International

F-1 VISA

As an F-1 student, you were admitted to the U.S. for "duration of status" (D/S is found on the white I-94 card in your passport). This means you are permitted to stay in the U.S. as long as you maintain your status by fulfilling the requirements of being an F-1 student. The visa is a stamp or sticker placed in your passport by a U.S. Embassy or Consulate and is granted for entry purposes only. F-1 status is granted when you enter the U.S. and is regulated by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

Even if your visa is valid, you can lose your legal F-1 student status if you do not continue to comply with immigration laws regulating your stay in the U.S. If you fail to maintain legal student status, you need to speak to an immigration adviser and discuss the process of applying to the Department of Homeland Security for reinstatement to student status.

Maintaining F-1 Status

(U.S. Government Requirements for all F-1 Students)

It is your responsibility to follow these requirements to maintain your F-1 Status.

To maintain your F-1 status

• Maintain a valid passport at all times, unless exempt from passport requirements. Your passport should be valid for at least 6 months into the future.
• Only attend the school listed on your current valid I-20. To attend another school, you must transfer to that school (see below) or obtain a concurrent enrollment letter from the International Programs Office.
• Complete an I-20 transfer whenever you change schools. An I-20 transfer (not the same as transferring academic credit) is completed by first physically reporting within 15 days of the program start date (indicated in #5 of the SEVIS I-20) to the corresponding International Office at the transfer (new) school. The international student advisor at that office must then notify SEVIS of your registration at that school within 30 days of the start of the semester. An I-20 transfer is not complete until the international student advisor notifies SEVIS of your registration and indicates this on ITEM #9 of your new SEVIS I-20. You must commence classes at the transfer school within 5 months of your release date or the completion date of your current program (whichever is earlier) from your current (old) school. Failure to complete your transfer procedure responsibilities is a violation of your F-1 status. For F-1 students enroled in classes for credit or classroom hours, no more than the equivalent of one class or three credits per session, term, semester, trimester, or quarter may be counted toward the full course of study requirement if the class is taken on-line or through distance education and does not require the student's physical attendance for classes, examination or other purposes integral to completion of the class. An on-line or distance education course is a course that is offered principally through the use of television, audio, or computer transmission including open broadcast, closed circuit, cable, microwave, or satellite, audio conferencing, or computer conferencing. If the F-1 student's course of study is in a language study program, no on-line or distance education classes may be considered to count toward a student's full course of study requirement.
• Full course of study. Successful completion of the full course of study must lead to the attainment of a specific educational or professional objective. A course of study at an institution not approved for attendance by foreign students as provided in sec 214.3(a)(3) does not satisfy this requirement. 
• 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, undergraduate students must complete 12 hours and graduate students must complete 9 hours each spring and fall semester. You are not required by SEVIS to enroll in classes during the summer session, unless you are admitted to Tarleton to begin in a summer semester. If you need to drop below full-time hours, make an appointment to see an International Student Advisor before taking any action. You may have a reduced course load for valid academic reasons only one time during a degree program without violating your F-1 status. You may be below hours up to 12 months (cumulative) for valid medical reasons.
• Inform the International Office of all changes in your mailing address and location address within 10 days of the change. You should update your address and phone changes on Ducktrax. In addition, you must inform the International Office of any changes regarding your passport, phone number or email.
• Apply at the International Office for an extension of your I-20 anytime before the expiration date item #5 of your SEVIS I-20.  Failure to do so is a violation of your F-1 status.
• Obtain a new I-20 whenever information on your I-20 changes, especially when you make a change in program or degree level. This includes changing levels at the same school (e.g. Bachelor’s or Non-degree Grad to Master’s) or beginning a new degree at the same level (e.g. Master’s degree to a 2nd Masters).
• Never work off-campus unless you have current authorization from an International Office Advisor or Department of Homeland Security (DHS). You must either have authorization from our office indicated on page 3 of your SEVIS I-20 or an employment authorization card from DHS. All off-campus employment has a beginning and ending date. Renewals must be done before resuming work. If you work even one day before or after your authorization, you may be in danger of being removed from the US. On-campus work does not require specific authorization, but you must maintain full-time status to be authorized. On-campus work is limited to 20 hours or less per week during the fall and spring semesters and full-time during the summer.
• Obtain a travel endorsement on the back of your I-20 before leaving the U.S. 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 listed on your I-20, even if the I-20 has not expired.
• Upon completion of your studies (not the completion date on your I-20) or completion of Optional Practical Training following the completion of your studies, you have 60 days in order to do one of the following: 1) be admitted to attend a new degree program at the same or another university, 2) apply for a change to another visa status (e.g. H-1B), or 3) leave the United States. If you choose to begin a new degree program, you must begin classes within five months of the completion date of your studies or the end date of your OPT.