Immigration processing for Graduate and Non-degree Students

After you have been academically admitted to the University and have submitted the required academic information and documentation to your graduate admissions office in your school or college, your admission office will work with you to gather additional documentation that are necessary to obtain your immigration document from ISSO.  Your admissions office will forward these documents to the ISSO for evaluation, so please submit them directly to the admission office representative upon their request:

  • Your completed International Student Data Form (ISDF) or your International Applicant Coversheet.  Fill out the information completely and accurately:
    • You may have more than one way of spelling your name, especially in English, but make sure you enter your name exactly as it appears in your passport. The same is true for your spouse’s or children’s names.
    • Enter your date of birth in the American format, Month, Day and Year. For example, May 12, 1978 = 05/12/1978 (MM/DD/YYYY).
    • Answer every question.
    • Sign and date the form.
    • A copy of the biographical page of your passport
    • Copies of all of your immigration documents if you are currently in the US.
    • Required financial documentation that demonstrate your ability to pay for your expenses at Boston University.
    • Official TOEFL/IELTS score reports (if applicable)

What about your family?

Family members who may enter with, or late join, the principal F-1 or J-1 student are limited to the principal’s spouse or children under 21 years of age.  The dependent classification associated with the F-1 student is the F-2 dependent. The dependent classification associated with the J-1 student is the J-2 dependent.

  • If your spouse or child will join you during your studies as a dependent, you must provide sufficient funds.  See our Estimates of Expenses to determine the amount you will need to have.
  • For additional information on dependents and other family members who might want to visit with you during your studies, see Family Matters.

 

If you are concerned about the status of your immigration document, you should first contact your admission office.  If your materials were sent to the ISSO over a week from the day you contacted them, you may call or e-mail our Assistant Director for Admissions and Student Support Services at 617-353-3565 or issogac@bu.edu to check the status of your immigration document.

I received my I-20 or DS-2019, what do I do next?

Once you have obtained your immigration document from ISSO, there are additional steps you will need to follow.  Please refer to the Travel and Visas section for information on paying the SEVIS Fee payment, the visa application process, and other vital immigration related topics.

Additional information if you are already in the US

 

+ Moving from one program to another at BU

The Student Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) only allows for one active student immigration record at a time. Therefore, we must obtain official confirmation that you have completed your current program in order to notify the U.S. Department of Homeland Security through SEVIS and request a change to a new program at the same institution. We will issue a new SEVIS Form I-20 or DS-2019 that reflects the new program of study at BU after the completion date of your current program has been reached. 

  • F-1 students, please be reminded that:
    • You must receive the new I-20 no later than 60 days after the date of completion of your first program of study at Boston University.
    • If you are on a period of authorized F-1 Optional Practical Training, you understand that receiving a new Form I-20 and beginning a new program of study during the OPT period will automatically cancel any remaining OPT employment authorization.
    • J-1 students, please be reminded that:
      • You must receive the new DS-2019 no later than 30 days after the date of completion of your first program of study at Boston University.
      • If you are on a period of post Academic Training, you understand that receiving a new Form DS-2019 and beginning a new program of study will cancel any remaining Academic Training authorization.

 

+ Currently in the US in F-1 or J-1 student Status at another institution – Transfer Transferring to Boston University is not limited to only an academic transfer although that may just be the case for you.  If you are already in F-1 or J-1 student status enrolled at another institution in the US, you may be eligible to transfer your SEVIS record to Boston University from your current US institution.

 

F-1 Students – In order to transfer your SEVIS record to Boston University, you must:

  • Be admitted for full-time study.  Please see our section on studying at BU if you have not yet been admitted to the University for full-time study.
  • Submit a complete Transfer In form.  The Transfer In form will be provided to you via email by International Admissions if you have been admitted to an undergraduate program or by the ISSO if you have been admitted to a graduate or non-degree program.  You will need to contact a Designated School Official (DSO) – usually your International Student Advisor – at your current institution to determine your “transfer release date”, the date your SEVIS record will transfer to BU.
  • Submit copies of all of your immigration documents, including a copy of
    • The data page(s) of your unexpired passport including the passport expiration date page if separate
    • The Port of Entry stamp in your passport
    • ALL of your previous I-20s issued by ALL schools you have attended in the US
    • Most recent visa stamp (if applicable) even if expired
    • All Employment Authorization Card (EAC) you may have been sent by USCIS indicating your approved period of OPT.  The EAC is also referred to as EAD or OPT card.

