Immigration Questions

Click on the quick link Question to jump right to the answer:

• What if I want to transfer to a different school or program?
• What if I want to extend my stay?
• Can I change the level of my program?
• Can I change my immigration status?
• Can I take a Vacation Quarter?
• Can I take a Leave of Absence?
• Can I participate in a Study Abroad program?
• What about traveling outside the U.S. and re-entering the U.S.?
• What if my passport expires?
• How do I renew my Visa?
• How about requesting family members to come to the U.S. as my dependent?
• How can I apply for Reinstatement to F-1 status?

What if I want to transfer to a different school or program?

As an international student in F-1 immigration status, you are able to change your level of study (e.g., high school to college; ESL to undergraduate; undergraduate to graduate) while you remain in the U.S. You are also able to change schools. To receive this immigration benefit, you must be in lawful F-1 student status (link to U.S. immigration) This is an immigration procedure and the ISA will help you with this.

To transfer to CWU from another U.S. school, you must see the ISA within 15 days of the date you begin to study at CWU. You must bring to the ISA:

• I-20 issued by CWU
• I-20 from all your previous U.S. schools
• Passport, with I-94 and
• Have in your CWU student file the CWU Transfer Form

Changing major program of study:

Please check #5 on your I-20. This states the major program of study that you stated when you applied for and received your I-20 from CWU. You are able to change your major after you begin your studies at CWU. However, If you change your major field of study you must see the ISA. This is an immigration requirement and will have an effect on any benefits you may wish to receive, example, practical training (work experience in the U.S. that is connected to your major field of study.

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What if I want to extend my stay?

Please check #5 on your I-20. This gives you the date you began your studies at CWU and the date by which you expect to finish your studies at CWU (completion date). This is a very important date. You may not remain in the U.S. after this date for more than 60 days without permission from immigration.

If you will not graduate by or before the date on your I-20, you must see the ISA within 30 days of the completion date. You will need to obtain a new I-20 with a new completion date. The ISA will help you with this procedure and notify immigration of your new graduation date, but it is your responsibility to know the date by which you expect to complete your program of studies at CWU (completion date).

Most students can complete the undergraduate degree in four years. However, if you change your major field of study or experience a severe medical condition, these are reasons that it may take you more than the completion date indicated on your I-20. You will need to discuss your situation with the ISA.

One month before the completion date on your I-20, see the ISA if you need an Extension (new I-20) in order to complete your CWU degree.

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Can I change the level of my program?

Many students first come to CWU to study English as a Second Language, known at CWU as UESL (University English as a Second Language). CWU has provided a system that allows you to transfer from UESL to either the undergraduate or graduate program. The staff in the UESL program will assist you in this transfer procedure.

If you are a CWU student who has earned an undergraduate degree from this university and have been accepted into a graduate program at CWU, and will remain in the U.S., please bring your new I-20 to the ISA within 15 days of beginning your graduate program.

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Can I change my immigration status?

If you have entered the U.S. and been admitted in F-1 immigration status (F-1 student status), as long as you follow the regulations INS has established for F-1 student status, you will have no need to change to another immigration status. Even after you complete your program of studies and receive the benefit of practical training, you will still remain in F-1 student status and must continue to follow the regulations which immigration has established to remain lawful while in the U.S.

For the occasional prospective student who may enter the U.S. as a visitor in B1/2 tourist status, if your intent is to change immigration status within the U.S. to an F-1 student, it is very important to make this decision before you leave your home country. You must request on your B1/2 tourist visa stamp "prospective student," and explain to the Consular officer at the U.S. Embassy or Consulate who will issue this visa stamp that your reason for coming to the U.S. as a tourist is to become a student. Changing immigration within the U.S. from B1/2 "prospective student" to F-1 student immigration status is a routine immigration procedure.

For the occasional international exchange student who wishes to change immigration status from the J-1 exchange student to the F-1 student status while remaining in the U.S., please see the ISA. There are specific requirements and restrictions for this immigration procedure.

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Can I take a Vacation Quarter?

There are four academic quarters at CWU. The regular academic year includes nine months: fall quarter (late September - mid December); winter quarter (beginning of January- end of March); spring quarter (end of March to mid June). Summer Quarter at CWU is divided into four sessions:

• Full quarter (mid June to mid August)
• Six weeks session (end of June for six weeks)
• First five-week session (mid June to mid July)
• Second five-week session (mid July to mid August)

Summer quarter is normally considered the vacation quarter. However, many international students choose to continue to take classes all of summer quarter of for one of the sessions. Tuition is much less in the summer since all CWU students, including non-Washington state residents, pay in-state tuition.

Some international students who have gone to summer quarter find that sometime in their studies at CWU they need a vacation break. If you have gone to CWU for more than four quarters and plan to pre-register for the following quarter, you may choose to take a vacation quarter in the fall, winter or spring quarter and remain in the U.S. You may continue to work on campus during this vacation quarter but without immigration approval, you may not work off campus.

See the ISA for guidelines when you may wish to take a vacation quarter other than summer quarter and remain in the U.S.

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Can I take a Leave of Absence?

Some international students may wish to interrupt their program of study at CWU and return home. You need not complete the entire CWU admissions application form if you decide to return home for a quarter and plan to come back to CWU to finish your program of study the following quarter.

