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<p>Hi Archit</p>
<p>IMHO google is really the appropriate organisation to advise on
this, they are paying the stipend and no funds flow through the
OSMF. In any case we don't have any control over what is listed
as your place of residence and in general we assume that google
has checked if they can actually pay the stipend to you. <br>
</p>
<p>I'll check with my fellow organisers if they have any other
input, but I suspect you really need to contact google.</p>
<p>Simon<br>
</p>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix">Am 25.05.2025 um 11:06 schrieb Archit
Rathod:<br>
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<p>Dear mentors,</p>
<p>I wanted to ask a quick follow-up question regarding my
situation.</p>
<p>As I mentioned earlier, due to F-1 visa restrictions in the
U.S., compensated work like GSoC typically requires work
authorization, which complicates things for me. While I’m
fully open to participating as a volunteer, I also wanted to
check if another route is feasible and acceptable from your
end.</p>
<p>If I were to list my country of residence as India during
the program (my home country), I would technically still be
eligible for the stipend, and I would continue working on
the project from the U.S. quietly during my personal time.
This would help avoid violating any employment-related terms
of my visa, while also allowing me to benefit from the
stipend in line with GSoC’s global structure.</p>
<p>This is of course just a private check-in between us, and I
completely understand if this is not aligned with the
program or your expectations. I really value the opportunity
to work with you and am committed to giving my best to the
project, regardless of the arrangement.</p>
<p>Looking forward to hearing your thoughts.</p>
<p>Warm regards,<br>
Archit Rathod</p>
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<div dir="ltr" class="gmail_attr">On Sun, 25 May 2025 at
03:58, Archit Rathod <<a
href="mailto:architrathod77@gmail.com"
moz-do-not-send="true" class="moz-txt-link-freetext">architrathod77@gmail.com</a>>
wrote:<br>
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<p>Dear mentors,</p>
<p>I hope this message finds you well.</p>
<p>I am writing to inform you about a situation concerning
my participation in Google Summer of Code (GSoC) 2025.
As an international student on an F-1 visa at the
University of Illinois, Chicago, I have encountered
restrictions related to work authorization.
Specifically, my university's Office of International
Services has indicated that engaging in compensated
activities like GSoC without proper authorization could
violate my visa status.</p>
<p>To comply with these regulations, I am planning to
participate in GSoC as a volunteer, foregoing the
stipend. I would like to kindly confirm if the
OpenStreetMap Foundation would be able to provide a
formal letter (only if requested by university
officials) stating the following:</p>
<ul>
<li>
<p>My contribution is completely voluntary and
optional.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>There is no financial compensation or transaction
of any kind.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>The activity is for learning purposes only,
conducted independently on my schedule.</p>
</li>
</ul>
<p>This letter is not mandatory but may be helpful in the
event the university asks for documentation regarding my
voluntary status.</p>
<p>I want to emphasize that I am truly excited and
grateful for this opportunity. I’m fully committed to
contributing to the project and will dedicate my time
and efforts wholeheartedly to ensure meaningful
progress.</p>
<p>Thank you for your understanding and continued support.</p>
<p>Best regards,<br>
Archit Rathod<br>
MS in Computer Science<br>
University of Illinois, Chicago</p>
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