Acquiring F-1/J-1 Status
Step-by-Step Guide for International Students
Steps for Acquiring F-1/J-1 Status
Now that you have received your I-20 or DS-2019, you can start the process of acquiring your F-1 or J-1 immigration status. Follow the steps below to learn more about the process.
Exemption for Citizens of Canada and Bermuda: Citizens of Canada and Bermuda are exempt from the U.S. entry visa requirement but must still pay the SEVIS fee and present form I-20 or DS-2019 when entering as an F-1 or J-1 student.
Step 1: Pay the SEVIS Fee
Before you can apply for a visa to enter the United States as a student or exchange visitor, you need to pay the I-901 Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) fee. To pay the I-901 SEVIS Fee to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, visit FMJfee.com. This is required for all initial F-1 and J-1 students, including citizens of Canada and Bermuda.
Step 2: Obtain a US Visa*
- Visa Approval: Apply for an F-1 or J-1 US entry visa at a US embassy or consulate in your home country. Once approved, the consulate will place an F-1 or J-1 US entry visa sticker in your passport.
- Additional Information: For additional information on the visa process and potential issues, see the US Entry Visa section of our site.
- Contact ISSS: If your visa application is delayed or denied, please contact us with any other relevant details.
Note for Citizens of Canada and Bermuda: Citizens of Canada and Bermuda are not required to have visas in their passports, but they must follow the instructions below when entering the United States.
Enter the United States
- When to Enter: You must enter the United States within 30 days of the program start date on Form I-20 or DS-2019.
- Role of Customs and Border Protection (CBP): Entry to the US is granted by Customs and Border Protection (CPB), which is part of the Department of Homeland Security.
- Present to the US Customs and Border Officials at the US Port of Entry (POE):
- Your I-901 receipt
- A printout of your I-20 or DS-2019.
- The Officer will determine which immigration status and for how long you should be admitted to the US based on your I-20 or DS-2019.
- Present to the US Customs and Border Officials at the US Port of Entry (POE):
- Electronic I-94 Arrival-Departure Record: You will be issued an electronic I-94 Arrival-Departure Record which you can download at www. cbp.gov/I94; For further information see ours I-94 process page.
- Future Travel Documentation: After your initial arrival in the US, you will need to ensure you have appropriate documentation for any subsequent travel outside of the US. For future travel after initial entry, refer to our travel page.
Other Options for Acquiring or Continuing F-1/J-1 Status
The process described in the previous section applies to the majority of students who will travel from abroad and enter the U.S. to gain F-1 or J-1 status.
Change of Status: However, certain new students may be eligible to acquire or continue F-1 or J-1 status under the following scenarios.
Change of Status
A change of status application submitted through US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is available to eligible students who:
- Currently hold a valid non-immigrant status in the US
- Will not depart the US before the start of their F-1 or J-1 program
- Will apply for a change of status with USCIS to gain F-1 or J-1 status
Importance of Keeping ISSS Informed: It’s important for students to keep ISSS informed about the status of their change of status application. This includes notifying ISSS about any approvals, delays, or other updates in the processing of their application.
Transfer In Students
A transfer in student is someone who currently holds a valid SEVIS record at another institution in F-1 or J-1 student status and wishes to transfer their SEVIS record to Penn.
To complete the SEVIS transfer procedure:
- Consulting Current Institution: Consult with your current institution’s International Student Office about your transfer eligibility. Follow their procedure to submit a transfer-out request.
- Submitting I-20/DS-2019 Application in iPenn: Log into iPenn and submit an I-20/DS-2019 Application E-form. Choose “Yes” to the question about SEVIS Transfer and fill out the related fields. Upload a copy of Transfer-Out form if your institution requires it (Penn no longer requires Transfer-In form).
- Issuance of I-20/DS-2019 by ISSS: Penn’s ISSS will create the I-20/DS-2019 for you once
- ISSS has received your I-20/DS-2019 Application along with all required documents, and
- Your SEVIS record is released to Penn by your current institution. Please allow ISSS up to 3 weeks to issue your transfer I-20 during peak season.
- Arrival to Penn:
Important Note:
- SEVIS School Name and Codes
- In SEVIS, our school’s name appears as “University of Pennsylvania”.
- Our F-1 School code is PHI214F00151000.
- Our J-1 program number is P-1-00183.
- Program Eligibility for I-20/DS-2019 Issuance: The University of Pennsylvania does not issue F-1 I-20s/J-1 DS-2019s for all programs. Please review the list of programs here.
Further Instructions:
- F-1 Students:
- Program Start Date: Your program at Penn must begin within 5 months of the end of your previous program.
- Using Unexpired F-1 Visa: If you have an unexpired F-1 entry visa from your previous program, you may continue to use that visa for travel.
- J-1 Students:
- J-1 Transfer: The purpose of a J-1 transfer must be to complete the original educational objective for which you first came to the U.S. as a J-1 Exchange Visitor. If you are making a change to your field of study, you are not eligible for a J-1 transfer.
- SEVIS Record Transfer Deadline: Your SEVIS record must be transferred to Penn by your current school by your current DS-2019 end date or by the end date of your current academic program if that is earlier. There cannot be a gap between program dates.
- Applying for a New J Visa for Re-Entry: If you have international travel after transferring to Penn, you will need to apply for a new J visa at a US Consulate to reenter the US. You may not use the J visa from the prior program to enter using Penn’s DS-2019.
Health Insurance requirement for J-1 Students and J-2 Dependents: The US Department of State requires J-1 and J-2 Exchange Visitors to be compliant with certain health insurance standards. Please review the J-1 Insurance information.
Change of Education Level
- F-1 Students Changing Degree Programs: F-1 students changing from one degree program to another within Penn may apply for a new I-20 for their new program in iPenn. The online request must be submitted to ISSS at least 3 weeks before the current program expires. Please consult with your ISSS Advisor with any questions.
- J-1 Students Changing Education Level: For J-1 students, typically the change must be to a higher level of education, not a lower level. The new degree must be consistent with the original academic objective, or field of study. Please consult with your ISSS Advisor.
Returning from a Leave of Absence
- New Upload in iPenn by Penn Program: The Penn program must submit a new upload in iPenn.
- Student’s Responsibilities for Returning: The student will be notified to complete their portion of the application in iPenn and provide updated funding documents.
- Further Information on Absences or Departures: Further information regarding absences or departures from Penn is available on the ISSS website here.