Immigration: MESSAGE 1: ON-GOING: Summer Graduates MESSAGE 2: ON-GOING: Greece now part of the Visa Waiver Program Taxes: MESSAGE 1: THIS WEEK: Tax Filing Deadlines MESSAGE 2: ON-GOING: TAX Filing Requirements About the IC: MESSAGE 1: UPDATE: Advising Hours Changes Activities and Events: MESSAGE 1: NEW: Free Art Chicago Passes! MESSAGE 2: NEW: ISO Board Recruitment MESSAGE 3: NEW: Fusion of Culture II MESSAGE 4: UPCOMING: World Cup of Soccer Video Game Tournament This email contains important information about ways to maintain your status, advising hours, as well as many other topics of interest. Please read it each week for important updates! Immigration: MESSAGE 1: ON-GOING: Summer Graduates The IC will start accepting Summer graduate s OPT applications on April 12th. You must be registered for your last courses in the summer before the IC can process your application. If you are registered for less than 6 credits, you will also need to submit a Less Than Full Time form, found on the IC website. MESSAGE 2: ON-GOING: Greece now part of the Visa Waiver Program On March 9, 2010, the Department of Homeland Security designated Greece as a member of the Visa Waiver Program (VWP). Greek nationals can now travel on the VWP (as of April 5, 2010). However, potential Greek travelers may apply for travel authorization approval under the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) beginning immediately. For details, please see Error! Hyperlink reference not valid.
Taxes: MESSAGE 1: THIS WEEK: Tax-Filing Deadlines Please be aware that there are two up-coming deadline for filing taxes. If you were employed at any time from January 1, 2009 to December 31, 2009, or need to complete any form besides the 8843 form, your tax-filing deadline is April 15, 2010. If you were in the U.S. at any time from January 1, 2009 to December 31, 2009, you must complete the 8843 form and turn it in by June 15, 2010. MESSAGE 2: ON-GOING: TAX Filing Requirements Whether you worked in 2009 or not, filing United States income taxes with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is required by federal law and mandated by your immigration status. This also applies to your dependents on F-2/J-2 visas. Failure to file taxes may result in revoking your immigration status. In addition, you may be entitled for a tax refund, which you may want to receive. The Deadline for filing taxes: If you worked and/or received room & board scholarship in 2009, file form1040nr-ez, 8843, and IL1040 by April 15, 2010 If you did not have any income during 2009, file form 8843 by June 15, 2010 TAX Filing Software CINTAX AVAILABLE NOW! IIT has purchased a web-based software called CINTAX to help you prepare your U.S. income tax returns. CINTAX Complete International TAX Preparation System is a tax return preparation software program designed primarily for non-resident alien students, scholars, researchers and other educational immigration statuses to prepare their U.S. federal income tax return---form 8843 and 1040NR-EZ. There is a one-time access fee of $2 per person for using the software. After sending the payment through cash or check to the I-Center*, you will receive an e-mail from CINTAX with the access information. Non-resident alien students/scholars/researchers can also file their dependents TAX returns after completing their own. You must wait for ALL income forms before accessing CINTAX. If you completed TAX Exemption Form at the General Counsel s Office, you will be receiving 1042S that is required to complete 1040NR(EZ) by the middle of March. How to get started? Step 1: SIGN-UP with your information. Please click here. (Error! Hyperlink reference not valid.) Step 2: *Pay one-time access fee of $2
We can only accept exact cash or check. For cash, you MUST visit the International Center. A check can be mailed to: International Center: 3300 S. Federal Street, Main Building Room 405, Chicago, IL 60616. You must write your CWID on the memo line of your check. Step 3: Receive an e-mail from CINTAX with your unique access PIN number and access information to CINTAX Please contact the I-Center if you don t receive any e-mail from CINTAX in 7 business days AFTER your payment is accepted by the IC, but make sure to check if the e-mail from CINTAX was sent to your junk mail. For detailed information about 2009 TAX return, please check our web site: Error! Hyperlink reference not valid. About the IC: MESSAGE 1: UPDATE: Advising Hours Changes Until further notice, Main Campus on-call hours will be as follows: Monday & Wednesday from 9am to noon and 1pm to 4:30pm; Friday from 9am to noon. There will be no on-call advising on Tuesdays. Thank you for your understanding with this change. If you have questions or comments, please contact Elizabeth Matthews at Error! Hyperlink reference not valid. Activities & Events: MESSAGE 1: NEW: Free: Art Chicago Passes! The International Center has 60 free passes for admission to Art Chicago, the largest art event in the Midwest, taking place April 30 - May 3, 2010 in the Merchandise Mart. Each pass admits 2 people to the three shows that will run concurrently at Art Chicago. For show details, go to: Error! Hyperlink reference not valid.. Sign up here to reserve your pass(es): Error! Hyperlink reference not valid. MESSAGE 2: NEW: ISO Board Recruitment ISO Board member recruitment International Students Organization is recruiting new board members for next semester. If you want to program events, do a lot of teamwork, or just want to be productive, apply to be one! (if you can think of a better catchphrase then use yours)
Registration form will be up on our website: Error! Hyperlink reference not valid. on Friday, April 16, 2010 Registration needs to be submitted to Error! Hyperlink reference not valid. by Wednesday, April 21, 2010 at noon. MESSAGE 3: NEW: Fusion of Culture II We are thrilled to bring you Fusion of Culture II! On Apr 25th, various American dance groups will be performing on the blend of hip hop and Bollywood tunes, these unique dance performances are planned to decorate the evening of melodrama, music and fancy footwork. Also we are bringing an award winning singer Raghav for the event. Raghav was trained by Seth Riggs who has trained, amongst others, Madonna, Michael Jackson and Stevie Wonder. Raghav's Storyteller has sold approximately 1.5 million copies worldwide, and his recent tour saw him perform in India, the U.S., Africa, Australia, Canada, and many other countries with crowds reaching up to as high as 35,000. Come out and have a great time with spectacular dance performances and Raghav's most popular and seasoned beats! You ll be sure to have a good time! TICKET SALES: MTCC Bridge during lunch! Tickets will also be sold at the door. $3- IIT students $5- non-iit students DATE OF EVENT: Sunday, April 25, 2010 Time: 7:00pm - 9:00pm Location: HUB Auditorium SAF funded Event MESSAGE 4: UPCOMING: World Cup of Soccer Video Game Tournament The International Center is co-sponsoring the 1 st Annual World Cup of Soccer Video Game Tournament. If you love soccer and/or gaming, this event is for you! The tournament is being sponsored by the International Center, Office of Student Life, and Athletic Department. COST: FREE! WHEN: Thursday, April 22 @ 8pm WHERE: The BOG, Hermann Hall (Main Campus) HOW: Sign-up on the following link: Error! Hyperlink reference not valid. Want more football (also known as soccer)? There will be an inaugural World Cup of Soccer @ IIT Tournament (5-on-5 outside) in the beginning of June 2010. Keep reading your updates
from the International Center for more details about playing in the faculty, staff, and student 5-on-5 tournament to be announced soon!