Changing Your Visa Status

Sometimes individuals under other visa statuses need to request a change of visa status to F-1 because either their current status does not allow them to study or their current status will end before they complete their degree of studies. Please check the chart below for the most common visa types and eligibility for study in the US.

Types of Visas Eligible to Study in the U.S. 

Visa Eligible to study Enrollment requirement* Work Eligibility Additional requirements to change visa status
B1/B-2 No Part- time No work permitted
F-2 Yes Part- time No work permitted
A1/A2 Yes Either full-time or part-time A-2 students may be able to work they complete an  Employment Authorization Document (EAD) to apply for work and will need to talk to the place of employment of whoever holds the A-1 visa the A-2 visa is attached to confirm that they have permission to work Diplomats seeking change of status to F-1 must submit 2 originals of Form I-566, Interagency Record of Request – Change to/from A, G or NATO Status directly to the Diplomatic Liaison Division or the U.S. Mission to the UN within 30 days after termination.
J-1 (Au Pair) Yes Part-time J-1 Au Pairs can work as live-in childcare providers in exchange for room, board, and pay, but cannot seek work beyond that.
J-1  Yes Full – time J-1 students can work for their sponsor on-campus. Most places will allow part-time work on-campus. Individuals subject to the 212(e) Exchange Visitor Two-Year Home-Country Physical Presence Requirement must first obtain a waiver to submit a change of status application to USCIS.
H-4 Yes Either full-time or part-time You must have Employment Authorization Document (EAD) to work in the U.S.
G-5 Yes Either full-time or part-time G-5 students can only work under for the G-4 visa holder they came with.


*Full Time enrollment for undergraduates is 12 credits and 9 credits for graduate students.* 

IMPORTANT CONSIDERATIONS AND RESTRICTION

  •  ISSS strongly recommends that students who are on B1/B2, F-2 and Au Pair visas to change their status by traveling abroad since it is hard to predict an approval from USCIS when the change of status is done inside the US. If a student under any of these visas is enrolled part-time and gets an approval in the middle of the semester, it is not possible to add classes in order to comply immediately with the F-1 full time enrollment.
  • USCIS is taking a very long time ( More than 12 months) to review and adjudicate change of status applications. If at all possible, all students are encouraged to consider traveling abroad to change their visa status.
  • If you choose to travel outside the U.S. while your application is pending, the application will be considered abandoned.
  • Students who change their status in the US, obtain an F-1 status, but that is not a visa. Therefore, they must keep in mind that if they plan to travel abroad at a later time, they will still need to apply for visa stamp in order to be able to return to the US.

Process to Request a Change of Status to F-1

There are two ways for individuals currently in the United States (U.S.) with a valid nonimmigrant status to apply for a change of status to an F-1 visa in order to pursue a full-time degree at Marymount University. To be eligible you must be admitted to and/or enrolled at Marymount University.

Please note that your current nonimmigrant status must be valid at the moment you submit your change of status application and until the date the F-1 status is requested to begin.

OPTION A: TRAVEL OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES

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OPTION B: SUBMIT APPLICATION FOR CHANGE OF STATUS IN THE U.S. TO USCIS.

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INITIATING A CHANGE OF STATUS REQUEST

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NEXT STEPS AFTER YOU OBTAIN AN I-20

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Disclaimer: International Student advisors are able to provide you with general guidance based on SEVP regulations.  However, any advice provided to you by our office, as well as the information on the ISSS web pages, handouts, and request forms, should not be construed as legal advice. Additionally, due to the fluid nature of governmental interpretation, USCIS may change its interpretation of these immigration laws/regulations and eligibility requirements for benefits, at any time.  We will do our best to provide you with the most current guidance.  Each case is fact-specific and we strongly recommend that you contact an experienced immigration attorney if you have questions regarding your situation [2]].

Change of Visa Status to F-1 handout.[1] Courtesy of Georgetown Office of Global Services handouts.

[2] Text from University of Colorado, Colorado Springs