General Immigration Information
As an F-1 student, it is your responsibility to understand and comply with the terms of your visa during your stay in this country. A violation of the immigration regulations (for example, failure to maintain a full-time credit load or unauthorized employment) could jeopardize your student status.
Your admission to the U.S. on an F-1 visa is for "duration of status" (D/S).
This means that you are allowed to stay in the USA for the time during which you
are pursuing a full course of study and making normal progress toward your
degree, or engaging in authorized practical training following completion of
studies, plus 60 days to prepare to depart the U.S.
Duration of status for F-1 students includes:
30 days
before classes start |
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Duration of Studies |
+ |
Optional Practical Training |
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60 days after graduation |
It's easy as 1-2-3!
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Take at least 12 college credits or 20 intensive English contact hours every
quarter.
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Keep your I-20 and passport current and correct at all times.
Never let them expire.
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Do not accept off campus employment unless authorized.
If you are out of status, you are in the United States illegally. A student
falls “out-of-status” when he/she does not attend classes regularly, takes less
than 12 credits without being authorized, has an expired I-20, takes a break
from school when it is not legal to do so, does not report a change of address
within 10 days of that change, has an expired passport, works off campus, works
on campus more than 20 hours/week, stays away from school because of illness
or accident without the knowledge and approval of the International Student
Advisor, etc. A violation of any of the immigration regulations (for
example, failure to maintain a full-time course load) could place you out of
status. If you fall out of status, you must apply for reinstatement.
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You may apply for reinstatement of status with help from your
International Student Advisor. Reinstatement decisions are made by an
immigration official who reviews your case and determines if you are eligible to
continue studying in the U.S. Talk to your International Student Advisor for
help with this process.
If you are coming to Cascadia from any other school in the U.S., you must go
through the transfer process. Within 15 days of beginning classes bring your current I-20, the I-20s from
any
previous schools, and your passport to our International Programs Office. We will process your transfer and immigration will
be notified.
After you start to study at Cascadia, you can ask to have the credits you earned
at other schools evaluated. To do this:
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Fill out an Application for Evaluation of
Incoming Credits form. You can get the form at Enrollment Services or
Student Advising & Support Services.
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Drop it off at the Enrollment Services office
in 2nd floor south end of Library.
Note: If your transfer is not officially processed, you will be
out of status!
The Immigration and Nationality Act requires any person in the U.S. who is
not a citizen of the U.S. to report his or her address to the Bureau of
Citizenship and Immigration Services (BCIS) within ten (10) days of any address
change. This requirement has existed for many years and has recently become a
priority. If you move, inform the International Student Advisor of your new
address immediately.
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Your I-20 should state what subject you are studying and how long it will
take. If you are on an I-20 for the English Language Program, and you wish to enroll in college-level
classes, you will need a new I-20. Likewise, if you change your major (for example, from
Science to Business), report this change to the International Programs Office and a new
I-20 will be issued to you.
If you complete your current program of study and plan to continue at Cascadia
Community College in another program (for example, change from an associate’s
degree program to
a certificate), this change must be reported in SEVIS.
If you are unable to complete your course of study before the expiration
date on your I-20, ask the International Student Adviser to issue a new I-20.
The new I-20 must be issued before your current I-20 expires!
If the source of your funding or amount of your funding changes, report this
change to the International Programs Office and a new I-20 will be issued to
you.
When an individual enters the U.S., it is always for a specific purpose.
Perhaps it is to work, or study, or to go to Disneyland. Sometimes an individual
enters the U.S. with one purpose in mind, and then later changes his or her
purpose for being in the U.S. The immigration laws provide for such situations
by allowing individuals to apply for a "change of status."
You may be able to change status if:
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You have maintained your current status, and
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are eligible for the new one
You generally cannot change status if:
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Your period of authorized stay has already expired, or
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If you have otherwise violated the conditions of your current status.
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Individuals in J status who are subject to the two-year home-country residence
requirement can change only to A or G status.
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Persons admitted under the Visa Waiver Program (marked "W/T" or "W/B" on the
I-94) or who hold C, D, or K status cannot change nonimmigrant status.
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A vocational student in M status cannot change to F status.
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- I-539 form (Application to Extend/Change Nonimmigrant Status)
- Proof of SEVIS Fee payment (photocopy)
- Detailed letter requesting and explaining the need to change status (see below
for more information)
- Original I-20 issued by the school you wish to attend
- Letter of admission to the college (photocopy)
- I-94 card (front and back photocopy)
- U.S. entry visa stamp in your passport (photocopy)
- Personal check/money order for the fee made payable to USCIS
- Photocopy of the identity page in your passport
- Evidence of financial support
If your B-1/B-2 visa is endorsed "prospective student," you should have little
difficulty changing to student status. If your visa does not have a prospective
student notation, include answers to the following questions in your letter:
- What did you tell the consular officer was the purpose of your visit to the
U.S.?
- Upon entry to the U.S., what did you tell the immigration officer was the
purpose of your visit?
- How and when did you arrive at your decision to study in the U.S.?
- How and when did you first contact Cascadia Community College, and when were
you informed you had been admitted?
- If prior to your entry into the U.S. your intention was to attend school, why
didn't you apply for an F-1 student visa rather than the B-2 visitor visa?
- Have you been in the U.S. before? When and for what purpose?
- Any relatives in the U.S.? If so, what types of visas are they here on?