 

Please be reminded that:

  • We cannot issue your new I-20 until: your SEVIS record has been released from your current institution to BU, we have received the completed transfer in form, and you have submitted all the required copies as listed on the checklist above.
  • Your SEVIS record must be released to Boston University within 60 days of your current program completion date or within 60 days of the end of your Optional Practical Training (OPT).
  • Transferring your SEVIS record during a period of authorized OPT will cancel your OPT employment authorization.
  • If you have dependents (spouse and/or children under the age of 21) who are in the U.S. in F-2 status, they will be issued each their own F-2 Form I-20. See our section on F-2 Dependents for additional information regarding F-2 dependents.

 

 

J-1 Students – In order to transfer your SEVIS record to Boston University, you must:

  • Be admitted for full-time study.  Please see our section on studying at BU if you have not yet been admitted to the University for full-time study.
  • Submit a complete Transfer In form.  The Transfer In form will be provided to you via email by International Admissions if you have been admitted to an undergraduate program or by the ISSO if you have been admitted to a graduate or non-degree program.  You will need to contact a Responsible Officer or Alternate Responsible Office (RO/ARO) – usually your International Student Advisor – at your current institution to determine your “transfer release date”, the date your SEVIS record will transfer to BU.
  • Submit copies of all of your immigration documents, including a copy of
    • The data page(s) of your unexpired passport including the passport expiration date page if separate
    • The Port of Entry stamp in your passport
    • ALL of your previous DS-2019s issued by ALL schools you have attended in the US
    • Most recent visa stamp (if applicable) even if expired

 

Please be reminded that:

  • We cannot issue your new DS-2019 until: your SEVIS record has been released from your current institution to BU, we have received the completed transfer in form, and you have submitted all the required copies as listed on the checklist above.
  • Your SEVIS record must be released to Boston University within 30 days of your current program completion date or within 30 days of the end of your post completion Academic Training (AT)
  • Transferring your SEVIS record during a period of post Academic Training will cancel the remaining Academic Training time.
  • If you have dependents (spouse and/or children under the age of 21) who are in the U.S. in J-2 status, they will be issued each their own J-2 Form DS-2019. See our section on J-2 Dependents for additional information regarding J-2 dependents.

 

 

+ Currently in the US in another immigration status

If you are already in the US, be aware that certain immigration classifications may permit you to enroll and a Form I-20 or Form DS-2019 from the ISSO will not be required.  Note that B1/B2/WB/WT visitor status and F-2 dependent status prohibit full time study or enrollment in a degree program.

 

Please visit our Overview of Immigration Classifications for additional details and our Family Matters section for basic information on your dependent classification.  Information in both sections includes eligibility for study as well as considerations.

 

Should your current status does not permit you to achieve your academic goals, and you wish to change your current status to that of an F-1 or J-1 student, our Change of Immigration Status section will provide you with basic information to help you prepare to change to student status.

Study in Summer – Summer Term

Summer Term will collect documents from you and will forward them to ISSO for review.  The ISSO will communicate directly with you after your file has been reviewed.

  • Students taking a part-time course of study do not meet minimum immigration requirements for sponsorship in a student immigration classification.
    • If your primary purpose for visiting the U.S. will be to engage in activities other than study (for example, tourism, or a visit with friends or family) and your summer studies will be secondary or incidental to those activities, you may be eligible to enter the U.S. on a visitor visa or the visa waiver program.
    • If your primary purpose for visiting the U.S. will be to study at Boston University, you should enroll in full-time study (a minimum of 8 credits in one summer session or 12 credits over two summer sessions) and plan to enter the U.S. in a student immigration classification.