85:
446:
outdated Form I-20 to get in. In particular, when adding a new travel signature to the OPT, it is the responsibility of the international student office to make sure that the student is still enrolled at the institution. In case the Form I-20 runs out of space for travel signatures, the international office may print out a new Form I-20 for the student.
266:(this is a one-time process). Note that an institution can be SEVP-certified despite not holding national or regional accreditation. Conversely, an institution may hold national or regional accreditation but may have chosen not to obtain SEVP certification if it does not intend to admit international students in the F, J, or M status.
503:
Reduced Course Load: This means that the student is not enrolled as a full-time student. Reasons for granting RCL include final quarter/semester, medical condition, and academic difficulties. Academic difficulties in turn include improper course level placement, academic difficulties with the
English
278:
At the time the first Form I-20 is issued to the student (after accepting the offer of admission from the institution) a record is created for the student in the
Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS). At any given time, the responsibility for keeping the student's SEVIS record up to
481:
It is important to note that the program end date on the Form I-20 need not coincide with the graduation date. Rather, it is the end date of the student's enrollment in courses. It is not possible to extend the program end date simply in order to be able to stay around till the graduation ceremony.
445:
Since travel signatures are valid for only a year, students need to periodically get updated travel signatures on their I-20 from their international student office. The purpose of this requirement is to avoid cases where people who are no longer enrolled as students at an institution keep using an
327:
After receiving information from the student and institution regarding the program length and end date, the international office creates the student's SEVIS record, gets a SEVIS number for the student, and issues a Form I-20. A physical copy of the form may be mailed to the student overseas. In the
102:
The I-20 was updated starting June 2015, with all new I-20s issued using the new format starting June 26, 2015, and the new I-20 necessary for all students seeking entry or re-entry starting July 2016. The main reason for the update to the form was the standardization of names in SEVIS. The changes
374:
For those entering the United States in student status, the date of entry to the United States is treated as the start date for the student being in the F or M student status (even if this is before the program start date). For those transitioning to student status from another status, the date of
282:
The Form I-20 can be thought of as a paper representation of the most up-to-date SEVIS information on record for the student's current enrollment. Whenever there are substantive changes to the information, the SEVIS record is updated, and a new Form I-20 is issued to the student by the institution
269:
A large university typically has an international office that manages its participation in the SEVP, and all the DSOs work for this office. The international office manages updates to the SEVIS record and issuing of new paper Form I-20s. Students who have any change to their plans (such as program
474:
If the Form I-20 is being shortened, the international office may require the student to submit evidence showing that the student has enough academic credits to graduate early. If the Form I-20 is being extended, then, in addition to any evidence from the student about changed academic plans, the
357:
It is needed when seeking admission to the United States. At the time of admission, a valid visa as well as a valid I-20 are needed. At the time of initial entry, the officer at the port of entry checks that the program start date is at most 30 days ahead, and that the I-20 has a valid travel
470:
It may happen that the student's actual program end date falls earlier or later than what the student expected. It is necessary that a new I-20 be issued reflecting the current program end date, both prior to the program's actual end and prior to the stated program end date on the Form I-20.
311:
Each international office may follow its own rules or guidelines regarding the type of documentation it requests from the student or from other departments in order to be able to issue the I-20. The jargon used for this documentation will also vary by institution. For instance, the
453:, whereby the student returns to the United States after a trip to Canada, Mexico, or a nearby island for at most 30 days, it is not necessary to have a valid visa at the time of re-entry. However, it is still necessary to have a valid Form I-20 and a travel signature.
358:
signature. It is also necessary that, at the time of initial entry, the school the student intends to attend matches the school on the student's visa and the student's I-20, though this is not a requirement in the future. The officer at the port of entry also issues a
461:
In general, whenever there are changes to the information in Form I-20, a new Form I-20 is issued. The student is advised to keep all historical Forms I-20 for the record but only the most recent copy should be used for travel or as proof of current student status.
261:
The Form I-20 is issued by a
Designated School Official (DSO) at the institution (college, university, or vocational school). Only institutions that are SEVP-certified can issue Form I-20s. An institution can acquire SEVP certification by filing Form I-17 with
362:
with expiration date indicated as "D/S" (Duration of Status), which means that the student is in authorized status in the United States until the program end date indicated on the I-20 (and can stay in the United States for up to 60 days after
299:
Apart from biographical information about the student (including the student's name, date of birth, citizenship, etc.), there are two main pieces of information that must be entered in the student's SEVIS record and the initial Form I-20.
