The role of the NAFSA Region IV Regulatory Ombudsperson (aka RegBud) is to:

  • Help Region IV foreign student/scholar advisers who have a problem with an application that has been filed at the USCIS Nebraska or the California Service Center.
  • Plan and coordinate the regional conference government sessions.
  • Serve as the Region IV liaison with other offices of DHS, DOS, and other federal government divisions.

NAFSA has a number of resources for regulatory information and assistance. Advisors should use these resources to handle and trouble-shoot cases themselves. After doing this, if an individual case is stuck, advisers can use the IssueNet system to request case assistance from one of the Region IV Ombudspersons.

Start by browsing the information and links at the NAFSA National Regulatory Information Page.  

For protocol, action steps, and assistance with individual cases that are pending/stuck at a USCIS Service Center, visit the inquiry protocols page.

The final step, seeking government liaison assistance from a Regulatory Ombudsperson can be requested by submitting a case query to IssueNet. NAFSA members must use their NAFSA login and password to access the site. Non-NAFSA members will also be able to utilize this service but must first create a login ID, as per instructions on the site. During initial use the requestor will be required to enter identifying information about him/herself, but this will not be required for subsequent uses.

Region IV RegBuds

Contact a RegBud through IssueNet if you have a student/scholar application that is stuck or facing a problem at Nebraska or California Service Centers:

Becky Zama
Scholar Regulatory Ombudsman
ISSS
Iowa State University

Sara Johnson
Student Regulatory Ombudsman
ISSS
North Dakota State University

General or Routine Questions

For help with routine immigration and advising questions, please contact Gabriele Schmiegel, the Region IV International Student & Scholar Services Representative.