IMMIGRATION MATTERS

Student Responsibility

It is your responsibility to maintain your visa status. This requires learning and applying all pertinent regulations set out by the United States Departments of State and Homeland Security. This may seem overwhelming. The mission of the International Student Services Office is to assist international students with visa and acculturation issues. It is much easier to maintain your status than to correct problems, so anytime you have a question regarding regulations, please ask.

Maintaining F-1 Visa Status

For more information on maintaining your F-1 visa status click here. Link maintaining F-1 visa status here

Traveling Outside the U.S.

To travel outside the U.S. and re-enter the U.S. you will need the following:

• Valid Passport
• Valid Visa
• I-94
• Current I-20 with travel validation signature on the last page within one year of reentry.
• Transcript (recommended for current students)
• EAD and employer letter (recommended for students on OPT only)

The ISSO strongly discourages students from traveling outside the U.S. during the semester or returning to the U.S. after the semester begins unless absolutely necessary. If you must travel outside the U.S. during the semester or arrive after the start of the semester, we recommend having your professors issue a letter confirming your enrollment in the course and that you are satisfying the course requirements. For an example letter please click here.

Transferring Out of TAMU-Commerce

To remain in status, you will need to transfer both your academic and immigration records successfully. If your I-20 is expiring or if you are graduating, you have a 60-day grace period to initiate a transfer. You must be admitted to another school AND have your SEVIS record released to the new school before your grace period ends or you will be out of status. That means that you must submit admission application materials well before your expiration/graduation date to complete the process in time. For the academic transfer you will need to follow the admission procedures of the desired institution.

For the immigration/SEVIS transfer:

• Contact the International Student Office at the desired institution. If an immigration status/release form is required, turn it in to the A&M-Commerce ISSO.
• After admission at the desired institution, contact the A&M-Commerce ISSO again to confirm your desire for a transfer. Before releasing your record in SEVIS an adviser will require proof of your admission and a final authorization.
• Remember to check on additional requirements at the receiving school, such as orientation procedures, and let an adviser at the new school know if you plan to travel internationally before attending.

Reinstatement

Students who fall out of status may be eligible for reinstatement. There are two ways to obtain reinstatement:

• Obtain reinstatement through re-entry. Before leaving the US, you should obtain an "initial" I-20 from the ISSO and pay the I-901 SEVIS fee. If your visa is expired, you will also have to obtain a new visa before returning.
• Obtain reinstatement through petition. The process requires two appointments with an international student adviser; one informational session, and a second session to create a reinstatement I-20 and assemble the application materials for submission.

Either reinstatement option is costly. It is to your advantage to stay in status, if at all possible. For more information regarding reinstatement issues, please contact an international student adviser.