Emergencies: Resources and Protocols

What to do if you experience an immigration-related emergency, such as:

• Loss of your passport or other important documents while overseas
  • Contact your home country Embassy in that country for an emergency passport replacement. They can also assist you in filing a police report.
  • Contact ISSS to discuss your re-entry plans.
• Visit by government officer at home or on campus
  • Do not accept or sign anything.
  • Politely ask a government officer if you can call Emory Police Department (404.727.6111), Emory ISSS (see below for during and outside of office hour contact information), or your home country Embassy in the US.
  • Depending on the reason for the government visit, retain an immigration attorney to represent you and help you navigate the US legal system.
• Detainment at US port of entry like airports
  • Do not sign anything.
  • Politely ask a government officer if you can call Emory Police Department (404.727.6111), Emory ISSS (see below for during and outside of office hour contact information), or your home country Embassy in the US.
  • Retain an immigration attorney to represent you and help you navigate the US legal system.
• Threat of deportation
  • Do not accept or sign anything.
  • Politely ask a government officer if you can call Emory Police Department (404.727.6111), Emory ISSS (see below for during and outside of office hour contact information), or your home country Embassy in the US.
  • Retain an immigration attorney to represent you and help you navigate the US legal system.

During normal office hours (8:30 a.m.–5 p.m.), call ISSS at 404.727.3300.

Outside of regular office hours, call the Emory Police Department at 404.727.6111 and their dispatcher will connect you with an ISSS staff member.

Please note the following:

• If international students and scholars are non-immigrants under Emory's immigration sponsorship, ISSS can assist with verifying their valid immigration status at Emory, even outside of normal business hours.
  • Call (or ask the immigration officer to call) the Emory Police Department at 404.727.6111, and the dispatcher will connect the caller with an ISSS staff member, available 24/7.  
  • While on the phone with EPD, the dispatcher might transfer the caller to someone else within EPD to triage depending on the severity of the situation.
  • We also have some helpful information on our website, including Know Your Rights handouts.
• We have been advised that Emory, including ISSS, cannot provide legal representation to individuals.
  • If international students and scholars have any concerns that are personal in nature, we recommend that individuals consult an immigration attorney before leaving the US.
  • Consulting an immigration attorney is critical, especially if they have faced any legal issues such as arrests (even without conviction), immigration violations, prior visa overstays, controlled substance violations, or DUIs.
  • The US government may not honor individual attorney representation on the spot unless it is prearranged. Some individuals have executed a G-28 retainer with an immigration attorney for their personal legal representation in case of potential issues at the border, airport, or within the US.

Other Types of Emergencies 

Students/scholars should contact the police if experiencing any of the following emergencies:

• Car accident
• Criminal activity
• Missing person
• Suicidal thoughts
• Homicidal thoughts
• Natural disaster (tornado, flood, etc.)
• Sexual assault and misconduct
• Violence
• Other incidents

What to Do

If on-campus, contact Emory Police Department at 404.727.6111. If off-campus, call 911.

Emory recommends downloading the Emory Safe app for additional helpful emergency resources.

Emory offers a comprehensive range of support services and resources that are available to members of the university community.

In addition to contacting ISSS, students and scholars experiencing culture shock, stress, conflicts with roommates/classmates/professors, financial problems, scams, etc. may also want to take advantage of the following on-campus resources:

F-1/J-1 students, J-1 scholars, and their F-2 or J-2 dependents should not attempt to enter the US as a tourist. US immigration law prohibits taking classes while in a tourist status (B or Visa Waiver [ESTA]). Doing so will have immediate and long-term negative consequences.  Also, changing immigration status within the US normally takes 8-12 months, and during the application pending period, enrolling in courses is not permitted. 

If time permits, students and scholars may request a new I-20/DS-2019 to be sent to them electronically by completing the Travel Information Update form in ISSS Link. After receiving the I-20/DS-2019 electronically, students/scholars/dependents should download, print, sign and date it in pen. They will present the printed document to the Customs and Border Protection officer upon entry into the US.

Airlines may prohibit students/scholars/dependents lacking a valid travel signature from boarding US-bound flights. Alternatively, if a traveler does not have a valid travel signature, they may experience problems with Customs and Border Protection (CBP) upon arriving in the US. Therefore, ISSS recommends that travelers change their flight plans to make sure they have a valid travel signature when traveling to the US.

If a student/scholar/dependent is unable to change their flight, ISSS recommends that they log into ISSS Link and print a screenshot of their ISSS Link homepage which contains their SEVIS ID number, SEVIS status, program level, program dates and ISSS' contact information. Travelers can present this information to the immigration officer. This screenshot is not a replacement for the I-20/DS-2019 containing a valid travel signature, but it may help the officer more easily locate a student or scholar's record in their system. See below for more information on entering the US without one's immigration document.

If an airline allows a student/scholar/dependent to board a plane without their immigration document and/or a valid travel signature, there are three possible outcomes at the US airport upon arrival:

• The immigration officer might rely on the traveler's electronic SEVIS record and admit them into the US for “D/S" (duration of status).
• The immigration officer might admit the traveler for 30 days under the I-515A temporary admission provision.
  • Since an I-515A is very time-sensitive, if a student or scholar is issued one, they must:
    • Contact their ISSS advisor immediately to notify the advisor.
    • Meet with their ISSS advisor within two business days to complete the necessary paperwork.
• The immigration officer might not let the traveler enter the US.

Yes. If time permits, students and scholars may request a new I-20/DS-2019 to be sent to them electronically by completing the Travel Information Update form in ISSS Link. After receiving the I-20/DS-2019 electronically, students/scholars/dependents should download, print, sign, and date it in pen. They will present the printed document to the Customs and Border Protection officer upon entry into the US.

Should a student/scholar/dependent encounter any difficulties at the airport, they should calmly ask an immigration officer to call Emory ISSS at 404-727-3300 (during business hours) or Emory Police at 404-727-6111 (outside of business hours).  Emory Police are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and will contact the ISSS staff member on-call for assistance.