Understanding Your I-20 Form:
Your F-1 visa has one primary purpose – It allows you to show-up at a United States Port of Entry. An immigration officer will then determine if you are eligible for entry. If you are found eligible, you will be granted “F-1 status” and allowed to enter. Once in the country, your visa is of little significance.
To apply for an F-1 visa, you must first pay the required 901 fee (you will need the SEVIS ID # from your I-20). For details and payment instructions go to, https://www.fmjfee.com/index.jhtml.
The onus will be on you to satisfy the consular officer that you do not intend to immigrate to the United States. To this end, you will need to show the availability of reliable funds to cover your education and living expenses whilst in the U.S.A., and evidence of very strong ties to your home country.
The first thing to check is your I-20. Now that you are in the US and have gone through customs, you should have in your possession an I-20 that is marked "Student Copy" on the left-hand edge. If not, please contact someone in the International Student Services Office. The top, or "School" copy, should have been marked by the INS inspector when you went through immigration at the port of entry in the same way as your "Student" copy and your I-94, and subsequently mailed to student data-entry component of the INS. They will enter into the database your admission number and date of entry, along with the name of the school you will be attending. The top sheet or "School Copy" is eventually sent to our office, where it will be kept in your official school files.
Always keep your I-20 in a safe place. It should not be left with anyone other than the INS or someone in our office. Keep all I-20s that are issued to you. Do not throw out old or expired copies when you are issued a new form - keep them all together. D/S:
Look at the upper right hand corner of your I-20. There should be a stamp in red ink with the date you entered the US. Under that date should be written "Admitted F-1 until D/S." This indicates that you have been admitted as an F-1 student for the duration of your status. It means that as long as you are meeting the requirements for maintaining your full-time F-1 status, you may remain in the US until you have completed your studies.
Admission #:
Now look at the box directly under your date of birth. There should be a hand-written number, possibly beginning with the letter "A." This is your admission number. It should be the same as the number on your I-94, the small white card that is most likely stapled in your passport by your entry visa.
Completion of Studies Date:
The next place to look is item 5. This lists the program of study you are pursuing, when you are expected to report to this school, and when we expect you to finish your studies. If you have not finished your studies before this date arrives, you should come to the ISS office and ask about how to extend your I-20. It is very important not to allow this date to pass without either getting an extension, or you may be out of status, which could have serious consequences.
When do you need a new I-20:
- If you change your level of study (i.e. from a Bachelor's to a Master's) in a way that will affect the length of stay here.
- If you transfer to a new school.
- If you will need additional time beyond the completion of studies date given to finish your degree.
- If you are traveling, will need a new entry visa, and have had important changes in your financial situation since the original I-20 was written (i.e., now you have a teaching assistantship).
- If your original I-20 is lost or seriously damaged.
When you travel, be sure to come by the ISS office and have the back of your I-20 signed before leaving. This shows the INS that you are currently a student in good standing at Morgan State, and that we expect you back to resume your studies after your trip. Failure to have a recent signature might prevent you from being admitted to the US (NOTE - The I-20 says that a signature is good for one year, but in practice it is recommended to have a new signature each semester.) When you travel it is a good idea to also take with you a transcript of your studies in the US and current financial documents.
Entry Visa:
This is the visa stamp that is in your passport, and was issued to you at the American Embassy or Consulate in your country. The visa indicates the period of time during which you are authorized to enter the United States. It does not tell how long you are authorized to stay here. This is indicated by the D/S on your I-20 and I-94, and by your expected completion date on your I-20.
The entry visa cannot be renewed within the US. Its expiration does not mean you are out of status. It is possible to spend almost your entire academic career in the US with an expired entry visa and still be in perfectly legal status.
The I-94 (Arrival/ Departure Record):
This is the small white card that you filled out on the airplane before your arrival in the US. The number at the top is your departure number, Student Admission number, and I-94 number. It should be marked in the top right corner with a hand-written "F-1" and "D/S", just as it is on your I-20.
The back of the I-94 is where the INS will sometimes mark changes in your visa status, such as being reinstated, changing from F-2 to F-1, etc.
You should always keep your I-94 stapled in your passport where it will not be lost. In some cases where you might request a change of visa status, you might need to send it with your application. Otherwise, do not give it away until you leave the US, when you will surrender it to the airport official.