Federal immigration regulations require WashU to report a physical local address, phone number and email address for all F-1 and J-1 students.

Initial address reporting

Within the first 10 days of arrival in the U.S., you must report your address to the Office for International Students and Scholars (OISS) during check-in. The address you report is updated in SEVIS, which fulfills the requirement to provide your initial address to the U.S. government.

To complete the OISS check-in, please submit the Check-In and SEVIS Registration (for F-1 students) or Check-In and SEVIS Validation (for J-1 students) request in MyOISS. Be sure to use the following address format in your request:

MyOISS fieldOn-Campus Address ExampleOff-Campus Address Example
U.S. Physical Address Line 16515 Wydown Blvd4405 West Pine Blvd
U.S. Physical Address Line 2MSC 12345Apt 800
U.S. CitySaint LouisSaint Louis
StateMOMO
Zip Code6310563108
Local address example for SEVIS

If you live off-campus, you will also need to enter your address into your WebSTAC account. You must maintain your current information in WebSTAC (the primary interface for WashU students) at all times.

Reporting a contact information change

U.S. federal regulations also require you to notify DHS within 10 days anytime you move to a new location within the U.S., whether it is a different apartment in the same building, or a whole new state. OISS will be informed about address changes for students living on-campus. If you move off-campus, you must update your change in address in WebSTAC. OISS will collect changes to local address, cell phone number and email from WebSTAC and report those changes to SEVIS as required by federal regulations.

IMPORTANT

SEVIS verifies addresses with a program called Address Doctor and rejects information that is not complete/properly formatted. OISS follow-up or clarification could put you out of compliance with the 10-day reporting requirement. Please read and follow the formatting tips found in the Updating Your Local Address in WebSTAC section below.

Updating your local address in WebSTAC

The “Local Address” option should always reflect where you are physically living. Do not use a department address.

How do I enter or change my local address in WebSTAC?
  1. Go to WebSTAC and log in with your WUSTLKey.
  2. Select “Contact Information” from “Student Information” drop-down.
  3. Hover over the “Local Address” row and select “Change Address.”
  4. Enter your new or changed local address information showing where you live in the St. Louis area. Also check your U.S. phone number.
  5. When you are finished, click “Save.”
  6. When all updates are complete, click “Log Out” in the upper right corner.
How do I format my address?

Failure to follow these guidelines will cause a SEVIS address rejection and confusion for the post office and possible mail delivery delay.

Do not list a WashU department for your local address. You must indicate where you are physically living.

Building numbers come before street names. Don’t put Forsyth 6470. It should be 6470 Forsyth Blvd. Putting the name before the number is an invalid format.

Street information goes before apartment/room number. Listing the apartment number first is an invalid format.

If you live off-campus, put both your street and apartment information in Address Line 1 in WebSTAC. Address Lines 3 and 4 are not used by all areas of WashU.

You do not need to include both your suburb name and the city name. For example, if you live in University City, your address should not contain both “University City” and “St. Louis.” Just pick one or the other – whichever you prefer.

Address example

For help on format or verification, go to the ZIP code lookup section on the U.S. Postal Service website. Input your address information, and it will give you the correct ZIP code and formatting.

WebSTAC FieldOff Campus Address Example
Address Line 14405 West Pine Blvd, Apt 800
Address Line 2leave blank
Address Line 3leave blank
Address Line 4leave blank
U.S. CitySaint Louis
StateMO
ZIP Code63108
Local address example for WebSTAC

Updating your phone number in WebSTAC

You must have a valid phone number listed in SEVIS. Make sure your have your U.S. based phone number listed in the Local Address section of WebSTAC. DO NOT list an international number in the Local Address section.

How do I enter or change my phone number in WebSTAC?

  1. Go to WebSTAC and log in with your WUSTLKey.
  2. Select the “Contact Information” link from the “Student Information” drop-down.
  3. Hover over the “Local Address” row and select “Change Address.”
  4. Enter your new or changed U.S. phone number in the appropriate field.
    • “Telephone Number” is used for landline or campus phone numbers
    • “Cell Phone Number” is for U.S. based cell phones. You should also indicate the carrier you are using.
    • DO NOT put foreign phone numbers in these fields
  5. When you are finished, click “Save.”
  6. When all updates are complete, click “Log Out” in the upper right corner.

Updating your email address in WebSTAC

You should always have your primary email address listed in WebSTAC. It is shared in SEVIS and allows the university community to easily contact you with important information.

How do I enter or change my email address in WebSTAC?

  1. Go to WebSTAC and log in with your WUSTLKey.
  2. Select the “Contact Information” link under the “Student Information” drop-down.
  3. Hover over the “Student Email Address” row and select “Change Email.”
  4. Enter your new or changed email address – it can be either your WashU email or an off-campus email, like Gmail – and decide if you want it made public. If you choose no, your email will not be available in the university’s global address book and could prevent you from receiving important university communication.
  5. When you are finished, click “Save.”
  6. When all updates are complete, click “Log Out” in the upper right corner.