Common Immigration Terms for International Students

What is I-94? Do I need to pay I-901 SEVIS Fee? Is it ok if my visa expires? Read this page to answer these important questions and others you may have about your essential immigration documents as a F-1/J-1 international student.


Incoming students: Please also review these required immigration steps so that you can start your program of study.

Documents

F-1 Students:

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Form I-20

Your Form I-20 is your certificate of eligibility for F-1 student visa status. It should remain accurate and valid during your academic Program of Study and post-completion Optional Practical Training (OPT) . You should always travel with your most recently issued I-20 with a valid travel signature. You must sign and date the I-20 with blue pen.

Form I-20 Image with end date, issue date highlighted.

The I-20 “form issue reason” explained (in the top box of the form).

Initial Attendance I-20
A new I-20 SEVIS ID number issued to a student entering the U.S. as a new admit, re-entry admit, or a student travel to correct their status.

Transfer Pending I-20
The current I-20 SEVIS ID number issued to a student who currently has a Form I-20 from another SEVP-certified school in the U.S. The student must meet the Transfer-in eligibility requirements.

Change of Status Pending I-20
A new I-20 SEVIS ID number issued to a student currently in the U.S. under a different visa status to apply to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to change to a new visa status while remaining in the U.S.

Continued Attendance I-20
The current I-20 SEVIS ID number issued to a student continues to maintain F-1 status. A new continued attendance I-20 is issued to the student any time there is an update to the Personal Information, Program of Study, Financial Information, Employment Authorization, or Authorized Reduced Course Load sections of the Form I-20.

F-1 Student Visa

Your F-1 student visa must be valid at the time you enter the U.S. The visa can expire while you are inside of the U.S. as long as you continue to maintain your F-1 student visa status.

You cannot renew your visa inside of the U.S.

Visa Example with end date and entries

Even if you have all of the required documents, you may experience issues when you apply for a F visa at a U.S. embassy or consulate, such as administrative processing or a visa denial. Read Visa Denial, Delay, or Cancellation page for more information.

SEVIS

The Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) is a government database where your I-20 and related information is updated. F-1 Designated School Officials (DSOs) at ISS have access to update SEVIS.

Understanding your SEVIS status

Active Status
F-1 student who

Initial Status
F-1 student who has not done the following for the semester matching the I-20 program start date

New admits, re-entry admits, SEVIS transfer students, and students who have applied for a correction of status or change of status will begin in initial status.

Canceled Status
An initial status student who has no record of following points within 30-60 days of the I-20 program start date.

  • U.S. entry
  • ISS check-in and orientation completion
  • Full-time enrollment

Completed Status
A student who has completed their

  • Program of study
  • Post-completion employment authorization
  • Grace period

Terminated Status
F-1 student is not following the rules to maintain lawful status. Students who willfully pause full-time enrollment and take a leave of absence are also in terminated status.

Deactivated Status
F-1 who has

  • Changed the program of study education level at UW-Madison; or
  • Transferred the SEVIS record to another SEVP-certified school

I-901 SEVIS Fee

The I-901 SEVIS Fee is mandated by U.S. Congress to fund the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) and SEVIS. The I-901 SEVIS Fee must be paid for each F-1 SEVIS ID. F-2 dependents are not required to pay the fee. This fee is separate from visa fees and school SEVIS administration fees. Please check I-901 SEVIS Fee Frequently Asked Questions for more information.

Form DS-160

The DS-160, Online Nonimmigrant Visa Application form, is for temporary travel to the United States. Form DS-160 is submitted electronically to the Department of State website via the Internet. Consular Officers use the information entered on the DS-160 to process the visa application and, combined with a personal interview, determine an applicant’s eligibility for a nonimmigrant visa.

Review the DS-160:Frequently Asked Questions for instructions about using the DS-160.

You should have the following documents available while you complete your DS-160:

  • Passport
  • Travel itinerary, if you have already made travel arrangements.
  • Dates of your last five visits or trips to the United States, if you have previously travelled to the United States. You may also be asked for your international travel history for the past five years.
  • Résumé or Curriculum Vitae – You may be required to provide information about your current and previous education and work history.
  • Other Information – Some applicants, depending on the intended purpose of travel, will be asked to provide additional information when completing the DS-160.
  • I-20 – You will be asked to provide your SEVIS ID on your I-20, so you should have this form available when completing your DS-160. You also will be asked to provide the address of the school/program at which you intend to study. This information should also be on your I-20 form. Names and information on the DS-160 and I-20 must match.

Electronically submitting your DS-160 online application is only the first step in the visa application process. Once you have electronically submitted your DS-160 online application, you must contact the embassy or consulate at which you wish to apply to confirm whether you need to be interviewed by a consular officer, and to schedule an interview.

I-94 Departure/Arrival Record

The I-94 is an official U.S. government electronic record of when you enter and depart the U.S. It confirms the immigration status under which you entered and the duration of time you can legally stay in the U.S.

I-94 Admission Record

If you entered the U.S. with an F visa, your Admit Until Date should read “D/S.” This means that you can legally stay in the U.S. for the duration of your status, which equals the length of your academic program on your I-20 as long as you maintain your F status. If you have a date listed on your I-94 record instead of D/S, contact us as soon as possible.

Get your most recent I-94 form to prove your legal status in the United States.

Passport

As an F-1 student in the U.S., you are required to have a valid passport at all times. It is recommended that your passport be valid for at least 6 months into the future at all times.

To renew your passport, update your name or other biographical information, or replace a lost or stolen passport, contact the agency responsible for issuing passports for your home country to learn more about how to get a passport. You may contact your country’s embassy or consulate in the U.S. if you have no plans to travel home in the near future.

