Immigration Status & Documents

It is your responsibility to understand and comply with the terms of your immigration status during your stay in the United States. Violating immigration regulations could jeopardize your student status. You should always consult with International Student Services if you have any questions or concerns before taking action.

Documents

Your passport must be valid for 6 months into the future at all times while in the US. You should contact the consulate of your home country if your passport is expiring and needs to be renewed. The majority of foreign consulates will assist you with passport renewal while you are in the US.

Report a lost or stolen passport to the police right away, as your government may require a police report before issuing a new passport.

If you have multiple passports:

  • Travel with both your new and expired passport if your expired passport has your valid visa inside.
  • Keep copies of old passports. It is wise to scan all pages from beginning to end.
  • If you have passports from multiple countries, only present the one you will use for entry on F-1 status. If you present the incorrect passport, you might be entered as a tourist instead of a student.

An I-20 is issued by the US school you attend and allows you to apply for an F-1 visa, enter/re-enter the US, and prove you are lawfully in the US. It is the physical representation of your SEVIS record. You will receive a new I-20 whenever there is an update to the information printed on the I-20.

Program start and end dates

Your I-20 outlines the expected start and end dates of your program of study. The end date can change if your program of study changes. Always pay attention to your end date.

The visa stamp adhered within your passport is used to enter the US as an F-1 student. It is not a document used to maintain your status. After you enter, it can expire without need for renewal unless you plan to travel. A visa can only be obtained at a US consulate, and ISS recommends that you apply in your home country if possible.

You will not have a visa, nor need one if you:

  • Are a citizen of Canada or Bermuda
  • Have been approved for change of status to F-1 and will not travel outside the US with the intention to be readmitted as an F-1 student.

Your I-94 records the official start and end dates of your status as an F-1 student. You will receive a new I-94 every time you enter the US. Students who have changed to F-1 via change of status will receive their I-94 at the bottom of their I-797A.

  • Your I-94 is the only way to prove that you are lawfully in the US.
  • Your I-94 shows your Admit Until Date

If there is a problem with your I-94 admission status or AUD, you must contact deferred inspections to have it fixed.

Admit Until Date (AUD)

Starting 09/15/2026, all F-1 students admitted to the US will have a specific date as their admit until date. This date is important to you as an F-1 student, because it determines how long you can legally remain in the US.

The AUD is calculated by taking the Program End date from your Form I-20 and adding 30 days (departure grace period). If you’re on approved Post-completion or STEM OPT Extension, it will be your EAD end date + 30 days.

If you need to extend your time in the US as an F-1 student, you will need to file for an Extension of Stay or be readmitted at a port of entry.

F-1 Visa Renewal

Documentation needed:

  • Your most recent I-20, with travel signature signed by your Int’l Advisor in ISS
  • Proof of necessary funds to cover tuition and living expenses
  • Evidence showing your intention to return to your home country upon program completion, including evidence of compelling social and economic ties to your home country
  • If you have applied or are already on OPT and it has been approved, bring a copy of your most recent OPT I-20 and your Employment Authorization Document (EAD).
  • Unofficial Transcript printed from your MyUW page if not graduated.

The Department of State recommends that you apply for a visa in your home country. Visit the Department of State (DoS) website.

You can apply in a third country for a visa, but you will not be able to return to the United States until the DoS issues your visa. In some cases, this could take several weeks if a background check is required. If your visa is denied, you will not be able to return to the United States. Be sure to check for specific information pertaining to each embassy or consulate.

Tips on How to Maintain F-1 Status

In general, students must remember to:

  • Keep your immigration documents valid and with current information at all times (including information on your I-20, passport, and F-1 visa).
  • Report a change to your US address within 10 days of your move to the ISS by sending an email to uwbintl@uw.edu
  • Maintain a full credit load and enroll full-time for 3 consecutive quarters before taking a vacation quarter.
  • Do not engage in unlawful employment.
  • Obey US laws and the regulations governing your F-1 student status.

Unlawful Presence in the US

Effective August 9, 2018, USCIS made fundamental changes to its policy on how an immigration status violation might lead to a finding that an F, M, or J nonimmigrant should be subject to the 3 or 10 year reentry bar provisions of INA 212(a)(9)(B).

Under the new policy, USCIS will start counting days of unlawful presence the day after an F, M, or J status violation occurs, unless the student applies for reinstatement or the student is covered by some other exception to the unlawful presence counting rules.

This means that you will start to have days of unlawful presence right after:

  • Your I-20 is terminated
  • Your I-20 is completed (perhaps ending OPT earlier than authorized or you request an Authorized Early Withdrawal, etc.)
  • After your 60-day grace period ends

INA 212(a)(9)(B) and (C) states: “Individuals who have accrued more than 180 days of unlawful presence during a single stay, and then depart, may be subject to three-year or 10-year bars to admission, depending on how much unlawful presence they accrued before they departed the United States. Individuals who have accrued a total period of more than one year of unlawful presence, whether in a single stay or during multiple stays in the United States, and who then reenter or attempt to reenter the United States without being admitted or paroled are permanently inadmissible.

Those subject to the three-year, 10-year, or permanent unlawful presence bars to admission are generally not eligible to apply for a visa, admission, or adjustment of status to permanent residence unless they are eligible for a waiver of inadmissibility or another form of relief.”