Home / International Student Services / Immigration

It is your responsibility to understand and comply with the terms of your immigration status during your stay in the United States. A violation of immigration regulations (for example, failure to maintain a full-time credit load or unauthorized employment) could jeopardize your F-1 status and legal stay in the U.S. Review this information carefully and contact ISS if you have questions.

“Status” is your nonresident category officially granted by an immigration official. To be in F-1 “status” means that you are legally in the U.S. and have benefits and restrictions specified in the immigration regulations for the F-1 visa category. You gain F-1 status either by entering the U.S. with F-1 documents or, for people already in the U.S. in a different status, by applying to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services for a change of status.

Your admission to the U.S. is for “duration of status,” meaning the length of your F-1 status.

F-1 status covers the period when:

  • You are a full-time registered student making normal progress toward your degree,
  • You are participating in optional practical training following completion of studies (if you apply for OPT),
  • You are in your 60-day “grace period” to prepare to depart the U.S. or change to another status; the grace period starts when you complete your degree or your OPT period.

Your length of authorized stay within the U.S. is not related to your F-1 visa expiration date. Your length of authorized stay depends on you following the F-1 rules.

Federal law requires you to carry “registration documents” at all times, including your I-20 and passport. We suggest that these documents be kept in a secure location such as a bank safe deposit box, and you should carry photocopies. However, if you are traveling outside the Seattle area you should carry the original documents with you. If you are traveling by air, train, bus, or ship, you may be required to produce these documents before boarding. Keep photocopies of all your documents in a separate location in the event your documents are lost or stolen.

Your passport must be valid at all times. Keep your passport and other important documents in a safe place, such as a bank safe deposit box. Report a lost or stolen passport to the police because your government may require a police report before issuing a new passport. To renew or replace your passport, contact your country’s consulate in the U.S.

Applying for a F-1 visa involves three main steps:

  1. Having a valid I-20 (F-1) visa document from BSU.
  2. Paying the SEVIS Fee, if applicable.
  3. Make a visa appointment and go to an interview at a U.S. consulate/embassy.

Canadian Citizens

Canadian citizens are not required to apply for a visa to enter the U.S. as an F-1 but must still pay the SEVIS fee and present their valid visa document (I-20) at the U.S. Port of Entry.

Visa Appointments

Read the U.S. Department of State website for more information about the visa application process.

Visa Wait Times

Since visa appointments are limited and visa processing times can be lengthy, you should make your appointment as early as possible. There may be long waiting periods for appointments, especially during summer or holidays; however, consulates will prioritize F-1 student applicants if requested.

Issued by BSU, this document allows you to apply for an F-1 visa if you are outside the U.S., apply for F-1 status within the U.S., enter and reenter the U.S. in F-1 status, and prove your eligibility for various F-1 benefits. The I-20 indicates the institution in which you are permitted to study, your program of study, and the dates of eligibility. The I-20 must remain valid at all times. Allowing the I-20 to expire before you complete your academic program is a violation of F-1 status.

The I-20 is a printout from your Student Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) record.

The I-94 is the record of your entry to the U.S. Most I-94 records are now electronic and can be accessed online.

You might need a printout of your electronic I-94 information to apply for various benefits such as a Bluefield State ID card or a Social Security Number. You can obtain a printout of your I-94 record on the I-94 Website.

Many kinds of updates must be reported to the Department of Homeland Security through SEVIS and must be changed on your I-20. Notify ISS of the following changes and request an updated I-20. Keep every I-20 for your permanent record, even after you graduate. Do not discard the old ones, even from previous schools. ISS files are archived and destroyed after several years, so it is your responsibility to keep your I-20s in case you need them to apply for future immigration benefits.

If you are unable to complete your course of study before the completion date noted in item 5 on your I-20, you must request an extended I-20 before your current I-20 expires.

You must register full-time at the BSU since the BSU issued your I-20 and oversees your SEVIS record. If you decide to transfer to another school, contact ISS prior to completing your final quarter at BSU. For information about transferring your SEVIS record to the new school.

If you will complete your current program of study and plan to continue at the Bluefield State University in another program (for example, change from an Associate’s degree program to a Bachelors Degree program), your I-20 must be updated. For more information, review Change of Level information.

If you are accepted into a major or if you change your major (for example, pre-major to History or History to Biology), you will be issued a new I-20.

If there is a substantial change in the source or amount of your funding, report this change to ISS and a new I-20 will be issued to you. For example, if you receive a Research or Teaching Assistantship through your department, but your I-20 indicates that you use personal funds to pay for expenses, you should request a new I-20.

The name on your I-20 should match the name on your passport. If you change any part of your legal name—first/given name, middle name, or last/family name—on your passport, this change should be reflected on your I-20. Conversely, if you want a different name on your I-20, ISS will wait for you to change your passport first, before updating the I-20. Note that SEVIS is a separate database from the BSU database.

In general, F-1 students must be registered full-time. This is defined as at least:

  • 12 credits each semester for undergraduate students

Only one online class may count towards the minimum credit amount each semester.

Do not register for fewer than the required number of credits or withdraw from a course without first receiving permission from ISS. Part-time studies could jeopardize your stay in the U.S. and make you ineligible for F-1 benefits.

To maintain status, an F-1 student is also required to “make normal progress.” Making normal progress includes, but is not limited to, enrolling in the proper courses required for degree completion, maintaining satisfactory academic progress, and continually meeting all institutional enrollment requirements.

