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<p>I forgot to mention there there is nothing stopping you from
working on the project as is without reimbursement, and we would
gladly accept any contributions you make. </p>
<p>Simon <br>
</p>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix">Am 25.05.2025 um 17:42 schrieb Simon
Poole:<br>
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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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<br>
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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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