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As a student there are a plethora of things that can set you back a semester or two. As an international student in the US with an American Studnet Visa, you will need to extend your F1 student visa. Follow these tips to get started.
Make sure you are applicable to obtain a student visa extension.
You able to extend your American student visa as long as you have continued to remain a full time student. You may extend your visa for academic or medical reasons that have caused your studies to lengthen. This could be a change in major, research topic, transferring or an illness that set you back a semester. Note that if you have been away from classes for 5 months or more you must apply for a new visa.
Apply for an extension of stay.
Send a completed extension of stay application to the Department of Homeland Security. You must include all of the documents originally required for your student visa. You will also need to supply your passport, two additional passport size photos, and a letter explaining why you are extending your F1 student visa.
It is important to bring proof of a permanent residence outside of the United States and to prove that you will not be staying in the US after your studies have been completed. Provide evidence that you have enough funds to support yourself as you remain in the United States.
Submit your I-20 form along with your extension application.
You will need to submit a new I-20 document from your new school stating that you have been accepted as an international student. If you are simply extending your stay at your current school you must have your current I-20 document endorsed on the back by a school official within the past 12 months. If it has been 12 months since your I-20 has been signed, you must request a new one from your school.
Apply online. You can now process your visa extension online at sites such as VisaPro rather than waste time in lines and with piles of paperwork. For a small fee your visa can be processed and extended faster.
If your visa expires you are still in legal status.
If you are on American soil and your F1 student visa expires you are still considered to be in legal status as long as you are still a full time student. If you have completed your studies and your F1 student visa expires while you are in the US, you have an additional 60 days before you must leave the country or transfer to another school. You may not however, leave the country and return once your visa has expired. In order to exit and re-enter the US your student visa must be valid.
If you have completed your studies but wish to remain in the US you can apply to change your visa status. Many students switch to the H1B visa which is for Persons in a Specialty Occupation, to the M-1 visa which is for vocational and non-academic students, and the H3 visa designated for trainees for a job.
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