Immigration Regulations

We’re Here to Guide You

Maintaining regular contact with your advisor at the Office of Global Engagement will help you comprehend the immigration regulations and advantages of your F-1 student status.

Maintaining F-1 Status

It is imperative for every non-immigrant to uphold lawful status (F-1) while residing in the United States. Your advisor can assist you in achieving the following:

• Confirming SEVIS attendance within 30 days of your program’s start date (for new students) or the start date of each semester (for continuing students).
• Enrolling full-time each semester (minimum of nine credits for graduate students and 12 credits for undergraduate students).
• Refraining from off-campus employment without verifying eligibility with the Office of Global Engagement and obtaining proper USCIS authorization.
• Notifying the Office of Global Engagement of any address changes within 10 days of relocation to avoid violations of F-1 status.
• Ensuring travel endorsement on your I-20 before departing the United States.
• Timely application for program extensions and seeking advice from your advisor in case of potential academic delays.
• Receiving authorization and proper SEVIS transfer documents before transferring out from Rivier University; failure to notify your advisor constitutes a violation of F-1 status.

In cases where you suspect violation of the aforementioned F-1 rules and regulations, consult your advisor regarding reinstatement to restore your legal status. Failure to undergo reinstatement may result in forfeiture of F-1 student benefits. Please note that reinstatement applications do not guarantee approval from USCIS.

If you possess a SEVIS I-20 but do not intend to enter the U.S. by your program start date, contact the Office of Global Engagement to discuss deferring your attendance to a specified future start date.

Full Course of Study

The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) requires all individuals in F-student status to pursue a full course of study for the duration of their status. An F-1 student must register as a full-time student during the fall and spring semesters. For undergraduate students, a full course of study is a minimum of 12 credits and for graduate students the full course of study requires nine credits.

Maintaining Your Passport

If your passport expires, you should contact your country’s embassy or consulate to apply for renewal of your passport. Many of the world’s embassies are located in Washington D.C. as well as other major U.S. cities including Boston, New York, and Los Angeles. Remember that your passport should be valid for at least six months into the future when applying for a visa or when traveling in and out of the United States. Contact the Office of Global Engagement for advice.

Maintaining Your Visa

While it is legal for your F-1 visa to expire while you are in the United States as long as your SEVIS Form I-20 and I-94 are valid and you maintain status as a full-time student, you cannot enter the United States on an expired or cancelled visa. You will need to renew your visa the next time you are outside the United States, except for short visits to Canada and Mexico. Check with the United States Consulate in your home country for application procedures specific to your home country and to see if an appointment is required.

Duration of Status (D/S)

An F-1 student will be admitted to the United States for “duration of status,” which is noted on your Arrival Form I-94 and SEVIS Form I-20 A-B by United States Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS). Duration of status means the period during which the student is pursuing a full course of study or engaging in authorized practical training following completion of studies.

Electronic I-94

Foreign visitors to the U.S. arriving via air or sea no longer need to complete paper Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Form I-94 or I-94W. Those who need to prove their legal-visitor status—to employers, schools/universities or government agencies—can access their CBP arrival/departure record information online.

CBP now gathers travelers’ arrival/departure information automatically from their electronic travel records. Because advance information is only transmitted for air and sea travelers, CBP will still issue a paper form I-94 at land border ports of entry.

If travelers need the information from their Form I-94 admission record to verify immigration status or employment authorization, the record number and other admission information, they are encouraged to get their I-94 Number.

Upon arrival, a CBP officer stamps the travel document of each arriving non-immigrant traveler with the admission date, the class of admission, and the date that the traveler is admitted until. If a traveler would like a paper Form I-94, one can be requested during the inspection process. All requests will be accommodated in a secondary setting.

Upon exiting the U.S., travelers previously issued a paper Form I-94 should surrender it to the commercial carrier or to CBP upon departure. Otherwise, CBP will record the departure electronically via manifest information provided by the carrier or by CBP. For more information, visit US Customs and Border Protection Agency.

SEVIS Transfer Process

If you arrived in the United States using a different I-20 for F-1 visa and want to attend Rivier University, you must notify your school of your intent to transfer. View information on the SEVIS transfer process.

Out-Of-Status/Reinstatement

Out-of-status may result from one of the following situations:

• Failure to report to the school for SEVIS confirmation within 30 days from the start date of each semester.
• Failure to enroll full-time (with the exemption of the last semester prior to degree completion) for each academic session.
• Failure to seek program extension in a timely manner
• Failure to file a change status or leave the country, in accordance with USCIS regulation following completion of studies.
• Working without appropriate authorization.

A student who has failed to maintain status may apply for reinstatement if the student has been out of status for five months or less. Our staff can assist you with this process.

Employment in F-1 Status

F-1 students are allowed to work, provided they have been authorized to do so. In order to maintain your F-1 status, required employment authorization must be secured before starting any type of employment, with the exception of on-campus employment. View information on employment for F-1 students.

Bringing Spouse or Child to the United States

If you have active F-1 status, you may be able to bring your spouse and/or children to the United States as dependents. You will be asked to submit an additional financial statement for your dependent(s) before a DSO issues a new SEVIS Form I-20. You must meet with your advisor to request SEVIS Form I-20 for your dependents and discuss eligibility for F-2 status. The Office of Global Engagement will need the names, dates of birth, the places of citizenship and relationship to the dependent(s). Each dependent will be issued a SEVIS Form I-20 under his/her name in addition to the student’s name. The dependent(s) must understand that family members are sometimes denied the F-2 visa and are unable to join the student in the United States.

Full-time study by F-2 spouses is prohibited and full-time study by F-2 children is limited to elementary and secondary schooling. F-2 dependents are permitted to engage in part-time vocational or recreational study. An F-2 spouse or child desiring to engage in full-time study other than that allowed must apply for and obtain a change of non-immigrant classification to F-1, J-1, or M-1 status. An F-2 spouse or F-2 child violates his or her non-immigrant status by engaging in full-time study.

Travel Abroad and Re-Entry

Consult your advisor if you plan to make a trip outside the United States to another country or your home country. Complete the Travel Request Form prior to meeting with an advisor. Your advisor will endorse page three of your SEVIS Form I-20 form, verifying that you are maintaining a full course of study and that you are eligible to continue to study at Rivier upon your return to the United States. Please consult your advisor when planning to travel while on Optional Practical Training (OPT).

Visiting another country may require a visa: inquire with their consular offices. Please make sure that the following documents are available before traveling:

• Valid passport for at least six months
• Valid F-1 visa (if your visa has expired, you must apply for renewal in your home country before re-entry to the United States.; meet with your advisor to discuss application of F-1 visa abroad)
• Valid SEVIS Form I-20 with an approved stamp and endorsement by your advisor

For more information about traveling to Canada, Mexico and other adjacent islands (except Cuba) such as Saint Pierre, Miquelon, The Dominican Republic, Haiti, Bermuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Jamaica, The Windward and Leeward Islands, Trinidad, Martinique or other British, French, and Netherlands territory or possessions in or bordering on the Caribbean Sea, contact the Office of Global Engagement and schedule an appointment with your advisor before you plan to travel.