In our blog update for today, we’ll be looking into the F-1 visa offered to international students in the US.
The United States of America is known for providing high quality education around the world. Every year hundreds of students come to get a good education making their future bright. Such international students are issued with F-1 OR M -1 visa.
Students getting F-1 visa must be enrolled in a full-time college or university or any other institute for getting higher education. However, M-1 visas are for the students taking admission in any vocational or other non-academic programs.
Restrictions have been implemented for any kind of regular employment on F-1 visa students studying in colleges or universities by the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the US Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS). Although, if students want, they can submit their documentation of hardship to the satisfaction of US Citizenship & Immigration Services from getting authority of work along with the assistance of the Designated School Official ( DSO).
Students of F-1 are not allowed to do any kind of work on campus during their first academic year. They are only permitted to work full-time on campus when the school is not in sessions or during the summer or winter breaks. During the school session period work hours are limited to 20 hours only per week.
Following the completion of the first academic year, international students could engage in 3 kinds of employment off-campus. This includes, Optical Practical Training (OPT), Curricular Practical Training (CPT), Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics optical practical training Extension (STEM OPT).
However, in some situations, students of F-1 are eligible to gain a cap-gap extension after their approval in F-1 OPT/STEM OPT or in their 60-day grace period.
To be qualified for the cap-gap; one must fill the H-1B petition before the expiration date of OPT within 60 days of grace period. The authorization will be kept on going until 30 September expiring after H-1B petition filing.
Last but not the least, once working without any kind of authorization in the United States can result in a serious issue which can even lead to removal or the person being barred from entering the country.
In that case, it is recommended that students understand the types of employment authorizations that are available and get advice from their respective institution’s DSO regularly.
This is the end of today’s blog update. We hope you found this blog useful. Please don’t forget to support us by subscribing to our newsletter and sharing this blog with your friends and family on Facebook, Whatsapp, and Twitter.
