FAQ Links

Definitions and Important Documents

• Duration of Status
• Visa
• Passport
• I-94
• Form I-20
• New I-20
• SEVIS
• US VISIT Entry Exit

Duration of Status

The meaning of D/S: This clarification allows an F-1 student who is pursuing a full course-of-study to complete any educational level or series of educational programs and any practical training (if qualified for it), and 60 days later (after completion of studies) either to depart from the U.S. or apply for a change of visa status.  A student who has not applied for practical training or change of status after completion of studies may not remain in the U.S. beyond the 60-day grace period even if the expiration date on the I-20 has not yet been reached.

The 60-day grace period is no longer in the legal definition of "duration of status."  The new rule creates 2 grace periods:

 1. 60 days for those who have completed their course-of-study and any authorized practical training.
 2. 15 days for those who terminate their course-of-study before it is complete (if student obtains authorization of DSO prior to terminating her course of study.)  NOTE: Students who terminate their course of study without prior DSO approval or otherwise fail to maintain status are not eligible for any additional period.

Students who find that they are unable to complete their studies in the amount of time noted on the I-20 are required to obtain a new I-20 ID with the new date of completion noted.  To do this, you must report to the ISA office PRIOR to the date of completion on your I-20 ID; you will be required to submit documentation of financial support.  To gain a program extension, students must also show satisfactory progress toward the degree.  Unacceptable reasons for extending one's program include probation, suspension, or maintaining full-time status.
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Visa

Your visa is a stamp in your passport, either a multi-colored stamp or an orange label affixed to the visa page.  The visa which you obtained from the American Embassy allowed you to ask for permission to enter the United States.  A non-immigrant visa (such as the F-1) is valid only for the purpose for which it was issued.  It is not a guarantee of entry.  Your visa is numbered, and shows your name, the visa category (for example, F-1), the date and place of issue, the expiration date, the name of your original school, and the name of the consular official who issued it.

For initial admission, you are required to attend the school written below the visa for at least one academic term.  Once you have been granted entry, your visa does NOT determine how long you stay in the United States.  (See I-20).  The visa governs only your entry into the United States, and not your stay.

You are required to obtain a new visa only when you leave the U.S. and wish to return and if your visa has expired, or if your visa was designated as a single entry only.  A request to obtain a new visa must be made at an American Embassy or Consulate outside of the United States.

PLEASE NOTE:  If your visa has expired, it is alright to remain in the United States if you are in legal F-1 status (full-time working on the degree indicated on your I-20).  However, you must renew your visa if you go outside of the United States in order to re-enter.  Please note that your I-20 and passport must be valid and unexpired.
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Passport

This is your most important piece of identification, and you need to keep it valid (at least 6 months beyond your projected date of departure from the U.S.).  You cannot renew your visa unless your passport is current; neither can you leave the U.S. without a valid passport.  To renew your passport, you must contact your country's embassy or consulate.  The address and phone number may be obtained through the Office of International Student Affairs.

It is recommended that you photocopy important pages of your passport: the identification page, the expiration date, and the visa page.  Should you lose your passport, having copies of important documents may reduce the time needed to replace the document.
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I -94

This is the entry permit issued to you by the immigration inspector at the port of entry into the U.S.  It is the little white card which was stapled into your passport.  KEEP IT THERE.  IT IS YOUR PERMIT TO REMAIN IN THE U.S.  The D/S status marked on the I-94 means that you are permitted to remain in the U.S. for as long as you are pursuing your intended program of study provided you remain in-status, your I-20 has not expired, and you are making satisfactory progress toward completion of your degree.
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Form I-20 - Certificate of Eligibility for Non-Immigrant F-1 Student Status

This form was issued to you to attend NKU initially.  Having accepted the I-20, you are required by immigration to attend NKU for at least one semester before transferring.  Whenever you travel outside of the U.S. you must carry an up-to-date I-20 ID endorsed by a Designated School Official in the Office of International Student Affairs.  You must also check the visa requirements of those countries through which you will travel.