498:
The following are some other types of major updates to the student's SEVIS record that require changes to the Form I-20. In all cases, the student must contact the international office beforehand and have a new I-20 issued in advance:
279:
date falls with the SEVP-certified institution the student is currently enrolled in. If the student transfers to a different SEVP-certified institution, the responsibility of updating the SEVIS record now falls on the new institution.
197:
The Form I-20 used until June 2015 has three pages, of which the second page was an instructions page, so that only the first and third pages contained information specific to the student's SEVIS record.
482:
If the graduation ceremony falls outside the 60-day grace period of completion of coursework, then the student must find some other way to be legally present for it (for instance, by staying around on
116:
General design improvements that include moving the instructions to the third page of the Form I-20, as well as the removal of the barcode, and the blocks for visa and port of entry information.
307:
How the student intends to meet tuition and living expenses for the first year the student is in the program, or until the end date indicated on the I-20, whichever is shorter.
1163:
592:
653:
331:
The international office may refuse to issue a Form I-20 if the student is unable to demonstrate how he or she plans to cover expenses for the first year.
320:
uses the term "Financial
Resources Statement" for the statement that students need to submit to it regarding how they will meet their expenses, while the
975:
897:
366:
For those who are not seeking admission to the United States but simply changing status, a copy of the Form I-20 needs to be attached along with the
437:
A travel signature on the I-20 (page 3) from the DSO that is at most one year old (six months in the case of students currently on post-completion
424:
Whenever the student re-enters the United States after traveling, the student must have all of these at the time of arrival at the port of entry:
66:
321:
42:
475:
international office also needs an updated statement of financial resources for the new I-20 to cover up to one year of the I-20 extension.
73:
ID number) and school code. The Form I-20 is only for F-1, F-2, M-1, and M-2 statuses. J-1 and J-2 status holders have an equivalent Form
270:
end date, course load, leave of absence, return from leave of absence) must communicate these changes with their international office.
145:
Financial information for the first year of studies, with one column for estimated funding costs and another column for funding sources
1067:
405:
142:
Information about the program of study: Program name, education level, normal program length, start and end date, English proficiency
848:
750:
722:
692:
388:
The Form I-20 serves as evidence of the legality of the student's current presence in the United States. Note that a valid visa is
296:
Once the prospective student has accepted the institution's offer of admission, the institution issues a Form I-20 to the student.
263:
46:
404:
The Form I-20 may be used to demonstrate student status when applying for United States government documents and benefits such as
113:
Expandable field boxes that display information about cap gap extension, change of status, event history and other authorizations.
1168:
527:
971:
41:(also known as the Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant (F-1) Student Status-For Academic and Language Students) is a
478:
After the change to the program end date is made in the student's SEVIS record, the new Form I-20 is issued to the student.
136:
The class of admission (F-1 or M-1; in case of additional pages added for dependents, the class of admission is F-2 or M-2)
50:
989:
244:
A section for travel signatures. A travel signature at most 1 year old is necessary whenever re-entering the United States
328:
case that the student has a SEVIS record from previous student status, the existing SEVIS record should be transferred.
78:
283:
with the updated information. The student must use the most up-to-date Form I-20 when demonstrating student status.
1089:
869:
796:
664:
119:
The new
Request Mass Reprint functionality that allows DSOs to reprint Forms I-20 for multiple students at a time.
1107:
133:
Student's biographical information: various kinds of names, countries of birth and citizenship, and date of birth
636:
950:
211:
Information about the school and
Designated School Official who needs to be informed upon the student's arrival
1132:
821:"Declaration & Certification of Finances for I-20 / DS-2019 Application FOR INTERNATIONAL APPLICANTS ONLY"
614:
88:
Form I-20, Certificate of
Eligibility for Nonimmigrant (F-1) Student Status-For Academic and Language Students
512:
413:
239:
167:
123:
The new Form I-20 is three pages long. Each dependent gets an additional three pages, with the same format.
820:
508:
483:
450:
438:
235:
163:
339:
The Form I-20 is used in the following stages of the transition to student status in the United States:
844:
890:
17:
1071:
65:) that provides supporting information on a student's F or M status. Since the introduction of the
158:
Page 2 contains the following (this is information that appeared on Page 3 in the previous I-20):
565:
351:
1039:
918:
409:
317:
1136:
1111:
1093:
1043:
922:
775:
313:
31:
1075:
324:
uses the term "Declaration & Certification of
Finances for I-20/DS-2019 Application".
