USCIS recently announced it will no longer require F-1 students to bridge the gap. Previously USCIS had required students who filed a change of status application to F-1, to also file a second application in order to extend their current status. Therefore, someone who entered in B-2 and wished to change to F-1 was required…
Tag Archives: CPT
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The Importance Of Maintaining F-1 Status
Students on F-1 status need to ensure they maintain status. A failure to maintain status could result in a violation which could have an impact on their immigration future. At PLG we often see requests for evidence questioning maintenance of status for F-1 students, who have submitted an H-1B cap petition requesting a change of…
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DHS Withdraws Its Duration Of Status Rule
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will now withdraw its duration of status rule. Students have for a long time had the benefit of being admitted for the duration of status. In other words, unlike other nonimmigrants, they are not admitted for a specific length of time. This flexibility has allowed them to extend their…
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Is Day 1 CPT Still A Problem?
Having previously written two articles on Day 1 CPT (Curricular Practical Training) I keep being asked whether I would recommend Day 1 CPT and what are the potential consequences of taking it. If you haven’t read my previous articles, please find the links below: https://www.patellegal.com/why-day-1-cpt-is-not-a-good-idea-and-can-cause-more-problems-than-it-solves/ https://www.patellegal.com/day-1-cpt-revisited/ Please note that the first article was written during…
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USCIS Announces That F-1 Students Can File OPT And STEM OPT Applications Online
On April 12, 2021 USCIS announced that F-1 students can file OPT and STEM OPT applications online using form I-765. This applies to the following applications: Pre-completion OPT; Post completion OPT; and 24- month extension of OPT known as STEM OPT. USCIS has also warned that anyone else that attempts to file I-765 online that…
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Day 1 CPT Revisited
2 years ago I wrote an article on the problems of taking Day 1 CPT and thought it was time to revisit this issue. Click here to see my previous article. At the time of writing my previous article, USCIS was taking a very firm stand on Day 1 CPT cases. In fact, students applying…
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Frequently Asked Questions For International Students
With the COVID-19 emergency guidelines in place and the current Trump administration, it can be very difficult to keep up with the applicable immigration laws, the Department of Homeland security (DHS)’s notices and the Presidential Proclamations. If you are an international student, you not only have to focus on your classes but also have to…
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Trump Administration Agrees To Drop New F-1/M-1 Rule, Allowing Students To Study Online For The Fall Semester
On Monday, July 6, 2020 SEVP (Student and Exchange Visitor Program (a division of ICE) announced that students taking a full online course load in the fall semester are not allowed to remain in the US. This new rule was a departure from a previous exemption announced in March 2020, allowing students to study online…
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ICE: International Students May Have To Go Back To Their Home Country If Their Classes Go Online Only This Fall
The Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) is modifying the temporary exemptions for nonimmigrant students taking online classes due to the pandemic for the fall 2020 semester. The modifications include the following: Nonimmigrant F-1 and M-1 students attending schools operating entirely online may not take a full online course load and remain in the United…
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Employment Options For International Students
There are a number of potential options for International students on an F-1 student visa to gain work experience that is directly related to their field of study. On-campus employment On-campus employment is permitted once classes have started provided it is on the school’s premises or at an off-campus location that is educationally affiliated with…