Maintaining F-1 Status
Barry University International and Multicultural Programs
International Student and Scholar Services
(305) 899-3082
As an F-1 student you were admitted to the U.S. for ‘duration-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 for as long as you maintain your status by
fulfilling the requirements of being an F-1 Student. Keep in mind that
there is an important difference between an F-1 visa and F-1 status. 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 United States Citizenship
and Immigration Services (USCIS). Even if your visa is valid, you can
loose your legal F-1 student status if you do not continue to
comply with immigration laws regulating your stay in the U.S.
Keeping the following regulations is extremely important. Penalties for
voiding student regulations vary from (1) applying for reinstatement, (2)
voluntarily leaving the U.S., (3) deportation.
Overview of Government Regulations You Must Follow in
Order to Maintain Your Legal Status
1. Maintain a valid passport at all times, unless exempt from passport
requirements.
Do you understand this rule? Yes____ No____
2. Attend the university that the USCIS has authorized you to attend.
Do you understand this rule? Yes____ No____
3. Complete an official Immigration transfer whenever you change
educational institutions. An immigration transfer must be
completed within 30 days of the beginning of classes of your first
semester at the new school. Please note: An immigration transfer is
a totally separate process from transferring academic credit from
another school. An immigration transfer is not complete until a
Designated School Official (DSO or International Student Advisor)
endorses your I-20.
*All fields must be completed.
Do you understand this rule? Yes____ No____
4. Complete a full course of study during the fall and spring semesters
(12 hours per semester for undergraduates; 9 hours for all
graduate students). You are not required by USCIS to enroll in
classes during the summer session, unless summer is the first
semester in the U.S.; however, check with your department to see
if the have any requirements for the summer. If you believe that
you need to drop a course, make an appointment with an
International Student Advisor BEFORE you drop the course.
Do you understand this rule? Yes____ No____
5. Apply for an extension if you cannot complete your degree by the
ending date indicated on your I-20.
Do you understand this rule? Yes____ No____
6. Obtain a new I-20 whenever you make a change in degree levels.
This would include changing from language studies to a bachelor’s
degree, from a bachelor’s to a master’s, from master’s to a
doctorate, from Optional Practical Training Program to a new
degree, from one level of degree to one on the same level
(master’s to a second master’s), etc.
Do you understand this rule? Yes____ No____
7. Work off-campus only if you have first received authorization from
an International Student Advisor or USCIS. On-campus work does
not require authorization, but you must maintain your full-time
student status or your work on-campus will become illegal. Please
note: If you work illegally you must leave the country or face
deportation. You cannot be reinstated. On campus work is limited
to part-time (20 hours or less per week) during the fall and spring
semesters. It may be full-time (more than 20 hours) during the
summer and official school breaks.
Do you understand this rule? Yes____ No____
8. Request travel endorsement on the back of your I-20 form from
International and Multicultural Programs 2 weeks prior to scheduled
departure from the U.S. if you wish to re-enter the U.S.
Do you understand this rule? Yes____ No____
9. Report a change of address to International and Multicultural
Programs within 7 days of the change.
Do you understand this rule? Yes____ No____
“I have read the above statements about maintaining my F-1status
in the U.S. and realize that it is my responsibility to understand and
follow the regulations pertaining to my legal status in the U.S.”
*All fields must be completed.
Name [print please] _______________________________________________
Signature__________________________________________________________
SS Number______________________Date______________________________
Local Address______________________________________________________
*All fields must be completed.
