International Students

Common Questions International Students Ask

International students who are new to the U.S. frequently have questions about their immigration status and the regulations regarding it. The following questions are among the most common. Answers are provided to help you understand the regulations.

1. As an international (F-1 visa) student, I understand that I must be a full-time student. If so, how many units must I carry?
   
   All international (F-1 visa) students must be enrolled in and complete a full course of study each Fall and Spring Semester. The minimum number of units each student must carry are:
   
   Undergraduate 12 units
   Graduate 8 units
   
   
2. What must I do if I am unable to enroll in a full course of study or if I must drop below the minimum number of units during the Fall or Spring Semester?
   
   If you cannot enroll in or complete a full-course of study at CSUMB for any reason, you must speak with an International Student Advisor at OIP before dropping below full-time status.
   
   You will also need to complete a "Reduced Course Load" form (available from OIP or downloadable from our web site). If you have a legitimate reason (i.e. a medical or academic problem or if you will be working full-time on your thesis) for not being able to carry a full-time load, you should talk with your academic advisor (or a doctor, if it is a medical reason), and obtain written certification that your reason is legitimate. This certification must then be given to the Office of International Programs.
   
   
3. What do I need to do if I want to transfer schools, change degree programs (level) or apply for practical training?
   
   Each procedure has specific instructions. The Office of International Programs has individual instruction sheets available to assist you. Check with an International Student Advisor to be sure you understand the directions. It is advisable for you to begin most processes at least 60 days in advance of your anticipated application.
   
   
4. 4. Can an F-1 student apply for work permission?
   
   F-1 visa international students are eligible to work on-campus during their first term at CSUMB. On-campus employment is strictly limited to no more than 20 hours per week during the Fall and Spring Semesters, and USCIS approval is not needed . However, you can work full-time (more than 20 hours per week) during the summer, winter and spring breaks when you are not required to enroll in classes.
   
   You may also qualify to work under the Practical Training program. In order to qualify, you must be in F-I status for at least one academic year (two semesters), be in good academic standing, and the job must be related to your major field of study.
   
   Also, you may apply for a work permit due to severe economic hardship. However, you need to be in the U.S. in F-1 student status for at least one academic year (two semesters), be in good academic standing, and prove to the USCIS that your reasons for wanting to work were due to circumstances beyond your control.
   
   Finally, if the source of your financial support comes from Indonesia , Korea , Malaysia , the Philippines or Thailand , and you were enrolled in a full course of study at a U.S. school on or before June 10, 1998, you may be eligible to apply for "Special Student Relief" work authorization. This type of work permit would allow you to work full-time on or off-campus while only enrolling in a part-time course of study. Please contact OIP for more information about the qualifications and application procedures for this type of student work authorization.
   
   
5. Can my spouse and/or child, who are on F-2 visas, accept employment on or off-campus?
   
   No! Holders of F-2 visas cannot accept employment under any circumstances.
   
   
6. Are international students required to file an income tax return each year with the U.S. government?
   
   International students who are working in the U.S. (either on or off-campus) are subject to federal and state income taxes, which are normally withheld from each paycheck. If you were employed at any time and taxes were withheld, you must file federal and state income tax returns. Forms are available at many post offices as well as from OIP. Tax forms are filed with the Internal Revenue Service (federal tax forms) and with the Franchise Tax Board (state income tax) between January 1 and April 15. You must enclose a copy of your W-2 forms (summary of income earned and taxes paid) for the calendar year, with both returns. Your employer must provide you with your W-2 forms before January 31.
   
   In addition, all F, J, and M visa holders are required to file Form 8843 with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) even if they did not work in the U.S. For those students who did not work in the U.S. , the Form 8843 must be filed before June 15.
   
   
7. I want to visit Canada and/or Mexico . What documents will I need to take with me?
   
   You must first determine if a visa is required for you to enter Canada or Mexico. To do so, you will need to call or visit either the Canadian or Mexican Consulate. If you need a visa, plan to contact the nearest consulate office for either country well in advance of your planned trip to enable you to secure the visa. The address and phone numbers are available from OIP.
   
