On March 26, 2021, the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) updated the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) to remove the cap-gap extension link. This link allowed designated school officials (DSOs) to temporarily apply cap-gap relief to the record of an eligible F-1 student who is the beneficiary of a filed H-1B petition but is awaiting confirmation from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) that their petition was selected for processing. USCIS implementation of the H-1B Electronic Registration Process in 2020 eliminated this need, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) said.

SEVIS will automatically add the cap-gap extension to the record of an eligible F-1 student who is a beneficiary of a pending cap-subject H-1B petition, ICE said. If the cap-gap extension notation is missing from an eligible student’s record or other changes are needed, DSOs must contact the SEVP Response Center (SRC) at 703-603-3400 or 800-892-4829 (email: SEVP@ice.dhs.gov) and request a data fix.

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