248:
An additional Page 4 may be included for information on the student's dependents, if any.
8:
660:
399:
139:
School information (school name, school address, school SEVIS code, and name of the DSO)
943:
62:
208:
Student's biographical information (name, country of birth, country of citizenship)
173:
Information on change of status or the cap-gap extension (for post-completion OPT)
771:
186:
In the case of long event histories, Page 2 could spill over to multiple pages.
993:
1157:
412:. It is also required to demonstrate authorization to work for students on
1015:
718:
334:
69:(SEVIS) run by SEVP, the form also includes the student tracking number (
434:
A valid I-20 (i.e., an I-20 whose program end date has not yet arrived)
367:
58:
891:"I am a nonimmigrant. How do I change to another nonimmigrant status?"
746:
400:
Documentation of student status for United States government purposes
375:
transition indicated on the Form I-539 is treated as the start date.
359:
797:"Financial Resources Statement for Issuance of Form I-20 or DS-2019"
110:
Better separation of student information from dependent information.
542:
537:
532:
214:
The student's degree program, reporting date, and program end date.
74:
354:, both when filling the application form and during the interview.
343:
The SEVIS number on the I-20 is needed while paying the SEVIS fee.
637:"I-20, Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimigrant Student Status"
54:
688:
487:
347:
217:
How the student intends to meet his/her first year of expenses.
392:
necessary for being in lawful student status; a valid visa is
84:
654:"SAMPLE Certificate of Eligibility I-20 (for F visa holders)"
70:
304:
Program details: The program name, start date, and end date.
383:
870:"Arriving in the U.S. at the Airport or the Port of Entry"
504:
language, or unfamiliarity with
American teaching methods.
747:"Requirements of Schools Seeking F & M Certification"
911:
396:
needed when entering or re-entering the United States.
223:
Name and signature of the student, along with the date.
1040:"Finishing Courses Earlier Than I-20/DS-2019 End Date"
335:
Use of Form I-20 while transitioning to student status
919:"Visa vs. Status: One can expire; the other may not!"
428:
A valid passport (valid for at least six more months)
273:
1068:"Dropping a Course, Withdrawal, and On-Leave Status"
1062:
1060:
944:"International Students And Social Security Numbers"
192:
154:
Student attestation, signed and dated by the student
220:
Name and signature of the DSO, along with the date.
53:(SEVP), document issued by SEVP-certified schools (
976:United States Citizenship and Immigration Services
898:United States Citizenship and Immigration Services
560:
558:
1057:
1034:
1032:
845:"Student and Exchange Visitor Program: I-901 Fee"
234:Information on any work authorization, including
1155:
465:
555:
419:
151:School attestation, signed and dated by the DSO
67:Student and Exchange Visitor Information System
1029:
883:
587:
585:
583:
378:
291:
1164:United States Department of Homeland Security
837:
741:
739:
713:
711:
709:
256:
43:United States Department of Homeland Security
1082:
1008:
689:"Overview of the SEVP certification process"
607:
97:
580:
736:
706:
322:University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign
511:(pre-completion and post-completion) and
406:Individual Taxpayer Identification Number
27:U.S. Department of Homeland Security form
849:U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
751:U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
723:U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
693:U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
384:Establishing legality of status and stay
264:U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
83:
81:-designated J exchange visitor program.
972:"Additional Documentation Requirements"
528:College admissions in the United States
456:
14:
1156:
162:Employment authorization (such as for
1090:"Maintaining a Full Time Course Load"
772:"Qualifying for your I-20 or DS-2019"
615:"Coming Soon: A Redesigned Form I-20"
130:The SEVIS ID (printed in bold on top)
107:More prominence to the SEVIS number.
51:Student and Exchange Visitor Program
1108:"OPT (Optional Practical Training)"
346:It is needed when applying for the
24:
274:Student SEVIS record and Form I-20
25:
1180:
1133:"Leave of Absence and Withdrawal"
193:Structure of I-20 until June 2015
179:Other authorizations (as a table)
79:United States Department of State
493:
1125:
1100:
982:
964:
936:
862:
813:
789:
517:Leave of Absence and Withdrawal
251:
227:Page 3 includes the following:
201:Page 1 contains the following:
126:Page 1 contains the following:
1169:United States government forms
951:Social Security Administration
764:
681:
646:
629:
507:Practical Training, including
490:for the graduation ceremony).
