SEVERE ECONOMIC HARDSHIP APPLICATION CHECKLIST

Below is a checklist of the items you will need to prepare in order to file an application for severe economic hardship employment

with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). ISSS must issue a new Form I-20 indicating a recommendation for severe

economic hardship employment, which you will need before sending your application to USCIS; please allow 2-3 weeks from when a

complete request is submitted for issuance of the new Form I-20. You will be contacted by email when the I-20 is ready and then will

be given further instructions. Issuance of a new Form I -20 recommending severe economic hardship employment authorization is

not an approval and does not guarantee employment authorization will be approved by USCIS.

TO REQUEST A NEW FORM I-20, YOU WILL NEED TO SUBMIT THE FOLLOWING ITEMS TO ISSS:

 A letter explaining the circumstances causing the economic need, which must also explain why other employment options

are unavailable (such as on-campus employment options).

 Documentation showing supporting evidence of the circumstances explained in the student’s letter.

THE FOLLOWING ITEMS SHOULD BE SUBMITTED TO U.S. CITIZENSHIP AND IMMIGRATION SERVICES (USCIS) AFTER

YOU RECEIVE YOUR NEW FORM I-20 WITH THE EMPLOYMENT RECOMMENDATION:

 COMPLETED FORM G-1145 (E-Notification of Application/Petition Acceptance).

 COMPLETED FORM I-765. (See Instructions Here).

 It is strongly recommended that you TYPE information into the form, check carefully for errors, then print and sign

it. If you choose to complete it by hand, print neatly in BLOCK letters using black ink.

 Complete item #27 with the appropriate Eligibility Category code: (c)(3)(iii)

 FILING FEE PAYMENT OF $410.00 (See USCIS guidelines for paying fees).

 Option 1: Personal Check or Money Order, payable to “U.S. Department of Homeland Security”

 Option 2: Credit Card Payment Form G-1450 (check carefully for errors and sign in the appropriate field)

 TWO (2) PHOTOGRAPHS. These must meet the requirements outlined on page 20 of USCIS’s Instructions for Form I-765.

 It is recommended that students write their full name, date of birth and I-94 number in pencil or felt pen on the

back of each photograph. The photos should be cut by the photo establishment.

 DOCUMENTATION explaining the circumstances causing the economic need (i.e. items listed above, as submitted to the

ISSS office to request Form I-20).

 PHOTOCOPIES OF EACH OF THE FOLLOWING:

 Form I-94 (I-94 card copied front and back OR I-94 electronic record printed from https://i94.cbp.dhs.gov)

 F-1 visa stamp (OR I-797 Approval Notice from USCIS if applicable)

 Passport personal information page(s) and passport validity page showing expiration date

 All previously issued Forms I-20 (including the newest I-20 recommending economic hardship employment)

 Previous Employment Authorization Documents (EADs), front and back, if applicable

MAKE A COPY OF YOUR COMPLETE APPLICATION FOR YOUR OWN IMMIGRATION RECORDS BEFORE MAILING IT TO USCIS 

International Student And Scholar Services (ISSS)

Website: https://isss.unc.edu

General office email: isss@unc.edu