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Start with our page on U.S.
Life for Iranian Students, which covers
the most frequently asked questions on this
subject.
Below are the additional questions that
we’ve researched so far related to
visa regulations for international students
in the United States. Each month, we add
any new questions that we’ve responded
to on this subject, so check back for more.
If you have questions not currently answered
on our site, please write
us.
What’s a “DSO”?
An “RO”?
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/ Hide Answer
DSO is an abbreviation
for Designated School Officer, and refers
specifically to a person officially
designated to handle visa-related issues
at a university, sign I-20 forms, and
the like. This is usually but not always
the international/foreign student adviser.
An “RO” is the Responsible
Officer for a J-1 exchange program,
and is the person who you report visa
changes to if you are on J-1 status—this
will usually not be your university
international student adviser but will
instead be someone working with the
particular exchange program. You need
to verify who your DSO or RO is and
to check in with them on arrival to
the United States.
If I fail an exam or course,
could I lose my visa?
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No, failing an exam
or class will not directly affect
visa status. Students are required
to be enrolled in a full-time academic
program and working toward an educational
goal, but no particular grade point
average or pass-fail level is required.
It is up to your university to decide
if your grades are so bad that you
can no longer be described as making
normal progress toward your educational
goal, but this will generally be a
problem only in extreme situations,
for example if you have failed every
class. Suspension for academic reasons
(or any other reason) would also be
a problem in that all international
students are required to be enrolled
in a full-time academic program to
maintain their visa status.
Can I get paid work under my
student visa?
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You need to check with
your international student adviser.
Most commonly you will not be eligible
to work off-campus during your first
year of study and will be limited
during that time to twenty hours per
week of on-campus work. Any employment
must be approved by a university DSO
and/or the Bureau of Immigration and
Customs Enforcement before you accept
it. M-1 students cannot accept paid
employment at all.
Can my spouse or children get
paid work under their visa status?
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What will happen if I work more
than the hours allowed under my visa?
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What other types of circumstances
(in addition to working without permission
and academic problems) are likely to cause
visa status problems?
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If you are convicted
of a felony (a serious crime) you
may have to leave the country after
you deal with U.S. legal penalties.
An order of deportation for this reason
can now be appealed in immigration
court but it is still the rule rather
than the exception to be deported
in such a case.
If you take a break from your academic
program for more than five months
for any reason, you will be considered
out of student visa status and will
likely need to apply for a new visa.
(However, studying overseas or in
another U.S. location as part of your
university’s academic program
for longer than five months is not
a visa status problem.)
In general, you simply need to keep
the DSO at your university informed
(or keep the RO for your exchange
program informed if you are in J-1
status). You need to report to the
DSO/RO within thirty days of your
U.S. arrival. You also need to report
to the DSO/RO if your permanent address
at home or in the United States changes
or if you will be away from your U.S.
address for more than a month; if
you are planning to transfer to another
school or change your field of study;
or if you get married or divorced,
have a child, bring another dependent
to the United States, or if a dependent
leaves the United States for more
than five months. You also of course
need to consult with the DSO/RO regarding
any criminal charges or convictions
and regarding the work and academic
difficulty issues described in the
questions above.
Failing to report such changes promptly
can put you out of visa status, requiring
that you be “reinstated”
in proper status by your DSO/RO. There
are often time limits for them to
make changes, and these are much stricter
since the computerized SEVIS system
was introduced, so you need to be
sure to alert the DSO/RO right away
of any changes or possible problems
such as those described above.
What if I decide to transfer
to a different college after I arrive
in the United States—do I need to
go home to apply for a new visa?
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No, you just need to
ask the first school that you attended
to record in SEVIS that you are leaving
them to transfer to another school,
and have the school to which you are
transferring then enter you in their
SEVIS records. Transferring is very
common.
What if I want to leave the United
States for a while after entering?
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Why must I undergo a security
check if I have already been to the
United States and was simply home on
break?
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Port of entry and
port of exit checks are intended
primarily to verify your identity;
to verify that you are indeed you
and not someone else using your
altered papers.
What about travel within
the United States?
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You can travel within
the United States without going
through any special processes—you
just need to notify your DSO/RO
if you will be away for more than
a month and provide addresses
where you can be reached. You
should also keep your visa and
other travel documents with you
while traveling (and at other
times) in case you need to show
that you are in the United States
legally.
My new student visa has an expiration date on it that is only three months away. Is this a problem?
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No. This is standard for citizens of Iran because of “visa reciprocity.” Visa reciprocity is not unique to Iran and is generally applied when countries have restrictions on visa issuance.
However, as a full-time student with a student visa you are authorized to stay in the United States for “duration of studies,” whether or not your visa document expires before you have completed your studies. Duration of studies includes both your degree program and any authorized practical training, plus an additional sixty days if you need to transfer between schools as well as sixty days to prepare to leave the United States after your studies are complete.
Can I leave the United States temporarily during my studies? What do I need to do if I want to go on a trip home or to another country?
Show
/ Hide Answer
You can travel within
the United States without going
through any special processes—you
just need to notify your DSO/RO
if you will be away for more than
a month and provide addresses
where you can be reached. You
should also keep your visa and
other travel documents with you
while traveling (and at other
times) in case you need to show
that you are in the United States
legally.
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