Changes in Visa Processing Cause Headaches for International Students.

The article discusses the effect on colleges of a U.S. federal policy change regarding the processing of visas for international students. U.S. Customs and Border Protection switched from stamped documents to electronic documentation in August 2012, causing schools to lose the I-20 paper documents previously used to determine students' immigration status. The change affected foreign freshman students' ability to obtain driver's licenses and Social Security cards just as they were arriving for the start of fall terms. The relationship between the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and universities is discussed.