Tagged #f-1
Every article we've published on this topic, sorted by the agency's own announcement date.
F-1 CPT — Curricular Practical Training, the "Integral to Curriculum" Test, and the 12-Month Full-Time Bar
How CPT actually works — the DSO authorizes it, no USCIS adjudication, no EAD — and the 12-month full-time threshold that eliminates OPT eligibility at the same degree level.
F-1 Student Visa — Initial Issuance, the SEVIS I-20, and the 30-Day Arrival Window
How a prospective F-1 student moves from school admission to a valid I-20, a visa stamp, and a lawful U.S. entry within the 30-day window — and the three places that sequence most often breaks.
F-1 OPT — The 12-Month Post-Completion Clock and the 90-Day Unemployment Limit
How standard post-completion OPT works after the 2024 fee rule — the application window, the 12-month authorization period, and the 90-day unemployment cap that ends F-1 status if you cross it.
I-539 Change of Status: Timing, Processing-Time Risk, and the Status Gap
Form I-539 changes nonimmigrant status from inside the U.S. Filing before the current status expires preserves authorized stay, but processing times can stretch past a year — here is the framework.
F-1 Reinstatement: The 5-Month Window and the No-Fault Standard
An F-1 student who falls out of status has two paths: reinstatement via Form I-539 or departure and re-entry. The 5-month rule and the no-fault test decide which is available.
F-1 STEM OPT — The 24-Month Extension, Form I-983, and the E-Verify Employer Rule
How an F-1 student on post-completion OPT extends work authorization by 24 months — the STEM degree list, E-Verify employer, I-983 training plan, and the reporting cadence that keeps the EAD valid.
H-1B: Cap-Subject vs. Cap-Exempt Employers and the F-1 Cap-Gap Extension
Who counts as cap-exempt under INA §214(g)(5), how the 65,000 + 20,000 H-1B cap works in practice, and how the cap-gap rule at 8 CFR 214.2(f)(5)(vi) keeps F-1 students working through October 1.