MAINTENANCEOFF1STATUS

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (USICE) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection(USCBP):responsibleforenforcingthelawsregulatingtheadmissionofforeignborn personstotheUnitedStates(i.e.visitors,internationalstudents,nonimmigrantworkers). U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS): responsible for administering various immigration benefits, including adjustment of status and work authorization for F1students. TRAVELOUTSIDETHEU.S. YoumustcarryavalidpassportwithanunexpiredF1visastamp,yourcurrentI20andfinancial statementtoreentertheUS.YoumusthaveacurrentsignaturefromCityUniversitysDesignated SchoolOfficials(DSO)ontheendorsementpageofyourI20forreentry.Signaturesarevalidfor 6months.PleaseallowthreebusinessdaystogetyourI20signed. MostcountrynationalscangotoCanadaandMexicoandreentertheUSwithanexpiredF1visa ifthey stay 30 days or less(please verify with your advisor before traveling if you need avalid visa). However, once your F1 visa is expired and you visit countries other than Canada and Mexico,youmustobtainanewF1visafromtheUSEmbassy/Consulateinyourhomecountry beforereturningtotheUS. INSTATUSANDOUTOFSTATUS Instatus:YouarealawfulF1studentbyfollowingtheUSimmigrationregulations. Out of status: You are NOT a lawful F1 student therefore, you are no longer eligible for F1 benefits, such as class registration, work on campus, Curricular Practical Training or Optional PracticalTraining. HOWTOKEEPINSTATUS KEEPYOURI20ANDPASSPORTVALIDATALLTIMES I20: YourI20mustbevalidatalltimes.Ifexpired,youareconsideredoutofF1status.Ifyour I20isexpiringinthenextfewmonths,andifyouthinkyouarenotfinishingtheprogrambythe date on your I20, the USCIS requires that you notify your DSO prior to the expiration date. Students need to contact their International Student Advisor a minimum of 5 business days beforetheI20expireswithanupdatedfinancialstatementandanexplanationletter.Youwillbe instructedbyyouradvisoronhowtoapplyfortheprogramextension. Also, your I20 must reflect the correct information, for example, you need a new I20 if you changeprogramsoradd/removedependents. Passport: If your passport is within 6 months of expiration date or is lost, please contact the nearest consulate or embassy to obtain information on how to renew, extend, or replace your passport.Forexample,ifyouareacitizenofIndonesiaandarecarryingapassportissuedbythe governmentofIndonesia,youneedtocontactthenearestGeneralConsulateofIndonesia.You arealsooutofF1statusifyoucarryanexpiredpassport. FULLCOURSEOFSTUDY Immigration regulations require all F1 students to take a full course of study every quarter by successfullycompleting: 20hoursofclassesperweekfortheESLstudents, 15creditsforundergraduatestudents,and

 6creditsforgraduatestudents DistanceLearningclassesDONOTfulfillthefulltimerequirement.F1studentsmaytakeoneDL class per quarter. If you are not registered fulltime without permission from your international student advisor and the Designated SchoolOfficialfor immigration purposesyou are out ofF1 status.
i

GETAPPROVALFORPARTTIMEENROLLMENT/VACATIONQUARTERS Parttimestudy(lastquarterofattendanceandvacationquarters)hastobeapprovedby theregistrationdeadline. Students may take a vacation quarter after 3 consecutive quarters of fulltime study or duringSummerQuarterifthisisnottheirfirstquarterofattendanceatCityUniversityof Seattle. Students are required to submit the vacation request form and insurance paymenttotheiradvisorbytheregistrationdeadlineforthequarter. NOTIFYYOURADVISORATCITYUNIVERSITYOFADDRESSCHANGES F1 students haveto report address updates to the institution they attend within 10 days of the dateofmove.Toreportyouraddresschange,completeformAR11andsubmittheformtoyour InternationalStudentAdvisor. TRANSFERPROPERLY Ifyouareatransferstudent,youneedtocompletethetransferprocedurewithyouradvisorwithin 15daysafterthequarterstarts.Ifyoufailtodosowithinthose15days,youwillbeoutofstatus. DONOTWORKILLEGALLY F1studentsmayworkoncampuswithoutworkauthorization: Parttime(20hoursperweek)duringquarter Fulltime(40hoursperweek)duringquarterbreaks(threeweekseach)andvacation quarters. InternationalstudentsareNOTALLOWEDtoworkoffcampuswithoutproperworkauthorization fromtheUSCIS.Contactyouradvisorforinformationonworkauthorizations.Ifyouworkoff campuswithoutapprovalandgetcaught,yourSEVISrecordwillbeterminatedandyouwillhave toleavetheU.S. ACHIEVEREQUIREDGPA ESLstudentsmustpassallclasses,ortheyneedtorepeatthelevel. Undergraduatestudentsmustmaintaina2.0GPAandpass15creditsperquarter. Graduatestudentsmustmaintaina3.0GPAandpass6creditsperquarter. YOUARERESPONSIBLEFORMAINTAININGYOURF1STATUS,andyouloseF1benefitsif youfalloutofstatus(i.e.noteligibleforworkauthorizationorcontinueyourstudiesintheUS). ThisisnotacompletelistofhowtomaintainyourF1status.Consultyouradvisorifyouhave anyquestionsand/orconcernsregardingimmigrationoracademicissues.NoUSCISofficerwill acceptstatementsfromstudentslike,Ididntknowthat,Nobodytoldme,orIthoughtitsok formetodothisbecausemyfrienddiditbefore Onceagain,alwaysaskyouradvisorifyouarenotsureabouthoworwhattodo. PleaseDONOTmakeanyassumptionsbasedonyouroryourfriendsjudgment. WHATSHOULDIDOIFIAMOUTOFSTATUS? Pleasecontactyourinternationalstudentadvisorimmediately. Students whohavebeenoutofstatusforlessthan5 monthsmaybeeligibleforreinstatement.

To apply for reinstatement schedule an appointment with your advisor to discuss the eligibility andrequireddocumentation.ReinstatementsaregrantedthroughtheRegionalDistrictDirector of the USCIS office. Making a new entry to the US with a new I20 (instead of applying for reinstatementdescribedabove)doesnotmeanthatyouarereinstated.Yousimplymadeanew admissionandarerequiredtocomplete9consecutivemonthsoffulltimestudytobeeligiblefor work authorization. If you reenter with a new I20, you must also obtain a new F1 visa first, evenifyourcurrentvisaisstillvalid. Formoreinformation,pleasealsorefertohttp://www.ice.gov/sevis/students/index.htm.