189:Page 3 contains instructions.
13:
1:
593:"International Student Visas"
548:
513:Curricular Practical Training
466:Changing the program end date
414:Curricular Practical Training
370:application to change status.
240:Curricular Practical Training
168:Curricular Practical Training
719:"Transfers for F-1 Students"
595:. EducationUSA. 4 March 2015
420:Travel and travel signatures
92:
7:
521:
509:Optional Practical Training
484:Optional Practical Training
451:automatic visa revalidation
439:Optional Practical Training
379:Subsequent use of Form I-20
292:Issuance of first Form I-20
236:Optional Practical Training
164:Optional Practical Training
10:
1185:
286:
257:SEVP-certified institution
176:Event history (as a table)
29:
98:Current structure of I-20
1072:University of Washington
566:"What is the Form I-20?"
449:In the special case of
410:Social Security Number
318:University of Michigan
89:
1137:University of Chicago
1112:University of Chicago
1094:University of Chicago
1044:University of Chicago
923:University of Chicago
776:University of Chicago
314:University of Chicago
87:
77:which is issued by a
32:I-20 (disambiguation)
1016:"Travel & Visas"
996:on February 16, 2016
457:Changes to Form I-20
30:For other uses, see
990:"Travel Signatures"
661:Brandeis University
431:A valid F or M visa
568:. January 28, 2013
231:The student's name
90:
63:vocational schools
182:Travel signatures
16:(Redirected from
1176:
1148:
1147:
1145:
1143:
1129:
1123:
1122:
1120:
1118:
1104:
1098:
1097:
1086:
1080:
1079:
1074:. Archived from
1064:
1055:
1054:
1052:
1050:
1036:
1027:
1026:
1024:
1022:
1012:
1006:
1005:
1003:
1001:
992:. Archived from
986:
980:
979:
968:
962:
961:
959:
957:
948:
940:
934:
933:
931:
929:
915:
909:
908:
906:
904:
895:
887:
881:
880:
878:
876:
866:
860:
859:
857:
855:
841:
835:
834:
832:
830:
825:
817:
811:
810:
808:
806:
801:
793:
787:
786:
784:
782:
768:
762:
761:
759:
757:
743:
734:
733:
731:
729:
715:
704:
703:
701:
699:
685:
679:
678:
676:
675:
669:
663:. Archived from
658:
650:
644:
643:
641:
633:
627:
626:
624:
622:
611:
605:
604:
602:
600:
589:
578:
577:
575:
573:
562:
21:
1184:
1183:
1179:
1178:
1177:
1175:
1174:
1173:
1154:
1153:
1152:
1151:
1141:
1139:
1131:
1130:
1126:
1116:
1114:
1106:
1105:
1101:
1088:
1087:
1083:
1066:
1065:
1058:
1048:
1046:
1038:
1037:
1030:
1020:
1018:
1014:
1013:
1009:
999:
997:
988:
987:
983:
978:. 30 July 2020.
970:
969:
965:
955:
953:
946:
942:
941:
937:
927:
925:
917:
916:
912:
902:
900:
893:
889:
888:
884:
874:
872:
868:
867:
863:
853:
851:
843:
842:
838:
828:
826:
823:
819:
818:
814:
804:
802:
799:
795:
794:
790:
780:
778:
770:
769:
765:
755:
753:
745:
744:
737:
727:
725:
717:
716:
707:
697:
695:
687:
686:
682:
673:
671:
667:
656:
652:
651:
647:
639:
635:
634:
630:
620:
618:
617:. June 18, 2015
613:
612:
608:
598:
596:
591:
590:
581:
571:
569:
564:
563:
556:
551:
524:
496:
486:, or getting a
468:
459:
422:
402:
386:
381:
337:
294:
289:
276:
259:
254:
195:
100:
95:
45:, specifically
35:
28:
23:
22:
15:
12:
11:
5:
1182:
1172:
1171:
1166:
1150:
1149:
1124:
1099:
1081:
1078:on 2016-02-16.
