Office Closing

ISSO Transition to Compass, Our New Case Management System

February 24, 2017

Compass Transition

The ISSO is transitioning to a new international case management software, called Compass, expected to go live mid-March. Compass will be used as a database to manage our many thousands of student and scholar records, and to:

  • process immigration-related documents, such as an I-20 or DS-2019

  • process other requests, such as, but not limited to, permission for a reduced course load, or extending a program

  • report certain actions and updates, such as a student or scholar’s first arrival in the U.S., a change of address, or OPT and STEM OPT employment

More About Compass

What Will Stay The Same?

  • Students and scholars will continue to start with the ISSO website as their point of reference for information related to F and J status and instructions for submitting requests and applications.

  • Web pages will continue to provide descriptions of application procedures and the documents that are needed to upload to submit a particular request.

What Will Change?

  • Each relevant web page will direct current students and scholars to a unique Compass e-form. The link to the e-form will require users to first authenticate their Columbia identity with their Columbia UNI and password before accessing the form.

  • Incoming students will also start at our website to apply for their initial Certificate of Eligibility (I-20/DS-2019). They will be guided to use their PID provided by their admission office to login to Compass for this application.

Compass will have no effect on how departments currently collaborate with ISSO staff in the visa sponsorship of international professors and researchers. They will continue to use the SSP (Scholar Sponsorship Portal).

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What to Expect During the Migration (March 10th - 15th)

To prepare for the migration of data and records, website updates, and the training of ISSO staff in using Compass, the following measures will be taken.

Transition Details

The ISSO website will be accessible, but clients will not be able to submit some applications and reports.

Starting at 9:00 a.m.* on Friday until Compass is up and running by the end of the day on Monday, March 13th, we will disable links in pages in which:

  • any online application is initiated (including, but not limited to COE*, F-1 OPT, STEM OPT, CPT, Scholar Sponsorship Portal, etc)

  • student applications require the document upload form

  • fee payment is involved

  • online reporting (such as OPT reports, change of address) is submitted

* The COE will be disabled at 5:00 PM, Thursday, March 9

On the morning of Monday, March 13th, some web pages will be temporarily unavailable while being replaced.

We will be closed (all 3 locations) for the transition and training. Our email will be monitored during these days. We regret any inconvenience.