Leaving IUPUI and the U.S.: A Departure List

We are honored that you chose to study or work at IUPUI! We invite you to use the following checklist to help organize your departure. A supplemental checklist is at the end of this handout for students only. Please contact the Office of International Affairs (oia@iupui.edu) if you have any questions.

Above all, we hope you will stay in touch and let us know from time to time to let us know how you are doing.

University Obligations

If you received any wages from IUPUI during the previous year, be sure to inform the human resources administrator in your Department of your plans for departure. If you hold an H-1B or J-1 visa, please also notify OIA of your final employment date at IUPUI. The Office of International Affairs will report your departure to the appropriate U.S. government agency, depending on your visa status.
Update OneStart with your new mailing address, phone number, and email address.
Return any borrowed books or other materials to the library.
Students only: Pay any remaining balance on your bursar account in OneStart. Your diploma and official transcripts will not be released until your balance is fully paid.

Immigration Obligations

If you are a student in F-1 or J-1 status, make sure you understand your legal options at this time to avoid an overstay or other violation of your status. Choose the appropriate option to read more:
Organize a file with copies of all visa and immigration documents pertaining to your stay in the US so that you can access them again in the future, if needed. Examples of visa documents include passport, visa, I-94, I-20 forms, DS-2019 forms, I-797 approval notices, and EAD cards. OIA does not archive copies of documents for more than 5 years beyond your departure.
If you have a child who was born in the US, visit the State Department website at www.travel.state.gov/passport/ to learn how to get a US passport for your child. Your child will need a US passport to return to the US in the future.
Check your I-94 card to see if it has an "FIN" number. If so, you are subject to "Special Registration" and must depart the US from a designated departure city. Most major airports are included on this list of cities. Review the current list and exit procedure at http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/travel/id_visa/nseers/. Give yourself several hours to go through this process after reaching the exit airport.
When you depart the US, be sure to turn in your I-94 card — normally collected by an airline official. Failure to submit this card upon your exit may result in future travel difficulties.

Export Control Check

If your destination is a "embargoed country" to which the US restricts exports, dispose of all prohibited items before departure in order to avoid potential problems with customs officials on departure. Most laptops, smart phones, and similar electronic technologies are prohibited from export to these countries. You can find a list of embargoed, or sanctioned, countries at http://www.treasury.gov/offices/enforcement/ofac/legal/.

Financial Obligations

If you received wages from IUPUI or another employer during the calendar year you will need to file a tax return the following spring. You will need to obtain your W-2 form from your employer. This form contains the data that you will use to complete a U.S. tax return. It will be a summary statement of your total earnings plus any taxes that were paid. Those employed by IUPUI should note that IU prefers that you register to receive an electronic copy of your W-2. Go to this website: http://www.fms.indiana.edu/tax/w2/consent.asp for further information on using w2Express. Please remember that even though you are not in the U.S., you are required to file a tax return on all U.S.-based income. This becomes especially important if you owe the U.S. government taxes. This debt will keep accruing interest until it is addressed. OIA's website can give you general information on filing individual tax returns. See: http://iservices.iupui.edu/taxes/.
Notify your bank of your departure plans. If you have been working or have scheduled payments from your bank account, determine if you will need to leave your account open beyond your departure date to allow for pending transactions. Work with the bank to determine the best way to handle the closure of your account, or options for maintaining a US account indefinitely after you relocate abroad.
Determine if you have any outstanding bills with credit card companies, auto or renter's insurance companies, or other organizations. If you are unable to pay them off before departing, contact the organization to make arrangements for payment.

Health Insurance

Determine your health insurance end date and purchase additional coverage, if needed.

If you have been covered on the IU employee health insurance plan, your health coverage will end when your employment ends. You have the option to extend your coverage at your own expense. Contact Human Resources to learn about COBRA coverage http://www.hra.iupui.edu/hra/Benefits/default.asp.
If you have been covered under the IU mandatory Aetna insurance policy for international students and scholars, the Indiana University Health Insurance Coordinator at studenhc@indiana.edu can verify your coverage end date and advise you on extension options.
If you hold insurance from another source, contact the program administrator for that insurance program directly for assistance.

Housing Related

Notify your landlord of your intended departure date. (Check your lease to determine how much advance notice is required and if there are any penalties for leaving before your lease is finished.) Ask if there are any procedures that you must follow. Make arrangements for the return of any refundable deposit.
Notify your utility companies (phone, gas, electricity, water, cable, internet, etc.) of your departure date. If you paid any deposits when you set up the service, ask if you can get that money returned. Make arrangements for paying your final bills.
Consider donating or selling your household goods. You can donate items to organizations such as Goodwill or Amvets. You can sell them via the classified ads on OneStart, or on Craigslist.com. If you would like to give the items to new students, please contact OIA to learn if we are collecting items at that time.

Miscellaneous Items

If you have obtained a Social Security Number (SSN), keep your card! Your SSN will remain valid for the rest of your life. If you return to the U.S. at some point in the future, you will continue to use the same number. If you lose your card, you can only apply for a new one during a future visit if you are in a visa status that permits employment in the U.S.
Fill out a "change of address" form at the Post Office. (The online form does not accommodate international addresses.) Please note any U.S. immigration document will not be forwarded. Inform immigration of a reliable U.S. address if you have a case pending.

Items for Students Only

Request official transcripts from the Registrar's Office at their website: http://registrar.iupui.edu/transcript/index.html. You may wish to purchase several to avoid ordering them again from overseas.
If you will not receive your diploma before your departure date, contact your department to arrange for it to be mailed to you.
If you received any US-based scholarships or fellowships during the previous year, prepare to file tax paperwork. Please remember that even though you are not in the U.S., you are required to file a tax return on all U.S.-based income. This becomes especially important if you owe the U.S. government taxes. This debt will keep accruing interest until it is addressed. Please check the OIA website at http://international.iupui.edu/TA for information about filing your tax return. (Be sure to update Onestart with your new address information!)
Learn about alumni email accounts at https://alumni.indiana.edu/my-iu/account-management/index.html.