Disclaimer
In short
This site is general information, written from published rules. It is not legal advice about your situation, and nothing here replaces your own Form I-94, your DSO, or a licensed immigration attorney.
General information only
Everything published on this site is general information about U.S. immigration rules as they apply to F-1 students. It is written from primary sources, it is dated, and it is corrected when it is wrong. It is not advice about your situation.
Your documents control
Your Form I-94 controls your lawful admission. If anything on this site differs from your Form I-94, your Form I-94 governs. Your Form I-20 and your SEVIS record are maintained by your school; if anything here differs from what your Designated School Official tells you, ask your DSO to explain the difference before you act.
The law is in motion
The Duration of Status rule took effect on September 15, 2026 and the USCIS adjustment-of-status policy memorandum was issued in May 2026. Both may be changed by later rulemaking, litigation, or agency guidance. Check the date on any page before you rely on it, and plan on the rule as written unless and until it changes.
Errors and corrections
If something on this site is inaccurate, tell us through the contact page with the page address and what you believe is wrong. We correct errors and we date the correction.
See also our terms of use and our privacy policy.
Site pages
The legal pages that govern the use of this site.