1056:
1028:
1007:
981:
963:
935:
910:
882:
861:
836:
812:
788:
763:
735:
705:
680:
645:
628:
606:
579:
553:
552:
550:
547:
546:
545:
540:
535:
530:
523:
520:
519:
518:
515:
505:
495:
492:
467:
464:
458:
455:
443:
442:
435:
432:
429:
421:
418:
401:
398:
385:
382:
380:
377:
372:
371:
364:
355:
344:
336:
333:
309:
308:
305:
293:
290:
288:
285:
275:
272:
258:
255:
253:
250:
246:
245:
242:
232:
225:
224:
221:
218:
215:
212:
209:
206:
194:
191:
184:
183:
180:
177:
174:
171:
156:
155:
152:
149:
146:
143:
140:
137:
134:
131:
121:
120:
117:
114:
111:
108:
99:
96:
94:
91:
26:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1181:
1170:
1167:
1165:
1162:
1161:
1159:
1138:
1134:
1128:
1113:
1109:
1103:
1095:
1091:
1085:
1077:
1073:
1069:
1063:
1061:
1045:
1041:
1035:
1033:
1017:
1011:
995:
991:
985:
977:
973:
967:
952:
945:
939:
924:
920:
914:
899:
892:
886:
871:
865:
850:
846:
840:
822:
816:
798:
792:
777:
773:
767:
752:
748:
742:
740:
724:
720:
714:
712:
710:
694:
690:
684:
670:on 2015-09-12
666:
662:
655:
649:
638:
632:
616:
610:
594:
588:
586:
584:
567:
561:
559:
554:
544:
541:
539:
536:
534:
531:
529:
526:
525:
516:
514:
510:
506:
502:
501:
500:
494:Other changes
491:
489:
485:
479:
476:
472:
463:
454:
452:
447:
440:
436:
433:
430:
427:
426:
425:
417:
415:
411:
407:
397:
395:
391:
376:
369:
365:
361:
356:
353:
349:
345:
342:
341:
340:
332:
329:
325:
323:
319:
315:
306:
303:
302:
301:
297:
284:
280:
271:
267:
265:
249:
243:
241:
237:
233:
230:
229:
228:
222:
219:
216:
213:
210:
207:
204:
203:
202:
199:
190:
187:
181:
178:
175:
172:
169:
165:
161:
160:
159:
153:
150:
147:
144:
141:
138:
135:
132:
129:
128:
127:
124:
118:
115:
112:
109:
106:
105:
104:
86:
82:
80:
76:
72:
68:
64:
60:
56:
52:
48:
44:
40:
33:
19:
1142:February 10,
1140:. Retrieved
1127:
1117:February 10,
1115:. Retrieved
1102:
1084:
1076:the original
1047:. Retrieved
1019:. Retrieved
1010:
998:. Retrieved
994:the original
984:
966:
956:February 10,
954:. Retrieved
938:
928:February 10,
926:. Retrieved
913:
901:. Retrieved
885:
873:. Retrieved
864:
854:February 10,
852:. Retrieved
839:
827:. Retrieved
815:
803:. Retrieved
791:
779:. Retrieved
766:
756:February 10,
754:. Retrieved
726:. Retrieved
696:. Retrieved
683:
672:. Retrieved
665:the original
648:
631:
621:February 10,
619:. Retrieved
609:
597:. Retrieved
570:. Retrieved
497:
480:
477:
473:
469:
460:
448:
444:
423:
403:
393:
389:
387:
373:
338:
330:
326:
310:
298:
295:
281:
277:
268:
260:
252:Overall role
247:
226:
205:SEVIS number
200:
196:
188:
185:
157:
125:
122:
101:
59:universities
38:
36:
1049:February 9,
1021:February 9,
1000:February 9,
903:February 1,
875:February 9,
829:February 9,
805:February 9,
781:February 9,
728:February 9,
698:February 9,
599:February 9,
572:February 9,
408:(ITIN) and
1158:Categories
674:2016-02-10
549:References
368:Form I-539
360:Form I-94
103:include:
93:Structure
37:The Form
18:Form I-20
543:M-1 visa
538:J-1 visa
533:F-1 visa
522:See also
55:colleges
49:and the
287:Process
148:Remarks
75:DS-2019
488:B visa
363:that).
352:M visa
348:F visa
61:, and
947:(PDF)
894:(PDF)
824:(PDF)
800:(PDF)
668:(PDF)
657:(PDF)
640:(PDF)
71:SEVIS
1144:2016
1119:2016
1051:2016
1023:2016
1002:2016
958:2016
930:2016
905:2016
877:2016
856:2016
831:2016
807:2016
783:2016
758:2016
730:2016
700:2016
623:2016
601:2016
574:2016
394:only
316:and
238:and
39:I-20
390:not
350:or
166:or
47:ICE
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