Change of Visa Status
F-1 Change of Status
To change your status to F-1, you can either:
- Travel to obtain F-1 status
- Change your status while remaining in the U.S.
F-1 students are required to carry health insurance.
Travel to Obtain F-1 Status
Traveling to obtain a new visa and then returning to the U.S. is the quickest method in getting a new immigration status, following these steps:
- Obtain an initial I-20 after being admitted to a degree program at Penn State:
- As a newly admitted student, you will work with Pre-Arrival Advising (email: international@psu.edu) to obtain your I-20.
- Current students: Submit the Change of Status form in iStart, along with a financial guarantee, to obtain a new I-20. Your request will be assigned to an International Student Adviser (ISA) who will issue the new I-20.
- Pay the I-901 (SEVIS) fee.
- Apply for an F-1 visa at a U.S. embassy outside of the U.S.
Note: Part of this process is the completion of the visa application (DS-160) and printing the DS-160 receipt. - Enter the U.S. with your F-1 documents.
- Return to iStart and complete Immigration Check-In promptly upon arriving in the U.S.
Note: Through this final step, you provide ISSA with the information we need to fully activate your initial F-1 status.
Note: You must follow the requirements for your F-1 immigration status. Please be aware of what those requirements are.
Resources:
- U.S. Department of State: Student visa overview
- Applying for the visa – Education USA website
Change Your Status While Remaining in the U.S.
This option may take longer and has many important details you will need to remember:
- You cannot change your status within the United States if you:
- Are currently in C, D, K, or M status.
- Entered the U.S. under the Visa-Waiver Pilot Program (WT or WB).
- Are currently in J-1 or J-2 status and you are subject to the two-year home-country physical presence requirement.
- Are currently in B-1 or B-2 (visitor) status.
- USCIS will generally not approve a change of status more than 30 days before the beginning of the program of study.
- If you leave the U.S. while the application is pending, USCIS will consider it an abandoned application and deny it.
- Your current status must be valid at the time of the application.
- Contact us if a different start date of your I-20 deferral is needed during the application process.
Given the difficulty a change of status may pose in some situations, you should consult an immigration attorney. We can provide a list of immigration attorneys upon request.
Note: Because our office will not be notified of the change of status approval, you must inform ISSA of the approval or denial.
Application Process for Non-travel Option
- Remain in the United States while applying for the visa.
- Obtain an initial I-20 after being admitted to a Penn State degree program:
- Newly admitted students will work with Pre-Arrival Advising for the I-20.
- Current students need to submit the Change of Status form in iStart, along with a financial guarantee, to obtain a new I-20. Your request will be assigned to an International Student Adviser (ISA) who will issue the new I-20.
- Complete U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) form I-539, the application to extend/change non-immigrant status and submit it with the required documents and fee.
- Return to iStart and complete Immigration Check-In promptly upon approval of new status.
Note: Via this final step, you provide our office with the information we need to fully activate your initial F-1 status.
Resources:
- Form I-539 checklist of required documents
- Instructions for completing form I-539
J-1 Change of Status
If you are changing from any visa category, F-1 included, to the J-1 international student visa category, there are two steps you need to follow:
- Submit the Change of Status form in iStart.
- As a current student, meet with your assigned ISA.
J-1 students are required to carry health insurance.
A change of status to J-1 requires a petition to and approval from the U.S. Department of State, along with financial sponsorship from a government, business, university, or other sponsor.
Note: Upon approval of the change of status, return to iStart and complete Immigration Check-In.
With this final step, you provide our office with the information we need to fully activate your initial J-1 status.
F-1 Change of Status
To change your status to F-1, you can either:
- Travel to obtain F-1 status
- Change your status while remaining in the U.S.
F-1 students are required to carry health insurance.
Travel to Obtain F-1 Status
Traveling to obtain a new visa and then returning to the U.S. is the quickest method in getting a new immigration status, following these steps:
- Obtain an initial I-20 after being admitted to a degree program at Penn State:
- As a newly admitted student, you will work with Pre-Arrival Advising (email: international@psu.edu) to obtain your I-20.
- Current students: Submit the Change of Status form in iStart, along with a financial guarantee, to obtain a new I-20. Your request will be assigned to an International Student Adviser (ISA) who will issue the new I-20.
- Pay the I-901 (SEVIS) fee.
- Apply for an F-1 visa at a U.S. embassy outside of the U.S.
Note: Part of this process is the completion of the visa application (DS-160) and printing the DS-160 receipt. - Enter the U.S. with your F-1 documents.
- Return to iStart and complete Immigration Check-In promptly upon arriving in the U.S.
Note: Through this final step, you provide ISSA with the information we need to fully activate your initial F-1 status.
Note: You must follow the requirements for your F-1 immigration status. Please be aware of what those requirements are.
Resources:
- U.S. Department of State: Student visa overview
- Applying for the visa – Education USA website
Change Your Status While Remaining in the U.S.
This option may take longer and has many important details you will need to remember:
- You cannot change your status within the United States if you:
- Are currently in C, D, K, or M status.
- Entered the U.S. under the Visa-Waiver Pilot Program (WT or WB).
- Are currently in J-1 or J-2 status and you are subject to the two-year home-country physical presence requirement.
- Are currently in B-1 or B-2 (visitor) status.
- USCIS will generally not approve a change of status more than 30 days before the beginning of the program of study.
- If you leave the U.S. while the application is pending, USCIS will consider it an abandoned application and deny it.
- Your current status must be valid at the time of the application.
- Contact us if a different start date of your I-20 deferral is needed during the application process.
Given the difficulty a change of status may pose in some situations, you should consult an immigration attorney. We can provide a list of immigration attorneys upon request.
Note: Because our office will not be notified of the change of status approval, you must inform ISSA of the approval or denial.
Application Process for Non-travel Option
- Remain in the United States while applying for the visa.
- Obtain an initial I-20 after being admitted to a Penn State degree program:
- Newly admitted students will work with Pre-Arrival Advising for the I-20.
- Current students need to submit the Change of Status form in iStart, along with a financial guarantee, to obtain a new I-20. Your request will be assigned to an International Student Adviser (ISA) who will issue the new I-20.
- Complete U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) form I-539, the application to extend/change non-immigrant status and submit it with the required documents and fee.
- Return to iStart and complete Immigration Check-In promptly upon approval of new status.
Note: Via this final step, you provide our office with the information we need to fully activate your initial F-1 status.
Resources:
- Form I-539 checklist of required documents
- Instructions for completing form I-539
J-1 Change of Status
If you are changing from any visa category, F-1 included, to the J-1 international student visa category, there are two steps you need to follow:
- Submit the Change of Status form in iStart.
- As a current student, meet with your assigned ISA.
J-1 students are required to carry health insurance.
A change of status to J-1 requires a petition to and approval from the U.S. Department of State, along with financial sponsorship from a government, business, university, or other sponsor.
Note: Upon approval of the change of status, return to iStart and complete Immigration Check-In.
With this final step, you provide our office with the information we need to fully activate your initial J-1 status.