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Guidelines for Maintaining Lawful F-1 Student Status Under United States immigration law, it is your personal responsibility to maintain lawful F-1 student status. Begin by reading the "Instructions to Students" on page two of your I-20. By following those instructions, as well as the guidelines listed below, you should be able to maintain lawful F-1 student status with little difficulty. You must maintain lawful student status if you wish to enjoy the benefits associated with it, such as on-campus employment, practical training, and the ability to re-enter the United States when you travel. Guidelines for Maintaining F-1 Student Status If you follow the guidelines listed below, you should be able to maintain F-1 student status. 1. Keep an unexpired passport valid for at least 6 months into the future. Contact your country's consulate in NY (http://www.citidex.com/252.htm) or embassy in Washington D.C. (http://www.embassy.org/embassies/) for instructions if you need to extend your passport while in the U.S. Refer to Immigration Definitions for more information. 2. Notify the ISSO of your address upon arrival and any time you change addresses. Upon your initial arrival in the U.S. to study at Columbia, you must notify the ISSO of your local address in person or on-line at https://www1.columbia.edu/sec/cu/isso/US_address_report/US_address_form.html. You will need to have a Columbia University Network ID (UNI) to gain access to the site. Thereafter, you must notify ISSO of any change in address within 10 days of moving by completing the Change of Address Form (https://www1.columbia.edu/sec/cu/isso/address_change.html) online. The ISSO and IAO are responsible for updating your address electronically in your SEVIS record. 3. Maintain full-time enrollment and normal, full-time progress toward your degree or certificate. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) regulations require that you register during the University's published registration period. Failure to do this will result in violation of your F-1 status. You are expected to maintain full-time registration and make normal progress toward your degree. Note that the definition of "full-time" may differ from school to school and that immigration regulations may require a more restricted definition of "full-time" than that followed by your department. As a result, you should refer to the guide below and consult with the ISSO as well as your academic adviser to determine whether or not you are a "full-time" student. The rate of normal progress is the rate at which the average full-time student in your school or department advances toward the degree or certificate objective. Working to finish an "incomplete" course or project does not fall within the definition of making "normal progress".
If you are enrolled in a program which lasts more than one academic year, you are ordinarily permitted an annual vacation period, during which time you are not required to register for courses. Only one vacation period per year is permitted and for most programs, this takes place during the summer semester. However, please note the following exceptions to this rule:
4. Obtain PRIOR authorization from the ISSO (if eligible) BEFORE dropping below a full course of study, withdrawing from classes, or taking a leave of absence. There are very limited exceptions to the full-time requirement, so you must consult the ISSO in advance of any drop below full-time, or you will be in violation of your status. 5. If you leave the US without completing your program of study, complete your program early or change to another non-immigrant status, notify the ISSO so that your record in the DHS data base accurately reflects your current situation.
6. Do not accept
any employment, either on- or off-campus, without written permission from
the International Students and Scholars Office and, if necessary, authorization
from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Working without proper authorization
is considered by the DHS as the most serious violation of its regulations.
If you refer to your I-94 card, you will see the statement, "Warning:
a nonimmigrant who accepts unauthorized employment is subject to deportation."
It is most important, therefore, that you consult with the ISSO before
you accept an offer of employment or begin to work. We will advise you
whether it is possible for you to work and assist you with the appropriate
procedures. It is illegal to begin to work while waiting for authorization;
you must have the appropriate authorization first. Students in F-1 status
are allowed to work on-campus for the University for a maximum of 20 hours
per week during the academic year (unlimited during vacation periods)
but MUST complete an I-9 form at the ISSO. 7. Make timely transfers
of your F-1 supervision if you enroll at Columbia after attending another
school in the United States. DHS regulations specify that
you must use the Visa Certificate of Eligibility (I-20 or DS-2019) issued
by the school you are attending (or plan to attend) when entering the
U.S. Consequently, make sure that you use Columbia's Certificate of Eligibility.
You are required to report to the ISSO shortly after your arrival and
no later than the beginning of the semester. For information on transfer
procedures, see our instructions on Transfer
of F-1 Supervision. 8. Obtain extensions, as
needed, of your permission to stay in the U.S. before your I-20 expires. If you have valid academic
or health reasons for requiring more time to complete your program than
that which is authorized on the Columbia I-20 or DS-2019, you must request
a program extension through the ISSO. Come to the ISSO as soon as you
know that you will need an extension and at least 30 days before the completion
date noted on your I-20 or DS-2019 in order to have enough time to obtain
any necessary documents. See our instructions on Extension of Stay (Current Program) for this purpose, or contact the
ISSO for more information. If you require an extension
because you will be starting a new program at Columbia (for example, if
you are moving from a bachelor's degree to a master's degree program),
you must apply for a new I-20 or DS-2019 to begin a new program within
60 days of the completion of the first program. See our instructions on
Extension of Stay to Begin a New Program, or contact the ISSO
for more information. 9. Once you have completed
your studies and any practical training that is authorized, you must leave
the U.S. or change to another immigration status within the appropriate
time allowed. This means that you are allowed
to stay for the period of time to complete a program of study plus academic
or practical training and a grace period. Those in F-1 status have a 60
day grace period in which to depart the US or change to another status.
Students in J-1 status have a 30 day grace period. 10. Carry a copy of your
passport and I-94 card with you at all times. When traveling outside
the New York City area, you should bring the original I-94 card, I-20,
and passport with you. 11. If applicable, comply
with all Special
Registration Procedures for Certain Foreign Nationals. Since September 11, 2002, certain
non-immigrants are required to be fingerprinted and photographed at U.S.
ports of entry and to make physical appearances to the United States Immigration
and Customs Enforcement (ICE) office at specified intervals during their
stay in the United States. Currently, the published registration
rule applies without exception to nationals or citizens of Iran, Iraq,
Libya, Syria and Sudan. This list is subject to change at any time, and
registration may be required of any non-immigrants of any nationality
who are deemed by a consular officer or inspections officer to require
closer monitoring. If you undergo Special Registration
when you arrive, failure to comply with ongoing requirements has severe
consequences. Requirements are described at http://www.ice.gov/doclib/pi/specialregistration/WalkawayMaterial.pdf.
You are urged to contact the ISSO if you have any questions. Last Reviewed:
20 December 2006 Last modified: 20 December 2006 |