Please see our choosing between an F-1 and J-1 visa page if you need help deciding which visa to apply for. (fix broken links on the choosing page) 

• 8 CFR 214.2(f) new link: https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-8/chapter-I/subchapter-B/part-214/section-214.2 
• 22 CFR 62 new link: https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-22/chapter-I/subchapter-G/part-62?toc=1  

Once ISSS has received the official request to issue your immigration document from your admissions office, we will review and issue your I-20/DS-2019 within 3-5 business days if all documentation is acceptable. Please note that if we need anything additional from you or have questions regarding your documentation, this will delay the issuance of your immigration document. Please ensure you have reviewed the links in Step 3 above to ensure all of your documentation is acceptable. 

 

Your I-20/DS-2019 will be issued and signed by ISSS electronically, as permitted by the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of State. Please print your electronically issued I-20/DS-2019, sign the document in the appropriate section, and bring it for your visa interview and the U.S. consulate/embassy. You will also need to bring the printed and signed copy to your port of entry to present it to the immigration officer.  

AU offers scholarships at the time of admission and notifies students of the scholarship with the admission decision. You may find more information and sources of external funding opportunities on the ISSS Scholarship page  

You may wish to try using the AU Virtual Private Network (VPN). We have added user licenses to expand our VPN capacity. Students can either go to help.american.edu and search “VPN” or enroll your mobile device with the Duo two-factor authentication app. See the How to Enroll in 2-Factor Authentication video on YouTube; then access the VPN following the steps for your device. If you continue to have issues accessing MyAU, Outlook, Canvas, etc., please contact the OIT helpdesk at helpdesk@american.edu. If you continue to have issues accessing iEagle, please contact ISSS at isss@american.edu.  

ISSS can give general advice on the visa process, but ultimately, the consular officer will make the decision based on your interview and application materials. We encourage you to review Our visa application and renewal page for more information and helpful tips.  

New international students can enter the United States up to 30 days before the start date of the program, which is listed on the Form I-20/DS-2019. Your official program start date is the first day of classes. If you are a current F-1/J-1 student intending to transfer your immigration (SEVIS) record to AU, you may enter the U.S. more than 30 days before the program start date.   

Please read all documentation that you received from the consulate carefully to understand your reason for denial and your options moving forward. We also advise that you email isssdocuments@american.edu to inform us of your denial reason and your plans moving forward. You can review more information about visa denial reasons here. We also advise that you review our Visa Interview Tips carefully before your appointment. 

There are only two outcomes of a visa interview: the consular officer will either issue your visa or refuse to issue the visa. However, if you are placed on administrative processing, the consulate may need more time to review your application and you must wait until this review is complete to understand if the consular officer has determined that you qualify for the visa. You can review more information about administrative processing here. If you think you will not receive your visa in time to arrive in the U.S. by the start date on your immigration document, please contact your admissions office about deferring your admission to a future term. Once ISSS receives your deferral confirmation from admissions, we will update your immigration document accordingly.  

You may try to request an expedited appointment by following the instructions listed on your consulate’s webpage. If you do not think you will be able to arrive by the start date on your immigration document, there are a couple of different options: 

• With permission from your academic department, ISSS can update the start date on your immigration document to accommodate a late arrival of no later than the add/drop deadline according to AU’s academic calendar. 
• You can contact your admissions office about deferring your admission to a future term. Once ISSS receives your deferral confirmation from admissions, we will update your immigration document accordingly. 

If you defer your admission, ISSS will update your I-20 program start date for next semester, and you do not need to pay the SEVIS fee again, since you will maintain the same SEVIS ID number. Please contact your admissions office for more information on deferring your admission. Please note that if you defer your admission for more than one semester, we will need to collect new financial documentation from you before we can update your I-20 program start date again. 

You are expected to provide complete and accurate financial documentation at the time that ISSS issues your immigration document. If you have received government, university, or employer funding after your immigration document has been issued, please email isssdocuments@american.edu with a new CFIS form and financial documentation so that ISSS can review and update your immigration document.  

If you are employed and paid by US sources (either on-campus or off-campus), you may be eligible for a Social Security Number (SSN). International students on F-1/J-1 visa who are not employed with a paid job are not eligible to receive SSN. Please visit our Social Security Number webpage to learn more about the process to apply.  

To start a new program at AU, you need a “Change of Education Level” I-20. Please refer to the Change of Education Level page to learn more about the process and required documents. 

