rest assured, we will complete this process promptly within the allowed reporting window. - I Lost My I-20/DS-2019 and/or OPT EAD Card

This is not considered an emergency.

Lost I-20/DS-2019: If 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

While important, this is not considered an ISSS emergency. You will need to contact government authorities to report the loss and obtain new documents.

This is not considered an emergency.

Several University holds require you to contact other campus offices to resolve. Two types of holds are administered by Texas Global and can be resolved once the University reopens.

### Texas Global Holds

Common Texas Global registration holds are the I hold and J hold.

#### I Hold

I holds are administered by ISSS. For new students, this generally means that you will need to check-in with ISSS. While you can begin your check-in before you arrive, you cannot finish it until you are actually in the United States.

#### J Hold

J holds are administered by the English Language Center (ELC). ELC has detailed instructions on how to clear you J hold. - My Visa Is Delayed

While important, this is not considered an emergency.

This is not considered an emergency.

  1. If you have been admitted to UT Austin for the upcoming semester and need an I-20 or DS-2019, you must complete the document request process in myIO.
  2. When the office reopens, an international student advisor will review your form and issue your immigration document.

If you think you will not be able to make it for the first day of classes, please let your department know about the delay and ask if they can accommodate a late arrival. - 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.