   For a trip less than 30 days in duration you need to take the following documents:
   
   a. Valid 1-94
   
   b. Passport (valid for at least 6 months)
   
   c. An F-1 student visa stamp in your passport (does not need to be valid)
   
   d. Page 3 of a CSUMB SEVIS 1-20 used for previous entry (and signed by an international student advisor at OIP) or a new I-20 form.
   
   If you are visiting for more than 30 days or are traveling to countries other than Canada or Mexico , you will need the above items and a valid U.S. visa stamp in your passport. (Your 1-94 will be taken from you when you leave the U.S.)
   
   Attention: We recommend that you contact the consulate of the country you wish to visit at least 60 days prior to your departure. The addresses and phone numbers of foreign consulates and embassies are available from the OIP web site.
   
   
8. Now that I'm settled, I want my family to join me. What can I do if I am on an F-1 visa?
   
   Your spouse and/or children may be admitted to the U.S. on an F-2 visa, which is issued by the American Embassy or Consulate in your home country upon presentation of a signed CSUMB 1-20 form. You must first obtain a new I-20 form for your spouse or child(ren) from OIP. Proof of sufficient financial support for family members is needed before we can issue you an I-20 form for your dependent(s).
   
   
9. At OIP, we often hear students ask about "visa status," "renewing a visa," "changing a visa," etc. Exactly what is a visa?
   
   A visa represents permission from the U.S. State Department for you to enter the United States for a particular purpose (i.e. study, work, visit, etc.). In the past, visas were rubber-stamped on the passport page with multi-colored ink. Presently, a machine-readable, label-type of visa, with your photograph is issued by the U.S. embassy or consulate overseas. You used the visa to enter the U.S. Your visa is numbered, and shows your name, the visa category (for example, F-1), the date and place of issue, the expiration date, and the name of the consular official who issued it.
   
   A visa permits you to request entry into the U.S. at a port of entry (for example at the San Francisco International Airport ). Once you are in the U.S. , your visa may expire without any penalty (as long as you maintain your full-time student status), since it governs only your entry and not your stay.
   
   However, if you travel outside of the U.S. and then wish to return to continue your studies after your visa has expired, you need to get a new visa stamp in your passport (at a U.S. embassy/consulate preferably in your home country) before you can return to the U.S..
   
   Furthermore, visas are not renewed; a new visa is issued to replace an expired one. And visas are not generally issued from within the U.S. You need to return to your home country (or go to another country) and apply for a new visa at the nearest U.S. embassy/consulate.
   
   
10. What is an I-94 card?
    
    The Form 1-94 (Arrival and Departure record), is your permission to remain in the U.S. It is a small white card, part of a longer form that you completed on the plane during your flight to the U.S. When you arrive in the U.S. , the USCIS inspector removed the bottom section and stapled the I-94 card into your passport (usually to the page next to your visa stamp). The I-94 card indicates the date and port of entry, the inspector's identification number and the status in which you were admitted to the U.S. (i.e. F-1 student). All F-1 visa international students should have the notation "D/S" stamped in the upper right-hand corner of their I-94 cards. D/S stands for "Duration of Status" and means that you can stay in the U.S. (with a few exceptions) for as long as you are a full-time student pursuing your academic program.
    
    
11. What does the D/S on my 1-20 form and 1-94 card mean?
    
    "D/S" means "Duration of Status," indicating that a student may stay in the United States for "as long as the student is pursuing a full course of study in an educational program (e.g., elementary or high school, bachelor's or master's degree, doctoral or post doctoral program) and any periods of authorized practical training, plus 60 days."
    
    
12. What do I need in order to apply for a visa?
    
    At a minimum, you need the visa application form and any certificate of eligibility (i.e. I-20 form) or approval that may be associated with the status for which you are applying.
    
    Visa officers at U.S. embassies and consulates abroad, however, have the authority to ask for any other type of documentation they feel is necessary to make a decision. They ask for this documentation as evidence that you are eligible for the status you are requesting, and/or that you are not "excludable."
    