- What are your plans on returning home upon completion of your studies?
- Will the fact that you are studying in the U.S. have any negative
repercussions when you return home?
NOTE: You are not permitted to begin a full course of study until the change
to F-1 status is approved.
- I-539 form (Application to Extend/Change Nonimmigrant Status)
- Processing fee
- Photocopy of your I-94 card (front and back)
- Photocopy of the I-94 card (front and back) of any dependents (if applicable)
- Photocopy of every I-20 you were ever issued
- Evidence of financial support
Include a detailed letter addressing why you are requesting a change of status,
and what arrangements you have made to depart the U.S.
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- I-539 form (Application to Extend/Change Nonimmigrant Status)
- Proof of SEVIS Fee payment (photocopy)
- Detailed letter requesting and explaining the need to change status
- Original I-20 issued by the school you wish to attend
- Letter of admission to the college (Photocopy)
- I-94 card (front and back photocopy )
- U.S. entry visa stamp in your passport (photocopy)
- Personal check/money order for the processing fee made payable to USCIS;
- Photocopy of the I-94 card (front and back) of any dependents (if applicable)
- Photocopy of the identity page in your passport
- Evidence of financial support
- Proof of complying with current visa requirements, such as proof of
employment, verification letter, etc.
- Documentation of health insurance coverage
International students must take a minimum of 12 credits per quarter, and
ESL students must be in class 20 hours per week. If you fail to complete 12
credits in a given quarter you need to talk with the International Student
Advisor.
SEVIS is an internet-based system that allows U.S. schools and U.S.
Citizenship and Immigration Services (CIS) to exchange data on the visa status
of international students. Visa status information is monitored by SEVIS throughout an F-1 or J-1 student's academic career in the United States.
U.S. embassies and consulates also have limited access to SEVIS. The SEVIS fee (US$100) is required of all international students with a completed I-901 form
when applying
for a visa.
After you are admitted to Cascadia and receive your I-20, you can pay your SEVIS
online at www.fmjfee.com. Be sure to print the receipt
once you have paid the fee; you must take the receipt to your visa
interview.
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The spouse and unmarried minor children of an F-1 student may accompany the
student to the United States or follow to join the student at a later date.
Dependent family members hold F-2 status.
In order to qualify for F-2 status, a spouse and/or unmarried minor child (a
"minor" is a child under 21 years of age) must establish to the satisfaction of
the officer at the U.S. consulate and the immigration officer at the port of
entry that:
- He or she is the spouse (marriage license) or child (birth certificate)
of the F-1 student
- He or she has sufficient funds to cover his/her expenses while in the
U.S.
- He or she intends to leave the U.S. upon termination of the F-1 student's
status
- If dependents follow to join the student, the F-1 student must be admitted and
enrolled in a full course of study within 30 days, or engaged in approved
practical training following completion of studies
Each F-2 dependent must be in possession of his or her own original I-20 form
showing the names of both the F-2 dependent and the F-1 student. To request an
I-20 for a dependent, contact Cascadia’s International Programs Office.
F-2 dependents may not accept employment or engage in business under any
circumstances. Employment is defined as providing services, part-time or
full-time, for financial or other compensation, including self-employment.
An F-2 dependent's status is valid only if the F-1 student maintains F-1 status.
The F-2 spouse may not engage in full-time study, and the F-2 child may only
engage in full-time study if the study is in an elementary or secondary school
(kindergarten through twelfth grade). The F-2 spouse and child may engage in
study that is vocational or recreational in nature (e.g.
Community Education
classes). An F-2 spouse or F-2 child, who desires to engage in full-time study,
other than as described above, must apply for and obtain a change of status to
F-1.
As graduation approaches, you may want to invite your parents or other
family members to celebrate commencement with you. Here are some suggestions to
help them apply for a visitor's visa (B-2) at a U.S. consulate or embassy in their
home country.
To facilitate their visa interview process you should do the following:
1. Write a letter of invitation. Include the purpose of the visit, your
relationship to the individuals, a statement of your status here, itinerary
details and the length of time they will be visiting (usually less than three
months). It is best to emphasize the temporary nature of the invitation and to
demonstrate their intention to return to their home country following the visit.
If you will provide their financial support while they are here, include that
information as well.
2. Include verification that you are enrolled as a student. You can ask the
International Student Advisor or Enrollment Services to provide a letter for
you. You should also include a copy of your current class registration.
3. Provide details of the Commencement ceremony.
For additional information about U.S. consulate/embassy locations and application
procedures, visit:
http://travel.state.gov/visa/index.html.
Providing your family members with this documentation may improve their chances
of obtaining a visa; however, there is no guarantee a visa will be issued. The
success of their request for a visa lies in their ability to prove their funding
and that they do not intend to stay in the U.S. permanently.
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Reasons for requesting a new I-20 include:
- Program extension (more time required to complete your degree)
- Change in level of study (for example, from English Language Programs to
Associate's)
- Change of major (for example, from Science to Business Administration)
- Change in funding
- Replace a lost, stolen or damaged I-20
- Reinstatement to F-1 student status
- Change of status to F-1
- Returning to the U.S. following an absence of more than 5 months
- To invite your spouse and/or children to join you in the U.S.
To request a new I-20 complete the
I-20 request form and submit it to the International
Programs Office. Note that your I-20 must always have current information, and
not expire while you are in the U.S.
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Last updated on: Mar. 10, 2008
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