Advising Hours and Live Chat

ISSS advisors are available to meet with you to discuss questions you might have.

You must have an appointment in order to speak with an ISSS advisor during Advising Hours, but you are welcome to connect with us on Live Chat whenever we are online.

Please adhere to the following guidelines:

If you have already submitted a Help Ticket, please do not make a separate appointment to follow up. You’ll receive a response in five to seven business days
Remember to include your Campus ID and any relevant information when making your appointment

Fall 2022 Advising and Live Chat Schedule

There will be no Live Chat on Friday, December 2.

chat Live Chat (all times Eastern US Time)

Monday/Tuesday: 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Wednesday: 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM
Friday: 2:00 PM -4:00 PM

Live Chat

When should I use Live Chat?

To ask quick questions related to your F-1 status and immigration, such as: F-1 credit requirements, CPT requirements, work authorization, travel

To ask quick questions about accessing services via the ISSS Portal, such as requesting an initial Form I-20, I-20 reprints, travel signatures, submitting a CPT application, etc.

Live Chat is NOT for following up on a submitted application or Help Ticket – remember ISSS takes 5-7 business days to process applications or respond to inquiries

Questions or situations that are more complex require an advising appointment. You can make one here: ISSS Advising Hours

Office Hours ISSS Advising Appointments

Monday: 10:00 AM- 12:00 PM
Tuesday: 10:00 AM- 12:00 PM
Wednesday: 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM

Book an Advising Appointment

When should I book an appointment?

If you have a question or issue that is too complicated for Live Chat.

If you have documents that need to be physically reviewed — other than I-20 travel signatures (see “Document Drop Off” below).

Advising appointments are NOT for following up on a submitted application or Help Ticket – remember ISSS takes 5-7 business days to process applications or respond to inquiries.

Booking an advising appointment will not speed up our reply to you; in fact it will delay our ability to respond to your Help Ticket or process your application.

Submitting a Help Ticket

If you have a question or issue that you cannot resolve using any of the methods above, please submit a Help Ticket. We aim to respond to inquiries within 5-7 business days. ISSS advisors respond to tickets during business hours: Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM.

Please do not submit multiple tickets or contact individual CGE staff members. This will only delay our ability to respond promptly to your inquiry.

Recently admitted F-1/J-1 students
Current F-1/J-1 students
H-1B Employees
UMBC faculty and staff

Submit a Help Ticket
(UMBC user)

Graduates of UMBC who are working on OPT or STEM OPT
Users without myUMBC accounts or Single Sign-On (SSO) credentials

Submit a Help Ticket
(non-UMBC user)

Document Drop Off & Pickup

If you need to drop off an I-20 for a travel signature or pick up a document from ISSS, you can visit the front desk of the Center for Global Engagement (CGE), located on the second floor of the University Center (above Starbucks and Chick-fil-A).

CGE is open from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM, Monday through Friday.

Please adhere to the following guidelines:

Only come to pick up a document when you have been notified it is available
Document requests cannot be made by visiting the front desk – please use the appropriate method (ISSS Portal or Help Ticket) to make your request
You must bring your UMBC Campus ID card
You cannot meet with an ISSS advisor when you pick up a document

ISSS is your best source of information regarding immigration, visas, and work permission. For other inquiries, please contact the specific office or department that manages those areas: