F Visas
The F visa is reserved for non-immigrants wishing to pursue academic studies and/or language training programs.
F-1 Student Visa
You may enter in the F-1 visa category provided you meet the following criteria:
- You must be enrolled in a program or course of study that culminates in a degree, diploma, or certificate Your school must be authorized by the U.S. government to accept international students
- You must be enrolled as a full-time student at an accredited college, university, seminary, conservatory, academic high school, elementary school, or other academic institution or in a language training program
- You must be proficient in English or be enrolled in courses leading to English proficiency
- You must have sufficient funds during the entire proposed course of study
- You must maintain a residence abroad which you have no intention of giving up
Employment
F-1 students may not work off-campus during the first academic year, but may accept on-campus employment subject to certain conditions and restrictions. There are various programs available for F-1 students to seek off-campus employment, after the first academic year. F-1 students may engage in three types of off-campus employment, after they have studying for one academic year. These three types of employment are:
- Curricular Practical Training (CPT)
- Optional Practical Training (OPT) (pre-completion or post-completion)
- Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Optional Practical Training Extension (OPT)
Any off-campus employment must be related to the area of study and must be authorized prior to starting any work by the Designated School Official (DSO) the person authorized to maintain the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) and USCIS.
Optional Practical Training
Optional Practical Training (OPT) is temporary employment that is directly related to an F-1 student’s major area of study. Under the prior rules, an F-1 student could be authorized to receive up to a total of 12 months of practical training either before (pre-) and/or after (post-) completion of studies.
- Pre-completion OPT:
An F-1 student may be authorized to participate in pre-completion OPT after he or she has been enrolled for one full academic year. The pre-completion OPT must be directly related to the student’s major area of study. Students authorized to participate in pre-completion OPT must work part-time while school is in session. They may work full time when school is not in session.
- Post-completion OPT:
An F-1 student may be authorized to participate in post-completion OPT upon completion of studies. The post-completion OPT must be directly related to the student’s major area of study. F-1 students who receive science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) degrees included on the STEM Designated Degree Program List, are employed by employers enrolled in E-Verify, and who have received an initial grant of post-completion OPT related to such a degree, may apply for a 17-month extension.
Eligible STEM degrees
To be eligible for the 17-month OPT extension, a student must have received a degree included in the STEM Designated Degree Program List. This list sets forth eligible courses of study according to Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) codes developed by the U.S. Department of Education’s National Center for Education Statistics (NCES).
The STEM Designated Degree Program List includes the following courses of study:
Computer Science Applications Biological and Biomedical Sciences
Actuarial Science Mathematics and Statistics
Engineering Military Technologies
Engineering Technologies Physical Sciences
Science Technologies Medical Scientist
Note that to be eligible for an OPT extension the student must currently be in an approved post-completion OPT period based on a designated STEM degree. Thus, for example, a student with an undergraduate degree in a designated STEM field, but currently in OPT based on a subsequent MBA degree, would not be eligible for an OPT extension.
Application process to participate in pre- or post-completion OPT
- Students must initiate the process by requesting the Designated School Official (DSO) at their academic institution to recommend the OPT. The DSO makes such recommendation by endorsing the student’s Form I-20 and by making appropriate notation in SEVIS, the system used to track F-1 students.
- Students then file Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization Document (EAD), with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). If approved, USCIS will issue an EAD to the student.
- The student may begin engaging in pre- or post-completion OPT only after an application has been approved and an EAD has been issued.
When must a student apply for an OPT extension
- Under the prior regulations, F-1 students had to apply for post-completion OPT prior to graduation.
- This rule allows F-1 students seeking initial post-completion OPT to apply during their 60-day departure preparation periods in the same way that they are allowed to apply for a change to H-1B status during their departure preparation periods.
- Students may apply for an OPT extension at any time prior to the expiration date of their current OPT period.
What are the eligibility requirements for the 17-month extension of post-completion OPT?
- The student must have a bachelor’s, master’s, or doctorate degree included in the STEM Designated Degree Program List.
- The student must currently be in an approved post-completion OPT period based on a designated STEM degree.
- The student’s employer must be enrolled in E-Verify.
- The student must apply on time (i.e., before the current post-completion OPT expires).
What is the E-Verify program?
- The E-Verify program is an Internet-based system operated by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in partnership with the Social Security Administration (SSA).
- The E-Verify program currently is the best means available for employers to determine employment eligibility of new hires and the validity of their Social Security Numbers.
- E-Verify electronically compares information contained on the Employment Eligibility Verification Form I-9 with records contained in SSA and DHS databases to help employers verify identity and employment eligibility of newly-hired employees.
Application process for the 17-month STEM extension
- The student files Form I-765 with USCIS, Form I-20 endorsed by the DSO, a copy of the STEM degree, and the required application fee.
- Form I-765 is being amended to require the student to indicate the degree and provide the employer’s E-Verify information.
- If their post-completion OPT expires while the 17-month extension application is pending, students who timely filed their STEM extension applications with USCIS will receive an extension of employment authorization after their current employment authorization expires, but for no more than 180 days.
What must a student do after being granted the 17-month STEM extension
- The student must report to his or her DSO (within 10 days) any change in:
- Legal name;
- Residential or mailing address;
- E-mail address;
- Employer name;
- Employer address;
- The student must also report to his or her DSO every six months, confirming the information listed above; even if there have been no changes.
- The requirement to report continues if the student’s 17-month STEM extension is extended further by the automatic cap-gap extension.
F-2 Visa
F-2 visas are given to dependents of an F-1 student. F-2 visa-holders are prohibited from any form of compensated employment. However, minor children may attend public schools.
F-3 Visa
F-3 visas are given to nationals of Mexico or Canada only, when they reside in their country of origin while attending school. Called “Border Commuters,” these visa holders may study part or full time. However, unlike F-1 visa holders, they may not work on campus, although they may still be authorized for Curricular Practical Training; Optional Practical Training may only be used after graduation.
