Procedure: The ISSO cannot authorize an internship with an international organization - only the DHS can do so by issuing you an Employment Authorization Document (EAD). You cannot begin employment until you have received this card. Your first step in obtaining an EAD is to qualify for a certification from the ISSO recommending you for the internship.

Step 1: Submit the following documentation to the ISSO as early as 90 days before you wish to begin employment:

1. Your current I-20
2. Your passport and I-94 card
3. Letter from the international organization on the organization's letterhead certifying:
   a) the specific internship opportunity and a description of the duties
   b) the dates of employment
   c) the place of employment
   d) whether the employment is full-time or part-time
   e) that the proposed employment is within the scope of the organization's sponsorship

The International Students and Scholars Office staff will:

1. Review your application for eligibility
2. Issue a new I-20 with ISSO's recommendation for employment and a recertification signature
3. Provide you with the Form I-765 application for the EAD

Step 2: We suggest that you mail your application to the US Citizenship and Immigration Services by certified mail, return receipt requested. This will provide you with proof that your application was timely in the event the application is lost. We also recommend that you photocopy the entire application before you mail it so you have a copy for your records. So that the documents do not get lost, put the photos in a small envelope and label as "photos" and staple all pages together, being careful not to staple the photos. Include the following documents in your applications:

1. Completed form I-765 and required $340 fee - no cash - payable to Department of Homeland Security
   a bank check, or a money order (Please note that a money order is more difficult to track than a check.), or
   a personal check (Please write "USCIS I-765" in the memo line of the check.)
2. Photocopy of both sides of the I-20 bearing an ISSO adviser's recommendation for the internship. Do not send the original.
3. Two recent photos of yourself. The USCIS requires that the photos meet the specifications for the full frontal/passport type of photos and not be more than 30 days old when the applications is filed. For more information on photo standards, visit the Department of State website at http://www.travel.state.gov/passport/pptphotos/index.html. (Fotorush is on Broadway between 111th and 112th Streets.) We recommend that you write your name on the back of each picture in pencil.
4. Photocopies of both sides of any previously issued EAD cards
5. Photocopies of the identification pages of your passport and both sides of your I-94 card
6. Mail your applications to the US Citizenship and Immigration Services office with jurisdiction over your proposed place of employment (see the form I-765)

You may bring the completed application to the ISSO, if you would like an adviser to review it before you mail it to the DHS.

Step 3: The DHS either will send the EAD card to the address indicated on the I-765 form, or notify you to pick your card up at the DHS District Office. If you are instructed to claim your card, you must go in person to the DHS District Office with jurisdiction over your place of employment. In New York City, this is the DHS Office at 26 Federal Plaza. Bring your passport with you as identification when you go to pick up your card.

Processing time: DHS normally takes six to twelve weeks to process the EAD. DHS regulations provide that, in the event an employment application has not been processed within 90 days of the receipt notice, the applicant will be granted "interim employment authorization". Interim employment authorization is valid for 240 days or until DHS has processed the original request for an EAD, whichever is earlier. If you have not received a response within 90 days of your application, please contact the ISSO for information about interim employment authorization.

The advisers of the ISSO encourage you to contact them if you have any questions about the procedure or if you receive any correspondence about your application. Students whose immigration documents were processed by the International Affairs Office at the Medical Center should contact the IAO for specific procedures.