Change of Status to F-1
If you are currently in the U.S. in a nonimmigrant status other than F-1 or J-1, you may be able to study at Georgia State in your current status. If you wish to change to F-1 status, you can do so in one of two ways: (1) Submit an application to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, or (2) leave the U.S. and travel to your home country to obtain an F-1 visa. Below are the steps involved in both the processes, as well as some information to guide you on choosing an option.
The International Student and Scholar Services office encourages you to talk with an international student advisor after reading this material. The process of changing status can be complicated and confusing, and each person’s situation is different. We will be happy to give you more information and answer your questions.
Eligibility for Changing Status
After your application for a change of status is received by United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), they will make two determinations in the course of reviewing an application for a change of status:
1. Are you eligible for the nonimmigrant status being requested?
The F-1 non-immigrant category has specific eligibility requirements and conditions, such as being accepted into a program of study certified to host F-1 students. The burden is on you to establish your eligibility to become an F-1 student, which requires extensive documentation.
2. Are you eligible to have your status changed in the United States?
USCIS officers must also determine your eligibility for a change of status, which is separate from whether or not you qualify for the status itself. You could be generally eligible to become an F-1, but if you are not eligible for a change of status, you cannot change to that classification in the United States. For example, if you are currently illegally present in the U.S. or subject to the two-year home requirement, you are probably not eligible to have your status changed in the United States.
The ISSS office at Georgia State does NOT approve your application or determine your eligibility to submit an application to USCIS. However, if you are unsure of your eligibility or how to apply, we can help guide you and help you understand which documents are needed for the application. Some students may hold a status or may be in a situation that we are unable to assist with. In these cases, ISSS may recommend that you work with an immigration attorney to change your status.
Steps for EVERYONE changing to F-1 Status
1. New students to Georgia State University: apply and be admitted to Georgia State. After you are admitted, ISSS will contact you and ask you to fill out the International Applicant Immigration Form.
Current students at Georgia State University: contact ISSS to obtain an International Applicant Immigration Form and skip to Step 2.
2. Fill out the International Applicant Immigration Form. On this form you are asked to indicate your current status and whether or not you wish to change to F-1 status. You will also be asked to submit financial documents to be fully admitted to the university.
3. After your form and financial documents are approved, you will be issued an I-20. You will also meet with an international student advisor to discuss your options and plans for changing status.
Students who wish to change status by submitting an application to USCIS
4. The advisor will give you a checklist of documents needed for changing your status. You should begin to gather all the appropriate documents, since some documents may take time to prepare.
5. Bring all the required documents to your ISSS advisor. The advisor will review them and prepare the application packet. Once the application packet is complete, ISSS will mail your application to USCIS for you.
6. All communication from USCIS will come to ISSS. Your advisor will email you when your receipt notice arrives and then when your application is approved or denied.
7. If your application is approved, the advisor will notify you to come pick up your I-20 and approval notice. You will be ready to start at GSU as an F-1 student!
Students who wish to change status by traveling outside the U.S. to obtain an F-1 visa
Please refer to the procedures for Obtaining an F-1 Visa and begin making your travel plans. When you return to the U.S. with an F-1 visa, you will be ready to start at GSU as an F-1 student!
How do you know which option to choose?
- Both ways of obtaining F-1 status have advantages and disadvantages. It’s important to talk with an ISSS advisor about your case before you make a decision. Following is a list of things to keep in mind as you decide whether to travel or submit an application in the U.S.
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Change of status applications filed with USCIS typically take 3-6 months to be approved, and the timing of adjudication is unpredictable and varied. If you need to change your status quickly, it’s better to travel.
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Non-immigrants in B-1, B-2, and F-2 status may not begin studying until the change to F-1 status is approved. If you are currently in one of these categories, you will need to wait for F-1 approval before you can be a student at GSU.
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Non-immigrants in visa categories other than B-1, B-2, and F-2 generally may begin studying before the change to F-1 status is approved. However, many of these categories (including H-4 and H-1B) do not allow you to work or hold a graduate assistantship at the university. If you have questions about what you are allowed to do in your current status, talk with your ISSS advisor.
