Changing Your Visa Status
Your immigration status must align with the purpose of your stay in the U.S. For example, as a student with F-1 status, completing a program of study is your purpose. If the purpose of a visit to the U.S. has changed, a change of status may be necessary. Changing visa status can be a complicated process. If you are considering changing your visa status to F-1, please make an appointment with an international student advisor to discuss the change of status process. The student must inform and provide a copy of the approval notice to their DSO within 2 weeks of receiving the USCIS F-1 approval notice. If the change of status hasn't been approved by the start of the semester the I-20 was originally issued, contact your DSO for an updated I-20.
There are two options to apply for an F-1 visa:
Option 1: Travel and Reentry
Leave the U.S., apply for a new visa at a U.S. consulate, and reenter the U.S. with the new visa. You will gain your new status when you are admitted into the U.S. This process is usually faster than changing status in the U.S. and requires less paper work. Also, you will obtain the visa and the status. However, it has two drawbacks which are the possibility of delay of visa processing time and the expense of travel and ticket.
Option 2: Change Status in the U.S.
Submit an application to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) for a change of status. This option allows you to change your nonimmigrant status while remaining in the U.S. With this option you may gain the new status but you will not receive a new visa; visas are only issued outside the U.S. when you travel back to your home country. This will allow you to stay in the U.S. during processing. However, this process can be very slow (three to six months). Also, you must stay in the U.S. during processing; exiting the U.S. cancels the application. In addition, you must still obtain a visa stamp to match your status the next time you travel outside the U.S. (except for trips under 30 days to Canada or Mexico). The major disadvantage is the fact that application may be denied, which could require you to quickly depart the U.S.
Change of Visa Status Instructions
You may also use our USCIS letter template as a guide.
