How to Maintain F1 Visa Status Throughout Your Studies

Your prospective school must be authorized by DHS to enroll international students and must issue a Form I-20 (Certificate of Eligibility for F-1 Student Status) or Form DS-160 (Online Nonimmigrant Visa Application). The I-20 reflects your program length, cost, and the school's confirmation that you meet academic prerequisites. Schools verify this authorization through the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS). Without a valid I-20 from an approved institution, visa adjudication cannot proceed.

Yes, you must demonstrate sufficient funds to cover tuition, living expenses, and other costs for your entire program duration. The consulate or port of entry officer will review bank statements, affidavits of support, scholarship letters, or sponsor declarations. Financial documentation typically covers one academic year plus reserves; amounts vary by school and location. Courts and immigration officers scrutinize inconsistencies between stated support sources and actual account history, so records must be current and authentic.

A consular officer will conduct an in-person interview to assess your intent to study, financial stability, and ties to your home country. The officer may ask about your academic program, career goals, and reasons for choosing your school. Visa approval is not automatic; officers may deny applications if they perceive an intent to immigrate, or if financial evidence appears insufficient or fraudulent. Denial does not preclude reapplication, but the record of denial may affect future applications.

Upon arrival in the United States with a valid student visa, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers conduct inspection and may admit you in F-1 status. CBP will stamp your passport and provide an arrival/departure record (Form I-94). Your F-1 status becomes official once you are admitted; your school's SEVIS record updates to reflect your presence. Misrepresentation of intent, inconsistent documentation, or criminal grounds can result in denial of admission despite a valid visa.

You are required to remain enrolled in a full course of study each semester as defined by your school. Your school monitors enrollment through SEVIS and reports any drops, leaves of absence, or early graduation. You must inform your DSO of any address changes, employment, or changes in your academic program. Failure to report changes or dropping below full-time status without authorization results in automatic loss of status, even if unintentional.

F-1 students may work on campus up to 20 hours per week during school sessions and full-time during official breaks, but only in positions authorized by their school. Off-campus employment is generally prohibited unless you obtain specific work authorization (Curricular Practical Training or Optional Practical Training) through your DSO. Working without authorization violates your status and can lead to deportation. From a practitioner's perspective, employment violations are among the most common status-jeopardizing issues, and many students do not realize that informal or unreported work constitutes a violation.

Travel outside the United States while maintaining F-1 status requires careful planning. You must have a valid passport, valid visa, and a valid I-20 endorsed by your DSO within six months of departure. If you travel without these documents or if your status lapses while abroad, you may be unable to re-enter the United States. Certain countries and travel patterns may raise questions during re-entry inspection, and CBP officers retain discretion to deny readmission even with valid documentation.

Once your status is lost, you are deportable and subject to removal proceedings before an immigration judge. USCIS may issue a Notice to Appear, initiating formal deportation proceedings. In immigration courts across New York and other jurisdictions, officers frequently encounter cases where incomplete or delayed SEVIS records create timing disputes about when status actually terminated, and late documentation of status changes may complicate a respondent's ability to contest the government's timeline. You have limited grounds to contest deportability if the violation is clear, though you may pursue relief such as cancellation of removal (requiring 10 years of physical presence, good moral character, and extreme hardship to a U.S. .itizen or permanent resident relative). The burden of proof rests with the government to establish removability by clear and convincing evidence, but most status violations are straightforward to prove.

If you lose status, you may seek reinstatement of F-1 status through your school if the loss was brief and due to circumstances beyond your control. USCIS may grant reinstatement if your school supports your request and you can demonstrate the violation was unintentional. Reinstatement is discretionary and not guaranteed. Alternatively, you may pursue other immigration remedies, such as adjustment of status to permanent resident (if you are eligible through family or employment sponsorship), though this requires abandoning your nonimmigrant status intentionally.