    The essential documentary concerns of most people coming to CSUMB are:
    
    a. The certificate of eligibility (I-20 form), or the approval of the employer's petition (for those in H-1B status);
    
    b. Proof that you have sufficient funds to carry out the activities permitted by the visa without resorting to unauthorized employment;
    
    c. Evidence that you have a compelling reason to return to your home country.
    
    (In some cases, such as the application for an H visa, #2 and #3 are not needed by the visa officer. For most F-1 students, however, all three items are important. And this applies to parents, friends or siblings, for example, who want to visit you as tourists in the future.)
    
    
13. If my visa expires while I am in the U.S. must I leave the country to renew it?
    
    The visa stamp in your passport is an "entry permit" only, so you do not need to be concerned if it expires once you have already entered the U.S. unless you plan to travel out of the U.S and re-enter, in which case you will need to go to the U.S. Consulate (preferably in your home country) and apply for a new visa.
    
    When you go to the Consulate to apply for the new visa, you should bring with you your I-20 (if you are a student on an F-1 visa), which should be signed at the bottom of page 3 by an International Student Advisor at OIP. You will also want to bring proof that you have the funding to cover your tuition and living expenses, a support letter from OIP stating that you are in good standing and making adequate progress toward your degree, as well as an official copy of your CSUMB transcripts.
    
    
14. Are there scholarships that will pay for my studies at CSUMB?
    
    It is not easy to find scholarships that will fund your study at CSUMB. Please visit OIP's web site at: http://international.csumb.edu/financial.htm for a complete list of scholarships, loans and other types of financial assistance that may be available to international students.
    
    
15. What are my responsibilities as an international student in the U.S.?
    
    a. Keep your passport valid at all times.
    
    b. Enroll in and complete a full course of study (12 units for undergraduates; 8 units for graduates) each fall and spring semester.
    
    c. If, for any reason, you cannot enroll in or complete a full course of study each semester, you must speak with an International Student Advisor at OIP BEFORE dropping below full-time student status.
    
    d. Update your address with CSUMB within 10 days of your move.
    
    e. File any necessary extensions of stay before your present stay expires.
    
    f. Do not accept off-campus employment without official permission.
    
    g. Do not travel outside the United States , even briefly, (including trips to Canada or Mexico) without the proper documents.
    
    h. If you are about to graduate or otherwise complete the activity for which you came to the United States and want to remain in the U.S. for further study or some other activity, apply for your extension or change of status before you complete your current activity.
    
    i. Make and keep photocopies of all your documents and safeguard the originals.
    
    j. Inform OIP whenever you plan to return to your home country (and not continue your studies), transfer to another U.S. school, or change your status (i.e. to an H-1B, permanent resident, etc.).
    
    
16. What do I do if my passport expires or I lose it while I am within the U.S.?
    
    Contact your local Consulate for instructions to renew or replace a lost passport. OIP can provide you with a current list of the all the Consulates in San Francisco and Los Angeles.
    
    
17. What are the restrictions concerning on-campus employment?
    
    F-1 visa holders who are registered as full-time students may work no more than 20 hours per week on-campus during the regular academic year (Fall & Spring Semesters). Registered F-1 students do not require authorization from the USCIS for on-campus employment. However, full-time (more than 20 hours per week) of on-campus work is allowed during breaks between semesters (i.e. summer, winter and spring breaks) if the student has otherwise been maintaining status.
    
    
18. What are the address reporting requirements?
    
    As soon as you have a place to live, and whenever you move, you must report your residential address and telephone number to the following offices:
    
    a. Office of International Programs
    
    b. Post Office (when you change address). Post office box numbers and academic department numbers are not acceptable addresses for the USCIS. Also, do not use the Office of International Programs as your mailing address.
    
    
19. Where can I go for legal assistance?
    
    Persons needing advice on legal problems should consult first with OIP. Immigration problems which are beyond the scope of our office may require the assistance of an immigration lawyer.