The I-20 ID (student copy) certifies that you are eligible to study at the designated school and that you have verified your financial ability to pay tuition, fees, and basic living costs while pursuing your education.

Page 3 of the I-20 is used to note transfers, travel authorization signatures, and other records (i.e.., employment, reinstatement of status).  It is also used to document your date of re-admission to the U.S. after a temporary absence.

In conjunction with your I-94, your I-20 indicates the length of time you have permission to remain in the U.S. (by the expiration date) as long as you are still maintaining your status and working toward the degree indicated on the I-20.
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New I-20

All F-1 students are issued I-20 IDs to enter the United States.  Most immigration transactions will be noted on the student's I-20 ID.  If you should receive a new I-20 for any reason (program extension, school transfer, change of degree program), you should keep your previous I-20 ID's as a record of your legal stay in the United States.  In most cases, you will need to provide new financial support documents in order to obtain a new I-20.

Immigration regulations state that you should keep your I-20 with you at all times.  You will not surrender it for temporary absences outside the United States.

If you lose your I-20 ID(s), please report it to the International Student Affairs Office immediately.  In some cases, we may be able to issue a duplicate.  With other immigration documents (e.g., I-94), you may need to file a Form I-102 and pay a fee of $155 to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (CIS) to obtain a duplicate.

NOTE: Students who will continue studying at NKU in the Fall 2004 semester who do not already have a SEVIS I-20 will receive a new SEVIS I-20 during the summer term (see SEVIS definition below).
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SEVIS

(Student and Exchange Visitor Information System; formerly known as CIPRIS) is an initiative of federal government (CIS) to convert a paper, manual data collection and reporting system into an electronic, automated system.  That automated system was born from the 1996 Immigration Reform and Immigration Responsibility Act (IRAIRA) and has been accelerated by the events of September 11, 2001.  All currently enrolled students and all new / prospective students in F-1, M-1, and J-1 immigration status are fully affected by CIS/SEVIS rules implemented on January 1, and January 30, 2003, respectively.  Many technical regulations concerning SEVIS implementation and use are continuously evolving so please stay tuned to official news released by CIS, ISA office, and mass information media.  

Due to its embodied effectiveness of information processing and reporting capacity, SEVIS will benefit universities, students, and government agencies in the long run at the expense of difficulties in the short run.  
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US VISIT Entry-Exit System

The U.S. VISIT (U.S. Visitor and Immigrant Status Indicator Technology) program, according to the DHS Q&A, will "record the entry and exit of non-US citizens into and out of the United States, and provide officials with information about persons who are in the United States in violation of their admission to the United States."

This program includes collecting digital fingerprints of the index fingers of arriving and departing aliens, and the taking of a digital photograph.

The law requires the system to be implemented "at air and seaports by December 31, 2003; the 50 most highly trafficked land ports of entry (POES) by December 31, 2003; and all POES by December 31, 2005."  The departure portion of the program is scheduled to be phased in during 2004.

The Q&A prepared by DHS describes the operational aspects of U.S. VISIT:

"Many of the procedures in place today remain unchanged and are familiar to international travelers. A U.S. Customs and Border Protection Officer will review each visitor's travel documents, such as visa and passport, and ask questions about the visitor's stay in the U.S.

"In addition, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Officer will use an inkless fingerprint scanner to automatically read the fingerprints of arriving visitors holding visas.  The visitor will be asked to put the index finger of one hand and then the index finger of the other hand on the scanner.  The Customs and Border Protection Officer will also take a digital photograph of the visitor.

"The biographic and fingerprint data will be used to verify the identity of the visitor and compared against watch-lists.  At that point, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Officer will either admit the visitor or conduct additional inquires based on the verification results.  These procedures should reduce fraud, identity theft, and the risk that terrorists and criminals will enter the United States undetected.

"When leaving the country, visitors will "check out" at a departure kiosk located within the secure area of major international airports or seaports.  Implementation of the biometric exit portion of U.S. VISIT at airports and seaports will begin in 2004."
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