Maintaining Your F-1 Status
Know the F-A-C-T-S: Keys to Maintaining Your F-1 Status
This may be the most important information you will read while you are in the U.S. Please read it carefully. It is your responsibility to know and obey F-1 regulations or face possible removal from the U.S.
F=FULL TIME STUDENT
- Be a full-time student each main semester. You must complete (not just register for) a full course load each main semester. To maintain your status, you must complete 12 hours each spring and fall semester. You are not required by USCIS (U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services) to enroll in classes during summer session, unless summer is your first semester in the U.S. If you need to drop below full-time hours, make an appointment to see an International Student Counselor BEFORE taking any action even if you are failing the class.
- Never work-off campus unless you have current authorization from an International Student Counselor or the USCIS. You must either have a signature from our office on page 2 of your I-20 or an employment authorization card (EAD) from the USCIS. All off-campus employment has a beginning and ending date. Renewals must be done before resuming work. Even 1 day of work without authorization is a serious violation of U.S. law. On-campus work only requires a signature from the International Student Counselor, but you must maintain your full-time student status to be authorized. On-campus work is limited to 20 hours or less per week.
- Keep your passport valid at all times. Your passport should be valid for at least 6 months into the future.
- You are required to carry your immigration documents (passport, I-94 card, I-20) with you. You can be fined and/or sent to jail if you do not have your documents with you. Local law enforcement officials recommend that you carry at least a copy of your immigration documents in the greater Houston area. You should definitely carry the original documents with you outside of Houston, even if you are remaining in the U.S.
- Inside the U.S. you must maintain your visa status, not your visa sticker in your passport. The visa sticker in your passport can expire while you are in the U.S. because its ONLY function is to serve as a key to enter or reenter the U.S. Your visa status is defined with the F-1 and D/S (Duration of Status) on your I-20 and I-94 card. You must maintain your status (not the sticker) in order to remain in the U.S. You maintain your visa status by obeying all U.S. regulations (highlighted in this handout). You only need to renew your visa sticker if you leave the U.S. and want to reenter. Be sure to only enter with an F-1 visa if you want to have F-1 status in the U.S. The type of visa sticker you use determines your status. Only students are granted D/S on their I-94 card. Other visa holders receive specific dates for departure. If you are an F-1 student and have a specific departure date on your I-94 card (there is no D/S), make an appointment to see your International Student Counselor immediately.
- Only attend the school listed on your current I-20. To attend another school, you must transfer to that school (obtain approval on a new I-20) or receive a concurrent enrollment letter from our office.
- Apply for an extension of your I-20 thirty days before the expiration date.
- Report your change of address to the International Student Counselor within 10 days of the change. You may be fined and/or placed in jail if the USCIS does not have your current address. You are responsible for submitting the change of address to the International Student Counselor within 10 days every time you move. You must also report the new address, phone number and email to the Enrollment Services Office.
- Complete an I-20 transfer whenever you change schools. An I-20 transfer (not the same as transferring academic credit) must be completed within 15 days of the beginning of classes of the first semester at the new school. An I-20 transfer is not complete until an International Student Counselor electronically submits your new I-20 to the USCIS and you sign the Student Copy. San Jacinto Community College District has three campuses. If you plan on taking most of your courses on a campus that is not listed on your I-20, you must file for a transfer to that campus.
- Obtain a new I-20 whenever you make a change in degree levels. This includes changing levels at the same school or a new one (associate to bachelor's) or beginning a new degree at the same level (associate's degree to a 2nd associate's).
- Obtain a travel endorsement on page 2 of your I-20 before leaving the U.S. if you plan to reenter. This will be needed if you want to reenter the U.S. It is not necessary if you are returning home permanently. An I-20 is no longer valid for reentry once you complete the degree plan listed on your I-20, even if the I-20 has not expired.
- Make a transition within 60 days of completing your degree or optional practical training (OPT). When you finish your degree or your OPT, you have a 60 day grace period to transition to a new I-20 for a new degree program, change your status, or depart the U.S.
- S.E.V.I.S. (Student & Exchange Visitor Information System) is the new government tracking system that requires International Student Counselors to report all events in the life of a student via the internet on a regular basis. Due to this close tracking, it is vital that you stay in status by following all the items listed here and stay in touch with our office so that you can avoid unintentional violations. If you go out of status, you should apply for reinstatement within 5 months. If you apply for reinstatement after 5 months, you risk being denied unless extraordinary circumstances exist.
- Know the new federal regulations. It is your responsibility to visit the USCIS Web site (uscis.gov/graphics/index.htm) and stay in touch with your International Student Counselor. If you do not have an email address, you should get one. Your International Student Counselor uses email frequently to communicate with students and keep them informed.
