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Current Students


  • Change of Status
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  • Change of Program/Degree
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  • Dependent Information
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  • Employment
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  • Extension of Program
  • Maintaining Legal Status
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  • Program Transfer In/Out
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  • Travel Abroad
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  • Reinstatement
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    Visa vs. Immigration Status

    A visa is a physical stamp or laminated sticker inside an individual's passport or travel documents issued by U.S. Department of State at a diplomatic visa-issuing post abroad (embassy or consulate office). Immigration status is a complex set of rules that govern the rights and responsibilities of an individual who has been admitted into the United States under a particular category. For example, an J-1student visa will usually allow an individual to be admitted into the U.S. in J-1 student status. Once an individual been admitted into the U.S., the physical visa is of no intrinsic value until s/he leaves and want to reenter the United States. However, immigration status remains critcally important. For this reason, while the actual visa - the stamp or sticker in your passport -can be expired or lapsed, immigration status must never lapse. When an individual is legally admitted to the country, they acquire "STATUS". This term refers to the condition of legal presence within the country, and the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service regulates it. Just like visas, there are many categories of status, which are defined by non-immigrant classification designations. The I-94, received at the time of entry, will indicate the designated status as well as the expiration date of that status.

    A student in F-1 or J-1 status may legally remain in the country for "Duration of Status", which will be indicated as "D/S"on their I-94. This means that as long as the person is doing what the regulations specify they need to do to maintain their F-1 or J-1 status, then they have status until they are done with their specified academic program, plus an additional allowable period (60-days for F-1; 30 days for J-1) to prepare for departure from the country. Other status types, such as B-2 (tourist), will have a specific expiration date for their status, and they must depart the country by the specified date or face possible legal consequences, including potential deportation and/or being barred from future admittance to the U.S. For more information about visas, please visit UnitedStatesVisa.gov, an official source of information about U.S. visa policy and procedures, managed by the U.S. Department of State.