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F1 Visas for Students

F1 VisasF1 visas allow hundreds of thousands of foreign-born students to study at universities and public schools across the United States.

If you wish to pursue academic studies in the United States, you must be eligible for F-1 student status.

This page contains links which explain how you can get an F1 visa, how you can qualify for a work permit under Optional Practical Training (OPT) and STEM-OPT, how to change your status to H-1B professional employee and, finally, how to become a permanent resident of the United States.

On December 20, 2023, the USCIS issued guidance which clarifies that F-1 and M-1 students must have a foreign residence that they do not intend to abandon, but that such students may be the beneficiary of a permanent labor certification application or immigrant visa petition and may still be able to demonstrate their intention to depart after a temporary period of stay.

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“Don’t do the mistake we did and try to save few bucks going with nonprofessionals and sole practitioners! It will end up not only costing you much more in the long run, but also putting your status in jeopardy which can have a priceless impact. It is one of the most important steps in your life.”

- Sgt. Danny Lightfoot, Los Angeles, California
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F1 Visas is divided into the following subtopics:

F1 Visas – General Information

RECENT UNIVERSITY GRADUATES

Graduation day is approaching and you’ve finally made it. You are about to receive your diploma and go out into the working world. You and your classmates are competing for the best jobs, but you feel at a disadvantage because you are not a U.S. citizen or even a green card holder. How are you supposed to navigate through the strange new world of immigration laws and procedures?

The links below are a practical guide for foreign-born students about to graduate from universities in the United States:

EMPLOYMENT FOR UNIVERSITY STUDENTS/GRADUATES

GUIDES TO STUDYING on F1 VISAS

Ban on Students Taking Only Online Classes

In the summer of 2020,  the Trump Administration attempted to ban F-1 students from being in the United States if all of their classes were online.  Harvard, MIT and a number of other parties sued the Administration in Federal Court, and the government immediately backed down!

California Sanctuary School Guidance

F1 Visas – Additional Resources