Change from F-1 Status

An F-1 student is a nonimmigrant who is pursuing a full course of study to achieve a specific educational or professional objective at an academic institution in the US. Once the educational objectives have been achieved, the F-1 student is expected to return to his or her residence abroad.

Special Notice

The International Student and Scholar Center (ISSC) strongly discourages applying for Change of Status while remaining in the United States. We recommend obtaining an F-1 status through departing the U.S. and applying at a U.S. Embassy/Consulate.

Change of Status application processing time period is taking longer than usual (currently up to 12 months).
Students may have to defer to the following academic term if the student’s change of status application has not been processed by the original program start date.

Reminders for students

Do not depart the U.S. while your Change of Status application is pending as it is considered abandonment of the application and will result in USCIS denying your application.
Until you can submit to the ASU ISSC the formal evidence of USCIS’s approval of your F-1 status, you will not be eligible for any employment under the F-1 status.

Again, at this time, we strongly recommend that you consider the option of travel and re-entry detailed above in order to obtain your new F-1 status.

Change from F-1 to F-2 Status

To qualify for F-2 status, you must be a spouse or an unmarried child under age 21 of an F-1 student.

01 Have your spouse request a dependent I-20 for you following instructions on our How to request an F-2 Dependent to be added web page.

02 Once you have your dependent I-20, you will have two options to change your status:

1. Depart the U.S. and apply for F-2 status at a U.S. Embassy/Consulate abroad, then enter the U.S. with a Dependent I-20 and F-2 visa.

Students using a Canadian passport do not need to apply for an F-1 visa, as soon as they enter the US with their F-2 I-20’s, they are granted F-2 visa status. The Form I-20 is the primary document indicating your eligibility to receive F-2 visa status (student) immigration benefits, including the right to enroll in classes.
Once you have returned to the U.S., please submit our F-1 Demographic Update eForm through the ISSC eForm Portal to report your new visa status.

2. Remain in the U.S. and apply for a change of status through USCIS. (Change of Status application processing time period is taking longer than usual- currently up to 12 months)

File Form I-539, Application to Extend/Change Nonimmigrant Status along with all supporting documents. Not all nonimmigrant classifications may change status through USCIS. Read the instructions carefully to ensure that you are eligible, and consult with an ISSC international student advisor.

Change from F-1 to another visa status

If you have been approved for a new immigration status, you must use our F-1 Demographic Update eForm through the ISSC eForm Portal to report your new visa status. Documents to submit include, but are not limited to:

An approval notice from the USCIS
An EAD card
A green card

To change your status from F-1 to a different status, please consult with USCIS and an immigration attorney (if needed).

USCIS also has a helpful guide on changing nonimmigrant classification.

Change from F-1 to H-1B Status

If you are an F-1 student interested in changing to H-1B status for employment purposes, your prospective employer must sponsor you and file that petition.

For more information about the H-1B visa status, please visit USCIS. For specific information on the application process, review USCIS’s Temporary Worker page. USCIS also has a helpful guide on changing nonimmigrant classification.

Change from F-1 Status

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Change of status