I-20s may be extended if a delay in program completion is caused by well-documented academic or medical reasons for students in good academic and immigration status, such as: 

• Change in Major (Undergraduate) 

• Change in Thesis or Dissertation Research Topic (Ph.D.) 

• Unexpected Research Problems (Ph.D.) 

• Documented Illnesses 

• Initial Academic Difficulties (Undergraduate or Graduate) 

• Other Academic Reasons (Ph.D.) 

Failing classes and not attending classes will not be a ground for program extension. Please read the Program Extension page for more information and process.  

Please consult with your academic advisor for advice about temporary leave. Students on approved temporary leave must leave the U.S. and will have their immigration record terminated and lose immigration benefits. They will need a new initial I-20 to return to AU in the next semester and will not be eligible for CPT or OPT until completing full-time enrollment for one academic year upon return to AU. Students cannot return from temporary leave during summer. To understand the implications and process of returning to AU, please visit the Temporary Leave of Absence page.  

Current AU students who have been admitted to another school in the United States may request to have their immigration status (SEVIS record) transferred out from AU to the new school. Please read the information on the Transfer Out from AU page to learn about regulations and procedure. You must also submit the SEVIS Transfer-Out Request form through iEagle.  

For continuing students (not graduating), transfers can be processed at the end of an academic term or before a new term begins. Transfers in the middle of an academic term are not possible. 

Current students on authorized study abroad or field research abroad can keep their immigration status active. If you are studying/researching abroad in your final semester, you must return to the U.S. prior to the end of your program if you wish to apply for post-completion OPT. Please also review the Study Abroad handout for more information. 

If it is your final semester, and you have only partial credits left to complete the program, please first enroll in your classes, and submit reduced course load (RCL) authorization e-form request to ISSS. To submit the RCL e-Form, please login to iEagle and submit the Reduced Course Load (RCL) Request. 

Before returning from an international trip, you must have a travel signature on your I-20/DS-2019. There is an online form through which you can request travel signature on iEagle. Please go to iEagle > Current Student > Travel Signature Request and submit this form. ISSS will sign your I-20/DS-2019 and upload the new document to your iEagle account within 3-5 business days. We recommend you request a travel signature well before your travel, as the signature is valid for one year or until your I-20/DS-2019 expires. Please also make sure that your F-1/J-1 visa, and passports are valid. (Passport must be valid for at least 6 months from the intended return date to the U.S.)  

It is not possible to obtain an F-1 visa in the U.S. If you plan to travel outside the U.S. with an expired visa, you need to apply for a new visa while outside of the U.S. Please refer to Travel and Reentry for more information. 

You must always have a valid I-20/DS-2019, an unexpired passport, an unexpired F-1/J-1 visa, your SEVIS fee receipt, and a copy of your unofficial transcript and/or course registration showing enrollment in a few in-person classes. For those students who are on post-completion OPT, you must also show your EAD (Employment Authorization Document) card. Please refer to Travel and Reentry for more information. 

Applying for or renewing an F-1 or J-1 visa outside your home country is possible but it increases the visa processing time. Please consult with the U.S. embassy or consulate where you are planning to apply for a visa for more information. Additional guidance can be found on ISSS Visa Application and Renewal page. 

F-1 and J-1 students who are enrolled full-time and in good academic and immigration standing are eligible to work on-campus part-time (20 hours a week or less) while school is in session and full-time (more than 20 hours a week) when school is not in session or during annual vacation. 

J-1 students: If your DS-2019 was issued by another organization, please consult with your J-1 program Responsible Officer. 

F-1 and J-1 students are not eligible for Federal Work Study (FWS) positions. 

There are restrictions for working at third-party service providers on-campus. Please consult with an ISSS advisor.  

For more information about your employment options, please visit ISSS Employment page.  

To become eligible for off-campus employment such as doing internship, F-1 students must have been enrolled full-time for at least one academic year. After one full year of study, F-1 students will become eligible to apply for off-campus employment authorization such as CPT.  

J-1 students may request Academic Training authorization during their program. 

For more information about your employment options, please visit out Employment page. 

Visit our OPT page to learn more about the application process and timeline. Students who are graduating are encouraged to review the OPT Information Video that’s available on iEagle.  

You do not need CPT authorization if you are not physically in the U.S. and your internship will start and end outside the U.S. If you enter the U.S. to continue your internship without CPT authorization, you will be in violation of your immigration status.