F-1 visas allow thousands of foreign students to study in the United States and obtain the cultured experience. If your course of study will be more than 18 hours per week you will need a student visa.

Over recent years obtaining F-1 Student status has become increasingly difficult. Therefore, it is crucial that you speak to an experienced immigration attorney who can guide you on achieving your goal of studying in the U.S.

To apply for a F-1  Visa status you must:

• Be enrolled in an academic program (not vocational)
• Obtain a Valid I-20 and pay your SEVIS fees.
• You must be enrolled as a full-time student at the institution
• You must be proficient in English or be enrolled in courses leading to English proficiency
• You must have adequate funds for the duration of your studies to financially support yourself during your entire course of study. This is to evidence that you will not need to work in the U.S. on your student visa and violate your status during your stay. Some schools do have on-campus work available to foreign students that complies with your visa status. Please check with your school/institution.
• Maintain home ties to evidence an intent to return after you complete your course of study, such as family ties, property, business, a job offer letter for future employment, etc.

STEM- OPT, CPT AND OPT

Optional Practical Training (OPT) is a period during which undergraduate and graduate students with F-1 status who have completed or have been pursing their degrees for more than nine months are permitted by USCIS to work on F-1 status for 12 months after completion of a degree.

STEM OPT fields – science, technology, engineering and mathematics – can apply to extend their OPT for an additional 17 months, bringing their total prost-graduation OPT available time to 29 months. Only specific degrees qualify for the STEM extension. Please contact our office for more details.

Curricular Practical Training (CPT) is temporary authorization for practical training directly related to your major field of study – paid or unpaid. Practical training van include employment, internship experience, cooperative education experience and practicum participation. It can be part-time (20 hours per week or less), full time (more than 20 hours per week). However, students who accumulate 12 months of full-time CPT authorization lose their eligibility for OPT. Part-time CPT or fewer than 12 months of full-time CPT authorization does not affect OPT eligibility.

Application Process

If you are outside the United States, you will obtain an interview at your local Consulate/Embassy if you are between ages 14-79. Please contact our office for the required documentation to take to your visa interview.

If you are inside the United States, the application to change status has become increasingly complex in recent years. USCIS now requires all foreign nationals to maintain status up until the date their F-1 is approved by USCIS. One way to do this is to extend your current B1/B2 Visa and file your change of status to F-1 visa. Please contact our office for more information.