Change of status

Change My Nonimmigrant Status

If you are seeking to change the purpose of your visit while in the United States, you (or in some cases your future institution or employer) must file a request with USCIS on the appropriate form before your authorized stay expires. We recommend that you apply as soon as you determine that you need to change to a different nonimmigrant category.

For more information, please visit USCIS’s Change My Nonimmigrant Status website.

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).
• You must be in a current, valid, and legal immigration status to acquire another status up to a certain date that is 30 days prior to your program date and a status that would permit university studies throughout the application process.
• 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.

The above requirements may cause a student the need to file and pay for one or more additional "bridge application(s)" to extend your status or acquire another status while the COS application is pending.

• If a student chooses to go through with filing an application for a Change of Status, ISSC strongly recommends you engage an immigration attorney to guide you in the process to protect your current Immigration/Visa Status.
• Note that a student cannot continue to enroll at ASU under the B1-B2 status. Do not choose this as a “Bridge” visa option if you wish to continue enrolling at ASU.

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.