Status is maintained through continuing compliance
An F-1 visa is a travel document; F-1 status inside the United States is reflected through admission and the student's active SEVIS record. Students should keep every Form I-20, check the electronic Form I-94 after entry, and work closely with the designated school official when plans change.
A drop below a full course of study, school transfer, program extension, leave, change of address, or early withdrawal can require advance action in SEVIS. A professor's or employer's permission does not replace the immigration authorization that may be required.
- Read each new Form I-20 before signing it.
- Ask the designated school official before reducing courses, transferring, traveling, or accepting work.
- Preserve tuition, transcript, enrollment, attendance, and funding records.
- Update contact information through the school's required process.
CPT and OPT are not interchangeable
Curricular Practical Training is authorized by the school for qualifying curricular employment and must appear on the Form I-20 before the work begins. Optional Practical Training generally requires both a recommendation in SEVIS and employment authorization from USCIS before work starts, subject to the applicable rules.
Dates, employer details, degree level, unemployment limits, and reporting duties matter. Students should never backdate employment, work while an application is merely pending unless separately authorized, or rely on informal advice from friends.
- Match every day worked to valid authorization.
- Keep job offers, evaluations, pay records, training plans, and authorization documents.
- For STEM OPT, follow the current employer, training-plan, and reporting requirements.
- Report job or address changes using the method required for the student's category.
Travel and program changes deserve advance review
International travel can require a valid passport, appropriate visa, travel-endorsed Form I-20, and other evidence. A visa expiration is not always the same as a status expiration, but returning to the United States involves a new inspection by CBP.
Students facing termination, unauthorized work, arrest, extended absence, or a missed reporting deadline should seek qualified legal advice promptly. Reinstatement and other remedies are time-sensitive and depend on individual facts.