The Office of International Student & Study Abroad Services and the Office of Registration and Records has a process in place for international students who are becoming permanent residents (green card holders). Any F-1/F-2 or J-1/J-2 international students who are becoming permanent residents should update their international student advisor as soon as possible, so that we may advise you on how this relates to your current F or J immigration status. Students should also strongly consider consulting an immigration attorney, if they have not yet done so. We recommend any attorney you seek out is approved by AILA, the American Immigration Lawyers Association. 

IMPORTANT: Provide a copy of your permanent resident card to the Office of International Student and Study Abroad Services as soon as you receive it. This is a requirement to ensure your student record is updated appropriately. Send it to our email (NDSU.iss@ndsu.edu or drop off a paper copy at our front desk).

Please be aware of the following:

1. Health Insurance. Students who have become permanent residents may choose to no longer have the required international student health insurance policy. If the premium has already been purchased at the time you notify us, no refund is possible, but if it is before the insurance payment deadline, no charges will be incurred and you will be removed from the list of students charged insurance.
2. Tuition Residency Questions. Once a student has been a permanent resident for one year, a student may qualify for North Dakota residency for tuition purposes with the required documentation. More information on that can be found here: North Dakota Residency Any questions about this can be directed to the Office of Registration and Records at ndsu.registration.records@ndsu.edu.
3. New Undergraduate Student Scholarships. Once you become a permanent resident, you are not eligible to apply for any undergraduate international student tuition waivers. This would pertain to the New International Student awards and the Lorraine Murphy Scholarship. These are only available to degree seeking undergraduate applicants in non-immigrant visa statuses.
4. Students on OPT/STEM OPT. If you are currently on OPT/STEM OPT, you are welcome to submit one last Report OPT Update form, to ensure your SEVIS record is up-to-date before we terminate your F-1 record for an approved change of status.
5. Have you moved?  Do you need to update your address with NDSU? Update your contact information in Campus Connection. If you are a permanent resident, there is no need to update us for SEVIS purposes because your F-1 status will no longer be valid.
6. Have you recently married and changed your name? Visit the page of Registration and Records for more information on submitting a request for a name change.
7. Are you working on campus? Finally - if you are working on the NDSU campus, provide a copy of your new greencard to the NDSU Payroll Services Office.

NDSU determines all of these actions by the start date as listed on your permanent resident card.

For related questions on this process, please contact your assigned international student advisor by emailing NDSU.iss@ndsu.edu.