From B-1/B-2 to F-1
According to the U.S. immigration regulations, visitors in B1/B2 status may not register for classes at an educational institution before they change their immigration status to F-1 or J-1. Therefore, if you are currently in B-1 or B-2 status and wish to pursue a full-time course of study, you must apply to change your status to F-1.
Once your change to F-1 has been approved, you are eligible to work on campus.
Steps to apply for the change of status from B-1 or B-2 to F-1:
- You must first be admitted to the university. If you have not yet applied for admission, contact the Office of International Education.
- After you are admitted to a program of study at IPFW, the OIE office will issue you a SEVIS I-20; the I-20 is a document that allows you to apply for F-1 status.
- After you have an I-20 document issued to you, contact the OIE office and make an appointment to see an International Student Advisor.
Please bring the following documents with you:
- Original, current financial documents verifying that you have adequate funds to cover your education and living expenses as a student for a minimum of 9 months (one academic year, fall, and spring semesters).
- Your original SEVIS I-20 document (received from the OIE office).
- A completed I-539 form (obtained from the OIE office). Also complete and attach the supplement if you have any dependents. As the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will send their response back to the address listed on the I-539, make sure that address is valid for at least the next 4-6 months.
- Questionnaire for applicant for change of status from B-1/B-2 visitor to F-1 student status. Please answer all these questions on a separate sheet of paper and include with the submission of completed Form I-539 and all other requested documentation.
- Your passport and dependents’ passports, showing the following pages: 1) photograph; 2) passport number; 3) passport expiration date; 4) B-1/B-2 visa stamp.
- Your original I-94 card and dependents’ I-94 cards. This is the small white card attached to your passport.
- A check or money order for $300, payable to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
- SEVIS fees receipt (form I-797) or printout of online payment.
You will need to mail all of the necessary documents to:
United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)
P.O. Box 87765
Lincoln, NE 68501-7765
Expect to wait approximately 3-5 months for USCIS to process your application.
When you receive an answer from USCIS, please come to the OIE office with the following items:
OIE staff will make copies of your documents to add to your immigration file.
If you travel outside the United States after USCIS approves your change to F-1 status, you will need to apply for an F-1 visa to be stamped in your passport while you are overseas. To do so, you will need to contact our office to learn about the documents you need to take to the American Embassy or Consulate overseas, where you will apply for the F-1 visa.
From F-2 to F-1
If you wish to apply to change from F-2 (dependent of an F-1 student) to F-1 (full-time student) status, you should be aware of the advantages and disadvantages of F-1 status.
- If your application to change to F-1 status is approved, you are immediately eligible for on-campus employment, and may apply for practical training permission to work off campus after maintaining your status for one full academic year or longer. However, to apply for F-1 status, you must prove that you have adequate financial resources to cover a minimum of one year of entire cost of your school and living expenses.
- As an F-1 student, you must also be enrolled on a full-time basis during the fall and spring semesters.
- Students in F-2 status are not eligible to pursue classes at a university/college level but eligible to pursue classes at a high school (pre-higher education).
To apply to change from F-2 to F-1 status, you will need to make an appointment to see an International Student Advisor. You must be fully admitted to IPFW and have received a letter of admission, as well as a SEVIS I-20 document from the ISS office.
Please bring the following to your appointment:
- Original, current financial documents verifying that you have adequate funds to cover your expenses as a student for a minimum of one (1) year.
- Your SEVIS I-20 document (to be issued by OIE after admission).
- A completed I-539 form (obtained from OIE). As the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will send their response back to the address listed on the I-539, make sure the address is valid for at least the next five (5) months.
- Copies of your I-94 card (the small, white card attached to your passport). ISS will make the copies.
- Copies of your passport. OIE will make the copies.
- A check or money order for $300, payable to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
- Write a one-page letter to the USCIS explaining why you want to change your status to F-1.
