Regaining F-1 Status

If students lose their F-1 status through unauthorized drop below full-time, unauthorized employment, or any other reason, they must work with their ISSS advisor to regain F-1 status. There are two options for students to regain their F-1 status, but students must choose which option will be best for them and their situation.

Regaining F-1 Status Using a New SEVIS Record Through Travel and Re-Entry

The most common way that is recommended for students to regain F-1 status is to complete “Travel and Re-Entry.” This is done by requesting a new I-20 with a new SEVIS number, paying a new I-901 SEVIS fee, leaving the U.S. and returning to the U.S. using the new I-20.

Who Is Eligible for Travel and Re-Entry

All students are eligible to regain F-1 status through travel and re-entry, but it might not be the best solution depending on a student’s country of citizenship and whether or not their visa is still valid. It is easiest for students who still have an active F-1 visa as they should be able to use the old visa for re-entering the country with a new SEVIS record/I-20.

To discuss whether or not travel and re-entry is a valid option to regain F-1 status, students should contact their ISSS Advisor to make an appointment.

Documents Required for a New I-20

The process of obtaining a new SEVIS/I-20 record is similar to prospective students admitted to a new degree program. Students will need to submit copies of the following documents:

  • Most recent passport with at least 6 months of validity
  • Proof of financial support. This can be done either by submitting copies of bank statements/letters, scholarship letters, graduate assistantships, etc.
  • Confidential Financial Certificate. This document can be found inside the OISS Portal and must be completed by both the student and their financial guarantors, if applicable.

Documents Required for Travel

When completing travel and re-entry, students should have the following documents ready to present to the Customs and Border Protection Office at the Port of Entry:

  • Most recent passport with at least 6 months of validity
  • Valid F-1 visa. If your visa has expired, you must apply for a new F-1 visa with the U.S. embassy or consulate before attempting to return to the U.S.
  • Signed “Initial Attendance” I-20 issued as a part of the travel and re-entry process
  • Proof of student status such as transcripts ( and enrollment verification)
  • Proof of financial support

Students should also be prepared to explain to the airport U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer about why they are doing travel and re-entry if prompted. While ISSS can never guarantee entry into the U.S. by CBP, in general, our students have been successful in regaining F-1 status in this way under normal circumstances.

Students can speak with their ISSS advisor if they have questions regarding re-entry and possible questions CBP may ask.

Important Information Regarding Travel and Re-Entry

If a student uses this route to regain F-1 status, their two full-time semester enrollment requirement for Curricular Practical Training (CPT) and Optional Practical Training (OPT) begins again since there is a new SEVIS record.

Regaining F-1 Status With the Current SEVIS Record Through Reinstatement

Another route to regain F-1 status is to apply for reinstatement through the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) office. This option tends to be best suited for students who are not able to easily complete travel and re-entry to regain F-1 status either due to country of citizenship or whether or not the F-1 visa sticker is still valid for travel.

Who Is Eligible for Reinstatement

While any F-1 student is technically eligible to regain status through travel and re-entry, reinstatement is only available to students who meet the following criteria:

  • The student has not been out of status for more than 5 months prior to filing for reinstatement
  • The student does not have a record of repeated or willful violations
  • The need for the reinstatement was not a result of “a willful failure on the part of the student”
  • The student is pursuing, or will in the next available term be pursuing, a full course of study
  • The student has not engage in unauthorized employment

To discuss whether or not reinstatement is a valid option to regain F-1 status, students should contact their ISSS Advisor to make an appointment.

Documents Required for Reinstatement I-20

To receive a reinstatement application, students must submit the following documents to their ISSS Advisor:

  • Most recent passport with at least 6 months of validity
  • Proof of financial support. This can be done either by submitting copies of bank statements/letters, scholarship letters, graduate assistantships, etc.
  • Confidential Financial Certificate. This document can be found inside the OISS Portal and must be completed by both the student and their financial guarantors, if applicable.

Documents Required for the I-539 Reinstatement Application

After receiving the “Reinstatement” I-20, the student will need to complete the I-539 Application to Extend/Change Nonimmigrant Status and submit the following documents:

  • Letter of explanation addressed to USCIS, stating the following:
    • why the student is out of status (specify the violation);
    • the reason for the status violation;
    • the effect on the student if he/she does not receive reinstatement;
    • a statement that the student is currently pursuing or are intending to pursue a full course of study; and 
    • specifically request that USCIS reinstate the student to F-1 student status
  • I-539 application fee (You can verify the cost using USCIS’s Fee Calculator here)
  • Signed copy of the “Reinstatement” I-20
  • Most recent I-94 found on the CBP website
  • copy of financial support documents (usually copies of what was used to make the “Reinstatement” I-20)
  • Proof of enrollment showing full time enrollment. This can be down using scans of official transcripts (https://unlv.my.site.com/selfservice/s/unlv-transcript-request) and enrollment verifications (https://www.unlv.edu/registrar/enrollment-verification)
  • Copy of recent passport with at least 6 months of validity
  • Any supporting documentation for the reason for the violation and how it was not on purpose
  • Receipt for the I-901 SEVIS fee for your original I-20. This should be in your email.
  • Letter of support from your ISSS Advisor
    • Note: If filing for reinstatement after transferring to UNLV, you may also need to include a letter of support from your ISSS Advisor from your old institution.

UNLV ISSS encourages students to work with a qualified immigration attorney if they have specific questions regarding the reinstatement application or process. ISSS may be able to give general information about the application process, but students must work with a qualified attorney if they need detailed legal advice.

Important Information Regarding Reinstatement

If a reinstatement application is approved, it does not cause the two full-time semester enrollment requirement to reset for Curricular Practical Training (CPT) and Optional Practical Training (OP) eligibility.

However, while the reinstatement application is pending, students must be enrolled full-time every semester and cannot work on-campus as a student worker or graduate assistant or off-campus via CPT authorization. Students are also not able to travel internationally as leaving the U.S. will trigger the reinstatement application to be canceled and then the student must complete travel and re-entry to return.

Furthermore, the processing time for a reinstatement application can take up to two years for adjudication so this timeline should be taken into consideration when making a decision regarding reinstatement vs. travel and re-entry.