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If you are a J-1/J-2 subject to the two-year home residency requirement, you must travel in order to change your status. If you are currently out of status in the U.S., you should travel to obtain a visa. (If you submit an application to USCIS, it will be denied.)
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Students who choose to submit an application to USCIS will obtain F-1 status but not an F-1 visa. That means that if you later travel outside the U.S. and need to re-enter as a student, you will need to obtain an F-1 visa before you can re-enter the U.S.
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If you are a graduate student applying for a graduate assistantship, check with your hiring department to see if they will hold your assistantship position while your change of status is pending. Some departments may be willing to do this, but there is an institutional deadline that prevents them from holding the assistantship beyond a certain date each semester. If your change of status is not approved by this date, you will lose your assistantship for that semester.
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Please note that if you submit a COS application and then leave the U.S. for any reason, your application will automatically be cancelled.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. What are the chances that my change of status application will be approved?
A. There is no way to know for sure what the outcome of your application will be. Your ISSS advisor will give you as much information as possible when you first meet, including a discussion of whether your application may have a good chance of success or a poor chance of success. Factors that influence your case include:
Your current status
Your immigration history in the U.S.
Quality and appropriateness of your application materials
Your ability to prove non-immigrant intent
Your ability to prove financial support in the U.S.
The level and nature of your studies in the U.S.
Our advice is based on immigration regulations and current trends seen in previous change of status applications. However, even these trends provide no guarantee that an application will be approved or denied, and you should prepare for both outcomes. Have a plan ready in case your request is denied.
Q. Six months is a long time to wait! Is there a way I can have my request processed faster?
A. Unfortunately, there is no way to expedite a change of status request. If you need your status changed quickly, do not choose this method of obtaining F-1 status. It is much faster to leave the U.S. and apply for a student visa at a consulate abroad.
Q. Does ISSS assist all students with their change of status application?
A. No. Because of the complicated nature of immigration advising, ISSS does not assist students changing to F-1 from A, G, or NATO status. There may also be other statuses or case situations that we are unable to help with. We try to serve as many students as possible, but in some cases ISSS may not have the expertise or ability to assist certain non-immigrants in changing their status. When we are unable to provide specific guidance, we will offer advice on selecting an immigration attorney.
Q. Can I check the status of my application while it’s being processed?
A. Yes. Approximately 2-4 weeks after we mail your application to USCIS, you will receive a receipt notice informing you that they have received your application. This notice will contain your case number, which you can use to look up your case status online at https://egov.uscis.gov/cris/jsps/index.jsp . On the same page, you can also register to receive email updates so that you are alerted when USCIS makes a decision about your case.
Q. What is a Request for Evidence for a change of status?
A. When USCIS is missing information needed to process your case, they will send you a letter called a Request for Evidence (RFE). These request that you return certain documentation for your case by a certain date, usually within 30 days. Although the information requested varies for each individual case, common requests are new bank statements, evidence that the student intends to return to his or her home country after graduation from Georgia State, or documents showing the student has maintained status since arriving in the U.S. If you receive a Request for Evidence, ISSS will contact you and discuss what documents you need to gather.
Receiving an RFE does not mean that your case will be denied. Normally, this indicates that USCIS intends to approve your change of status request but needs more information to make a final decision. However, we try to avoid receiving RFEs by including all necessary information in the original application.
Q. What is a security clearance?
A. In order to protect American national security, everyone who wishes to study in the U.S. must be identified as non-threatening to American interests. This happens automatically for many students, but students from certain countries and in certain fields of study are subject to closer scrutiny. For example, doctoral students in physics, chemistry, and biology are frequently subject to security clearances. Before these students are issued a visa, their background must be checked by the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), a process that can delay visa issuance for one to six months. If you believe your background may cause you to be subject to a long security clearance check, be sure to apply as early as possible for your visa.