If you get a new passport, but you have a valid F-1 visa in your old passport, you should travel with both passports. Submit a copy of your new passport identity page to ISS. You may be issued a new I-20 if there has been a change to your legal name or other biographical information.

F-1 Immigration Status

Your Immigration Status refers to how you entered the U.S. and for how long you can stay in the U.S. under that status. A combination of your I-94 and I-20 determine your immigration status. The U.S. federal government considers you to be in valid F-1 status if you fulfill all the conditions of your student visa.

How to maintain your visa statusF-1 students
How to change your statusChange of Status
If you violate your status: Correction of status

Designated School Official (DSO)

DSOs are authorized employees of UW-Madison to access a student’s F-1 SEVIS record. ISS staff are DSOs. We do not have assigned DSOs for students at this time. You can find the name of the DSO who issued your I-20 on page 1.

J-1 Students:

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Form DS-2019

Your DS-2019 is your certificate of eligibility for J-1 student visa status. It should remain accurate and valid during your academic Program of Study and post-completion Academic Training. You should always travel with your most recently issued DS-2019 with a valid travel signature. You must sign and date the DS-2019 with blue pen.

J-1 Student Visa

Your J-1 student visa must be valid at the time you enter the U.S. The visa can expire while you are inside of the U.S. as long as you continue to maintain your J-1 student visa status.

You cannot renew your visa inside of the U.S.

Even if you have all of the required documents, you may experience issues when you apply for a J visa at a U.S. embassy or consulate, such as administrative processing or a visa denial. Read Visa Denial, Delay, or Cancellation page for more information.

SEVIS

The Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) is a government database where your DS-2019 and related information is updated. J-1 Alternate Responsible Officers (AROs) at ISS have access to update SEVIS.

Understanding your SEVIS status

Active Status
J-1 student who

Initial Status
J-1 student who has not done the following for the semester matching the DS-2019 program start date

New admits, re-entry admits, SEVIS transfer students, and students who have applied for a correction of status or change of status will begin in initial status.

Canceled Status
An initial status student who has no record of following points within 30-60 days of the DS-2019 program start date.

  • U.S. entry
  • ISS check-in and orientation completion
  • Full-time enrollment

Inactive Status
A student who has completed their

  • Program of study
  • Post-completion employment authorization
  • Grace period

Terminated Status
J-1 student is not following the rules to maintain lawful status. Students who willfully pause full-time enrollment and take a leave of absence are also in terminated status.

I-901 SEVIS Fee

The I-901 SEVIS Fee is mandated by U.S. Congress to fund the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) and SEVIS. The I-901 SEVIS Fee must be paid for each J-1 SEVIS ID. J-2 dependents are not required to pay the fee. This fee is separate from visa fees and school SEVIS administration fees. Please check I-901 SEVIS Fee Frequently Asked Questions for more information.

Form DS-160

The DS-160, Online Nonimmigrant Visa Application form, is for temporary travel to the United States. Form DS-160 is submitted electronically to the Department of State website via the Internet. Consular Officers use the information entered on the DS-160 to process the visa application and, combined with a personal interview, determine an applicant’s eligibility for a nonimmigrant visa.

Review the DS-160:Frequently Asked Questions for instructions about using the DS-160.

You should have the following documents available while you complete your DS-160:

  • Passport
  • Travel itinerary, if you have already made travel arrangements.
  • Dates of your last five visits or trips to the United States, if you have previously travelled to the United States. You may also be asked for your international travel history for the past five years.
  • Résumé or Curriculum Vitae – You may be required to provide information about your current and previous education and work history.
  • Other Information – Some applicants, depending on the intended purpose of travel, will be asked to provide additional information when completing the DS-160.
  • DS-2019 – You will be asked to provide your SEVIS ID on your DS-2019, so you should have this form available when completing your DS-160. You also will be asked to provide the address of the school/program at which you intend to study. This information should also be on your DS-2019 form. Names and information on the DS-160 and DS-2019 must match.

Electronically submitting your DS-160 online application is only the first step in the visa application process. Once you have electronically submitted your DS-160 online application, you must contact the embassy or consulate at which you wish to apply to confirm whether you need to be interviewed by a consular officer, and to schedule an interview.

I-94 Departure/Arrival Record

The I-94 is an official U.S. government electronic record of when you enter and depart the U.S. It confirms the immigration status under which you entered and the duration of time you can legally stay in the U.S.

I-94 Admission Record

If you entered the U.S. with an J visa, your Admit Until Date should read “D/S.” This means that you can legally stay in the U.S. for the duration of your status, which equals the length of your academic program on your DS-2019 as long as you maintain your J status. If you have a date listed on your I-94 record instead of D/S, contact us as soon as possible.

Get your most recent I-94 form to prove your legal status in the United States.

Passport

As an J-1 student in the U.S., you are required to have a valid passport at all times. It is recommended that your passport be valid for at least 6 months into the future at all times.

If you get a new passport, but you have a valid J-1 visa in your old passport, you should travel with both passports. Submit a copy of your new passport identity page to ISS. You may be issued a new DS-2019 if there has been a change to your legal name or other biographical information.

J-1 Immigration Status

Your Immigration Status refers to how you entered the U.S. and for how long you can stay in the U.S. under that status. A combination of your I-94 and DS-2019 determine your immigration status. The U.S. federal government considers you to be in valid J-1 status if you fulfill all the conditions of your student visa.

How to maintain your visa statusJ-1 students
How to change your statusChange of Status
If you violate your status: Correction of status

Alternate Responsible Officer (ARO)

AROs are authorized employees of UW-Madison to access a student’s J-1 SEVIS record. ISS staff are AROs. We do not have assigned AROs for students at this time. You can find the name of the ARO who issued your DS-2019 on page 1.