- Write a one-page letter to the USCIS explaining how you supported yourself financially while you were in F-2 status and how you will be supported financially after you change your status to F-1.
- Copies of all of your spouse’s passport(s), visa(s), I-20s, and the financial statements.OIE will make the copies.
- SEVIS fees receipt (form I-797) or printout of the online payment.
You will need to mail all of the necessary documents to:
United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)
P.O. Box 87765
Lincoln, NE 68501-7765
Expect to wait approximately 3-5 months for USCIS to process your application.
When you receive an answer from USCIS, please come to the ISS office with the following items:
OIE staff will make copies of your documents to add to your immigration file.
If you travel outside the United States after USCIS approves your change to F-1 status, you will need to apply for an F-1 visa to be stamped in your passport while you are overseas. You will need to request an entirely new I-20 from our office, prior to traveling, to take to the American Embassy or Consulate overseas, where you will apply for the F-1 visa.
From J-1 or J-2 to F-1
If you are currently in J-1 or J-2 status, and wish to pursue a full time course of study at IPFW, should seriously consider applying to change your status to F-1.
From the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) viewpoint, it is the most appropriate status for a full-time student who is not in J-1 status.
If you remain in J-2 status while you are a full-time student and later apply to adjust to permanent resident status, USCIS officials may question you as to why you did not change to the appropriate status.
To apply for a change of status from J-1 or J-2 to F-1, you must first be admitted to the University.
If you have not yet applied for admission, contact the Office of International Education. If you are admitted to a program of study at IPFW, the OIE office will issue a SEVIS I-20. The I-20 is a document, which allows you to apply for F-1 status. However, you are eligible to apply for a change to F-1 status only if you are not subject to the “2-year residence requirement,” or if you obtain a waiver of the requirement.
To determine whether or not you are subject to this requirement, look at the bottom left corner of your DS-2019 (or your spouse’s DS-2019).
If this states “not subject to the two-year residence requirement,” and the same notation has been made below your J-1 or J-2 visa stamp (in your passport), you are probably eligible to apply to change your status once you have been admitted to a university.
If you are subject to the two-year residency requirement, you may be able to obtain a waiver from your sponsor and USCIS. You may obtain more information on the waiver process from the ISS office.
After you have been admitted to IPFW, and would like to register for your first semester of classes, contact the Office of International Education. Make an appointment to see an International Student Advisor. Bring the following documents with you:
- Original, current financial documents verifying that you have adequate funds to cover your expenses as a student for a minimum of one (1) year.
- Your SEVIS I-20 document (this will be issued by ISS at the appointment).
- A completed I-539 form (obtained from ISS). As the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will send their response back to the address listed on the I-539, make sure the address is valid for at least the next 4-6 months.
- Your original I-94 card and dependents’ I-94 cards. (This is the small, white card attached to your passport.)
- Your passport and dependents’ passports. [An ISS advisor will need to see the expriation date and the J-1 or J-2 visa pages(s)].
- The original page of all DS-2019s issued to you or your spouse. (The advisor will send copies only.)
- A check or money order for $300, payable to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
- The waiver of the 2-year residence requirement from the Department of State (if relevant).
- Write a one-page letter to the USCIS explaining why you want to change your status to F-1.
- SEVIS fees receipt (form I-797) or printout of the online payment.
The OIE advisor will help you complete and mail all of the necessary documents to:
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
USCIS Service Center
P.O. Box 87765
Lincoln, NE 68501-7765
Expect to wait approximately 3-5 months for USCIS to process your application.
When you receive an answer from USCIS, please come to the ISS office with the following items:
OIE staff will make copies of your documents to add to your immigration file.
If you travel outside the United States after USCIS approves your change to F-1 status, you will need to apply for an F-1 visa to be stamped in your passport while you are overseas. You will need to request an entirely new I-20 from our office, prior to traveling, to take to the American Embassy or Consulate overseas, where you will apply for the F-1 visa.
Immigration Forms
Immigration Law & Regulations
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