Procedure for a leave of absence from CWU for one quarter:

• See the International Admissions Counselor in the Admissions Office and complete the CWU leave of absence form
• See the International Admissions Counselor in the Admissions Office and complete the admissions application for returning international students (fee $35)
• See the ISA for travel endorsement on your I-20
• See the ISA for guidelines for pre-registration for the following quarter
• Contact Housing if you are living in on-campus housing

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Can I participate in a Study Abroad program?

Many international students who study at CWU become interested in attending a study abroad program as part of their CWU program of study. Please see Study Abroad for more information.

If you leave the U.S. for more than five months and return to either complete your CWU program of study or to attend graduation ceremonies, you may be unable to apply for OPT.

See the ISA before you depart on your study abroad program.

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What about traveling outside the U.S. and re-entering the U.S.?

If you leave the U.S. and plan to return to CWU to resume your program of study, you will need to have a signature from one of the five immigration designated school officials (DSOs) at CWU in order to re-enter the U.S. A travel endorsement (signature) on the back of your I-20 is good for one year. However, it is strongly advised that you obtain a signature every six to eight months when traveling outside the U.S. and expect to re-enter.

It is your responsibility to obtain a signature from one of the four DSOs at CWU:

• Nicki Kukar, Director of AUAP
• Steve Horowitz, Director of UESL
• Bruce Simpson, Admissions Counselor
• Richard Mack, Interim Associate Vice President, Graduate Studies

Once you have completed your program of study and do not intend to continue studies either at CWU or at another U.S. institution, you may travel within the U.S. within the 60-day period following completion of your program of study before you are required by immigration to depart from the U.S.

You may not, however, leave the U.S. following your program of study and re-enter the U.S. as an F-1 student, even for a brief trip to Canada, unless:

• You have received a new I-20 and intend to re-enter the U.S. to attend another program of study; or
• Have received permission to work in the U.S. under OPT

If you have received an EAD from immigration for OPT and wish to return home, be sure to have:

• EAD card
• Properly endorsed I-20 from CWU
• Copies of any other I-20s
• Letter from employer stating you are working in the U.S., need to leave the country but intend to return to the U.S. to resume employment
• If you have an EAD card but have not yet found employment, it is advisable either not to travel outside the U.S. or if you decide to travel, have a clear list of all employers with whom you are seeking employment
• A valid passport
• An unexpired F-1 visa (for countries other than Canada, Mexico and the adjacent U.S. islands)
• You may be required to have proof of financial documentation

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What if my passport expires?

It is your responsibility as an international student to keep your passport (or travel document) valid for six months into the future. (A few countries have entered into passport agreements with the U.S. Students from these countries do not require passports. See the ISA.)

If your passport will be expiring and you will not be returning to your home country, please visit one of the following websites which provide the information for consular and embassy offices within the U.S.:
Embassy World
The Bureau of Consular Affairs
Foreign Consular Offices

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How do I renew my Visa?

If your visa stamp in your passport shows F-1 immigration status and the date of expiration will or has expired, you may remain in the U.S. You may leave the U.S. and visit Canada, Mexico or some of the adjacent islands for 30 days or less and re-enter the U.S. with an expired U.S. F-1 visa stamp.

If you travel home, however, and your F-1 student visa has expired, you will need to renew it at the nearest U.S. Consulate or Embassy in your home country before you re-enter the U.S.

If your visa stamp in your passport is not an F-1 but you have changed to the F-1 visa classification while you remained in the U.S. as indicated on the back of your I-94 white card in your passport, you will need to obtain an F-1 visa stamp before re-entering the U.S. (except for short trips to Canada, Mexico, or some of the adjacent islands).

You cannot renew your visa in the U.S. unless you follow the procedures established at the U.S. consulate or embassy in your home country. To find the U.S. Consulate or Embassy in your home country, visit: http://www.foia.state.gov/

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How about requesting family members to come to the U.S. as my dependent?

If you are in F-1 immigration student status, your spouse or children may enter the U.S. with you or may enter the U.S. after you are in the U.S. if they have applied for and received F-2 visa status from a U.S. consulate or embassy in your home country.

If your dependents want to enter the U.S. with you, this means that they have been issued F-2 visa stamps in their passports.

If you are in the U.S. and your dependents which to apply for F-2 visa stamps and seek entry into the U.S., you will need to have a duplicate copy of your I-20 issued, showing the names and birth dates of your dependents on the back of the student copy of the I-20.

Contact the ISA for a duplicate I-20.

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How can I apply for Reinstatement to F-1 status?

Reinstatement or a return to F-1 immigration student status will become necessary if you fail to follow the immigration regulations for the F-1 immigration student status.

Failure to maintain terms or conditions of your F-1 immigration status are:

• Enrolling in less than a full course of study without prior approval from a DSO. At CWU this means prior approval from the ISA.
• Attending a school other than the one the student was authorized to attend on the I-20, without properly following the school transfer procedures
• Failure to apply for a timely transfer, program extension, or change in program level
• Unauthorized employment, including working on campus more than 20 hours per week while school is in session

See the ISA for questions on reinstatement to student status.

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