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Important Forms While You are in the United States

Form I-94

Arrival/Departure Record

    • At any U.S. port of entry, whether you arrive in the United States via land, air or sea, you will fill out a Form I-94 and give it to a Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer. The CBP officer who admits you into the United States will stamp the departure segment of the form and return it to you, which is proof that CBP has legally admitted you into the United States. You must return the Form I-94 to CBP at the port of departure when you leave the United States.
    • If you have an F visa, your admission should be in F status. The CBP officer stamps your passport and the departure segment of your Form I-94 and hand writes your admission status (F-1 or F-3 student or F-2 dependent) and “D/S” (an abbreviation for “duration of status”). If you have an M visa, your admission should be in M status. The CBP officer stamps your passport and the departure segment of your Form I-94 and hand writes your admission status (M-1 or M-3 student or M-2 dependent) and your date of departure. CBP may attach the Form I-94 to the inside of your passport.
    • Check the admission status on the Form I-94 stamp before you leave the CBP officer. If it is not the same admission status as on your visa, tell the officer, who can correct it easily.


Form I-515A

Notice to Student or Exchange Visitor

      •  If you arrive at a U.S. port of entry without the required documents, a CBP officer may issue you this form. It allows you temporary admittance to the United States for 30 days. During that time you must send the required documents to the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) Form I-515A processing team or depart the United States. To learn more, visit What is a I-515A?
      • This is very important: If you do not send the required documents to the SEVP Form I-515A processing team within 30 days, your nonimmigrant status will be terminated, and you must leave the United States immediately.

 

Form I-765

Application for Employment Authorization

  • Submit this form with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to apply for employment authorization, such as optional practical training or off-campus employment. It is most efficient to submit this application online.
  • Complete this form

 

Form I-766

Employment Authorization Document (EAD)

  • When USCIS approves your Form I-765, you will receive an EAD in the mail. This is your proof that you have authorization to work in the United States. You must carry this card with you when you travel. You may not begin to work until the date listed on your EAD; it also lists the date when your employment authorization ends.

 

Form I-539

Application to Extend/Change Nonimmigrant Status

  • Use this form if you want to submit a change to another nonimmigrant visa status (F-2 to F-1, F-1 to H-1B, etc.), or to request reinstatement if you have fallen out of student status. An M student must also use this form to extend nonimmigrant status or transfer to another SEVP-certified school.
  • Complete this form

Form I-797

Notice of Action

This form is a notice of approval of an application or of receipt of a submission. You may receive this form while in F or M status in any of these situations:

              • If USCIS approves your Form I-539 request to change your nonimmigrant status (e.g., to F-1 from another status or from F-1 to H-1B status), a process called “change of status”
              • To notify you of approval of your application for reinstatement of student status or extension of status
              • When you have submitted a I-901 SEVIS Fee payment, to notify you that SEVP has received it and that the transaction is complete
              • As a receipt for a filed Form I-290B, “Notice of Appeal or Motion,” or employment authorization

 

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