Office of International Programs (OIP)


End-of-the-Semester Immigration Reminders


Vacation Travel

In order for you to return to the United States, an International Student Advisor must ensure that you are in-status before signing page 3 of your SF State SEVIS I-20 form. Also be sure that you have a valid F-1 entrance visa, and that your passport will be valid for at least six months into the future.

Although there is a statement on page 3 of the I-20 indicating that the travel signature on page 3 of your SF State I-20 form is valid for one year, in practice USCIS has been honoring the signature for no more than six months.

If you are completing a program of study and wish to leave the United States for a short time before beginning Post-Completion Practical Training (PCPT), your SF State SEVIS I-20 form can be signed by an International Student Advisor while your PCPT application is still in process. However, you will need your EAD card (or the receipt notice - While your PCPT application is pending, you may travel outside of the U.S. without holding documentation of a job offer. However, if the application gets approved while you are gone, you WILL BE HELD to the above mention requirements.), signed SF State SEVIS I-20, a valid passport, F-1 visa, and a letter from your U.S. employer in order to return to the United States for practical training. If you have applied for PCPT and are waiting for the EAD to be issued, please note that USCIS is currently taking between 60-90 day (2-3 months) to process the applications.

See more information about Overseas Travel While on PCPT at http://www.sfsu.edu/~oip/f1services/Employment/OPT.html#q

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Maintaining A Full Course Of Study: "Incomplete Charged" (IC) Grades:

U.S. Immigration Service regulations require that all international students in F-1 status enroll in and complete a full course of study each Fall & Spring Semester. This means that you must not only pay full-time tuition & fees and enroll in a full course of study at the beginning of each semester, but you must also complete a full course of study at the end of each semester. Undergraduate students are required to enroll in and complete at least 12 units each Fall & Spring Semester while graduate students must enroll in and complete at least 8 units each semester.

Please note that grades of "IC" (incomplete charged), "W" (withdrawal), "WU" (unauthorized withdrawal), or "AU" (audit) do not count towards satisfying this full-time enrollment requirement.

Students who receive an "I" (incomplete) grade for a course are given one calendar year (12 months) immediately following the end of the term in which the incomplete grade was assigned to make-up the necessary work for the class. Failure to complete the assigned work within this one year period will result in the "I" grade being converted into an "IC" grade. If, by receiving the "IC" grade, you would have completed less than a full course of study, you would then be in violation of your student status.

During the Fall and Spring semester , if you are in danger of receiving an "IC" (Incomplete Charged), "W"(Withdrawal) or "WU"(Unauthorized Withdrawal) grade in one or more of your classes (and if by doing so, you will be completing less than a full-course of study), please speak with an International Student Advisor at OIP immediately about your situation.

Please note that current Immigration Service regulations only allow for a very limited number of reasons to justify a student completing less than a full course of study (please see: http://www.sfsu.edu/~oip/f1services/CurrentStudents/ExceptionToTheFullTimeEnrollmentRequirement.html ), and they all require that you first obtain permission from an OIP International Student Advisor BEFORE you become a part-time student. The U.S. Immigration Service requires that OIP closely monitor the enrollment status of each international student and that we report any student who completes less than a full course of study to SEVIS.

Please note that students do not need to be enrolled in a full-time course of study during the Summer or Winter breaks.

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Is Your SF State SEVIS I-20 Form Expiring?

If your I-20 will expire at the end of the Semester, you will need to apply for a Program/I-20 Extension BEFORE the expiration date (item #5 of your SF State SEVIS I-20 form). To learn more about how to apply for an I-20 extension visit: http://www.sfsu.edu/~oip/f1services/CurrentStudents/I20Extension.html


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Changing Levels Of Study At SF State?

Tthe program (major field of study) and the level of study (bachelor鈥檚, master鈥檚, etc.) on your SF State SEVIS I-20 form must be accurate and reflect your current academic program. If you will begin a new program or level of study at SF State next semester, you must request a new I-20 form from OIP, even if the dates on your current I-20 form are still valid.

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Transferring To Another U.S. School?

If you plan to transfer to another U.S. school, please submit a signed Transfer-Out Form and proof of admissions from your new school. See information about how to transfer your SEVIS record to another school at http://www.sfsu.edu/~oip/f1services/CurrentStudents/TransferToAnotherSchool.html

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Optional (Post-Completion) Practical Training:

If you are graduating it's time to apply for Post-Completion Practical Training. See information about how to apply for OPT at http://www.sfsu.edu/~oip/f1services/Employment/OPT.html

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Returning Permanently To Your Home Country?

Finally, if you plan to permanently return to your home country at the end of the semester, submit a signed Future Plans Form to OIP. OIP can update your student records in SEVIS to indicate that you plan to return permanently to your home country.

Please note that if you are graduating and do not plan to either apply for OPT or transfer to another U.S. school, current Immigration Service regulations only permit you to remain in the U.S. for 60 days after you complete all of your degree program requirements at SF State.


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