Instructions for International Students

1. Admission: A nonimmigrant student may be admitted for duration of status. This means that the student is authorized to stay in the United States for the entire length of time during which he or she is enrolled as a full-time student in an educational program and any period of authorized practical training plus sixty days. While in the United States, the student must maintain a valid foreign passport unless he or she is exempt from passport requirements.
   
   The student may continue from one educational level to another, such as progressing from high school to a bachelor’s program or a bachelor’s program to a master’s program, etc., simply by invoking the procedures for school transfers.
2. School: For initial admission, the student must attend the school specified on his or her visa. If student has an I-20 A-B form from more than one school, it is important to have the name of the school he or she intends to attend specified on the visa by presenting a Form I-20 A-B from that school to the visa issuing consular officer. Failure to attend the specified school will result in the loss of student’s status and will subject the student to deportation.
3. Reentry: A nonimmigrant student may be readmitted after a temporary absence of five months or less from the United States, if the student is otherwise admissible. Student may be readmitted by presenting a valid foreign passport, a valid visa, and either a new Form I-20 A-B or a page 3 of the Form I-20 A-B (the I-20 ID Copy) properly endorsed for reentry if the information on the I-20 form is current.
4. Transfer: A nonimmigrant student is permitted to transfer to a different SEVP approved school provided the transfer procedure is followed. To transfer schools, student should first notify the school he or she plans to attend to gain acceptance and then notify current designated school official at BHU. The designated school official will then report the transfer to the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS).
5. Extension of Stay: If student cannot complete the educational program, student may need to extend their F-1 status for an academic reason, a medical reason, or a designated school official (DSO) error. In these cases, DSOs can extend a student’s program of study prior to the program end date in SEVIS. For F-1 students, this update does not require the Student and Exchange Visitor Program’s (SEVP) adjudication. The Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) allows for an extension period of up to one year.
6. Employment: An F-1 status student is not permitted to work off campus or to engage in business without specific employment authorization. After the first year in F-1 student status, student may apply for employment authorization on Form I-765 based on financial needs arising after receiving student status, or the need to obtain practical training. Student must meet with P/DSO for further guidance on regulations.
7. Notice of Address: If student moves, he or she must submit a notice within 10 days of the change of address to P/DSO to ensure information is updated within the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System. Student must also update change of address to DHS online at www.uscis.gov. Failure to report a change of address may result in a fine, imprisonment and/or removal, as well as jeopardize your ability to obtain a future visa or other immigration benefits.
8. Arrival/Departure: When a student leave the United States, he or she must surrender his or her Form 1-94 Departure Record. Please see back side of form I-94 if visiting Canada, Mexico, or adjacent islands other than Cuba for less than 30 days.
9. Financial Support: Student must demonstrate that he or she is financially able to support himself or herself for the entire period of stay in the United States while pursuing a full course of study. Student is required to attach documentary evidence of means of support.
10. Authorization to Release Information by School: To comply with requests from the United States Immigration Naturalization Service for information concerning immigration status, student is required to give authorization to the named school to release such information from his or her records. The school will provide the Service student’s name, country of birth, current address, and any other information on a regular basis or upon request.
11. Penalty: To maintain nonimmigrant student status, student must be enrolled as a full-time student at the school student was authorized to attend. Student may engage in employment only when he or she has received permission to work. Failure to comply with these regulations will result in the loss of status and will subject the student to deportation.