“Employment” is any work performed or services provided (including self-employment) in exchange for money or other benefit or compensation (for example, free room and board in exchange for babysitting). Unauthorized employment is taken very seriously by U.S. immigration officials; familiarize yourself with your F-1 employment eligibility options and always contact ISS before accepting any work that you are not sure is authorized.

Your spouse and unmarried children under 21 may be eligible for F-2 dependent status. Contact ISS for procedures to invite a dependent to join you in the U.S. Immigration regulations do not permit F-2 dependents to be employed in the U.S. F-2 dependents can study part-time in an academic or vocational curriculum at a SEVP-certified school. F-2 dependents can also study in avocational or recreational programs–hobbies. F-2 dependents may enroll full-time in kindergarten through 12th grade.

An F-2 dependent who wants to pursue full-time study must obtain F-1 status to begin the full-time program.

Any change of address must be reported to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) within 10 days. Update your local address through your MYBSU account, and DHS will automatically be notified of the change. If you are on OPT, submit your address change to your PDSO. Please note that your local US address must be your physical address, not a P.O. Box. To update your permanent foreign address, which must be a non-U.S. address.

The end of your academic program affects your F-1 status. After you graduate or complete your program, you have a 60-day grace period.

If you do not complete your educational objective (for example, if you withdraw from your program), you are not eligible for the 60-day grace period. Contact your ISS adviser in this situation.

If you violate the immigration regulations you will lose your F-1 status. However, students may be able to regain valid F-1 status either through a reinstatement application to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services or through travel and reentry with a new I-20/new SEVIS record. The appropriate option will depend on your individual circumstances; review the reinstatement and reentry procedures and consult your ISS adviser as soon as possible for more information. A scheduled appointment with your ISS adviser is required because drop-in advising will not allow sufficient time to discuss this topic. In addition, we strongly recommend that students in this situation consult with an experienced immigration attorney.

Traveling on OPT can be risky due to stricter immigration policies. Review the situations below and plan accordingly to minimize the risk of traveling during your OPT period.

Pending OPT Application

International Travel is NOT recommended before the OPT is approved and before you have received your EAD card.

If your OPT application is rejected or denied while you are outside of the U.S., you will not able to re-enter the U.S. in F-1 status.

If you decide to travel while your OPT application is pending and will plan to re-enter the U.S. if F-1 status, the International Student Services Office recommends carrying the following documents upon re-entry:

  • Valid Passport
  • Valid Visa
  • I-20 with OPT Recommendation from the International Center with a Travel Signature (a signature is valid for 6 months only when on OPT)
  • I-797 Notice of Action Receipt (indicates USCIS has received your application)
  • If you have a future job offer, bring a letter as proof you will pursue OPT once your EAD card is approved.

Approved OPT Application

If your OPT has been approved, and you have your EAD card, you can travel internationally. You can re-enter the U.S. in F-1 status before the start date or after the start date of your EAD card.

You will need the following documents with you to return to the U.S. in F-1 status:

  • Valid Passport
  • Valid Visa
  • I-20 with OPT Recommendation from the International Student Services Office with a Travel Signature (a signature is valid for 6 months only when on OPT)
  • EAD Card
  • Proof of Employment During OPT:
    • Job Offer Letter
    • Letter from Employer
    • If no employment, evidence of your active job search.

Pending STEM OPT Extension Application

If your current EAD has expired, the IC does NOT recommend travel while your STEM OPT Extension is pending. You will not be able to return in F-1 status to resume employment.

If your current (Post-Completion OPT) EAD card has a future expiration date, and your STEM OPT application is pending, you will need to prepare the following documents to return to the U.S.:

  • Valid Passport
  • Valid Visa
  • I-20 with STEM OPT Recommendation from the International Student Services Office with a Travel Signature (a signature is valid for 6 months only when on OPT)
  • EAD Card (not expired)
  • Proof of Employment During OPT:
    • Job Offer Letter
    • Letter from Employer
    • If no employment, evidence of your active job search.

Approved STEM OPT Extension

If your STEM OPT has been approved and you travel internationally, you will need to prepare the following documents to return to the U.S.

  • Valid Passport
  • Valid Visa
  • I-20 with STEM OPT Recommendation from the International Student Services Office with a Travel Signature (a signature is valid for 6 months only when on OPT)
  • EAD Card
  • Proof of Employment During OPT:
    • Job Offer Letter
    • Letter from Employer
    • If no employment, evidence of your active job search.

During Cap-Gap Extension Period

You may travel during a Cap-Gap Extension of OPT when certain conditions are met but you should not leave the U.S. while your H-1B application is pending. If you have a pending H-1B or other immigration application; we strongly recommend you speak to your immigration representative/attorney for advice about your immigration status and the impact travel will have.

You may travel abroad and return to the U.S. in F-1 status during a Cap-Gap Extension period if:

  • Your Change of Status to H-1B has been approved
  • You return to the U.S. in F-1 status before the start date of your H-1B.
  • You have maintained for F-1 status

The documents you will need to travel during Cap-Gap Extension period include:

  • Valid Passport
  • Valid Visa
  • I-20 with Cap-Gap Extension from the International Student Services Office with a Travel Signature (signature is valid for 6 months only when on OPT)
  • EAD Card
  • I-797 Approval Notice of the H-1B Change of Status
  • Proof of Employment During OPT/Cap-Gap Extension:
    • Job Offer Letter
    • Letter from Employer