Immigration Requirements

Acceptable Financial Support Documents:

Bank Statement(s) or Bank Letter(s): Bank statements, investment account statements, balance certificates issued by a financial institution, and letters from financial institutions confirming the availability of funds.

• All statements/letters must be in English and the account holder name must be easily identifiable. Unofficial translations are accepted.
• All statements/letters must be dated within the past 3 months at the time of submission.
• All bank statements or letters must include the following:
  • Name of the bank or on bank letterhead
  • Name of the account holder
  • Date the statement was issued
  • Account balance (how much is currently in the account)
  • Type of currency on the statement
  • Type of account (Ex. Savings, checking)

Bank accounts must be for liquid (cash) assets (Example: Cash, Savings, CD with maturity date on or before start of enrollment at Kutztown University). If the bank statement is for an investment account the bank statement must clearly indicate how much funds are available in liquid (cash) assets and state that you can access them as needed. 

Loan and Scholarship Certificate(s) or Letter(s):

• Must be on official letterhead. 
• Must include the name of applicant.
• Must indicate the amount of the approved loan or scholarship. 
• Conditional loan approvals may be accepted if the condition is the receipt of the I-20/DS-2019.
• Must indicate the date when the loan will be issued to the student. 

Financial Sponsorship Letter:

• Must be on official letterhead.
• Must include the name of applicant.
• Must include the amount of money that will be sponsored. 
• The duration of funding (start and end dates).
• Any requirements or conditions of funding:
  • Example: Degree and major field of study for which the funds are available.
  • Example: Funds are permitted to cover tuition, fees, living expenses, books and supplies, etc. 

Not Acceptable as Proof of Cash Availability:

• Documents older than 3 months.
• Tax return forms or documents. 
• Payroll reports or expected income statements.
• Investment accounts without proof of liquid (cash) assets. (Example: Stocks, bonds, real estate that do not permit the applicant from accessing the funds). 
• Loans or scholarship applications that are still pending.
• Statements about property, jewelry, cars, pr other forms of non-liquid (cash) assets.
• Retirement accounts/Pension funds.
• Insurance policies. 

If you are an active visa holder in the United States, it may be possible for you to request a change of status through the U.S. government to receive an F-1 visa designation without the need to travel outside the country and apply for a new visa. If this is your intention, you must notify the International Office at international@kutztown.edu so we can provide specific instructions to you directly. 

A student acquires F-1 status using a "Change of Status Form I-20", issued by the U.S. school which the student is attending/planning to attend. Status is acquired in one of two ways:

1. By entering the United States with the I-20 and an F-1 visa obtained at a U.S. consulate abroad (Canadian citizens are exempt from the visa requirement)
2. By applying to USCIS for change of nonimmigrant status (if the student is already in the United States and cannot travel). Please note that if you choose this option, you will not receive an F-1 visa, only F-1 status. This means that if you later travel outside the U.S. while in F-1 status, you will have to apply for F-1 visa at a U.S. consulate in order to be able to return to the U.S.

A person of any non-immigrant status except C, D, K, or M (and in some cases J), and except those who entered the United States under the terms of the Visa Waiver Program, can apply for a change to F-1 status if they have maintained lawful non-immigrant status up to the time of application. Those with J status who are subject to 212(e) two-year home country physical requirement may not change status in the U.S. unless a waiver has been granted. Non-immigrants in A, G, or NATO status must first complete Form I-566, and have it properly endorsed by the foreign mission to the U.S. and the Department of State.

Documentation Needed to Apply for Change of Status to F-1

• G-1145, E-Notification of Application/Petition Acceptance
• A cover letter (one page) requesting the change of status from your current status to F-1. This letter should include a brief explanation as why you wish to change to F-1 status. You should also provide a checklist of the documentation you are including in your application.
• USCIS Form I-539 Application to Extend/Change Nonimmigrant Status, including application fee ($420-$470)
• Evidence of financial support (i.e., bank statement, assistantship letter, etc.). If you have been offered an assistantship from a department and therefore will need to start your on-campus job under F-1 employment authorization, you may want to request USCIS to expedite your change of status application. There is no guarantee that your application will be expedite. 
• Copy of the admission letter from Kutztown University.
• Copy of your entire Form I-20 (sign in “Student Attestation” section on page 1 of the form before making a copy). Do NOT send your original I-20. USCIS does not require the original and will not return it.
• Copy of the receipt indicating payment of the SEVIS fee ($350). Note: The SEVIS fee is separate from the application fee; both fees must be paid if you are applying for the change of status within the U.S.
• Copies of all of the immigration documents (e.g. DS-2019, F-2 I-20, I-797, paper or print-out of electronic Form I-94, valid passport, visa stamp, EAD card, etc.) showing that you are currently in lawful non-immigrant status.
• Copy of the waiver of the 212(e) Two-Year Foreign Residency Requirement (if you were previously in J status and subject to the requirement), if applicable.

We recommend that you make a copy of this application for your own records.

Mailing Address and Where to File

It may take USCIS several months to adjudicate an I-539 request, and therefore you should use a return address that will be valid for many months. We do not recommend trying to change your I-539 mailing address once your application has been submitted to USCIS.

If you know that you will be moving soon, we recommend using a friend or relative’s address in the U.S. If you select this strategy, make sure to include the name of your friend or relative on the line of the I-539 form that says “In care of.” Be sure to verify that their name is on their mail box. The address that you use on your I-539 will dictate to which USCIS Service Center you should mail your application.

The U.S. Postal Service is the only service that delivers to a P.O. Box address. We recommend that you use a trackable mailing method so that you have delivery confirmation of your application. If you send your application with a method that requires a signature upon delivery, use the express mail and courier deliveries address below.

If your change of status is pending with USCIS and you later decide to leave the U.S., your change of status is considered to have been abandoned.

Important Things to Remember

If you are currently in F-3 Status:

Source: 8 CFR (Code of Federal Register) § 214.2(f)(15)(ii)

• Individuals in F-2 status are eligible for part time study. However, once your change of status to F-1 is approved, you are required to be enrolled full time. If your change of status has not been approved by the deadline for adding/dropping classes, your I-20 start date will be deferred until the start of the next semester and you must stay enrolled part time until the end of the current semester in order to maintain your F-2 status.

If you are currently in B1/B2 status:

Source: 8 CFR § 214.2(b)(7) and §248.1(c)

• Individuals in B1/B2 status are prohibited from “enrolling in a course of study” until after USCIS approves their change of status application.

If you are currently in any other status (e.g., H, J, L, E, etc.):

• If your current status allows full-time studies in the U.S., you may start classes before your change of status application is approved. However, you are not allowed employment under F-1 status until after your application is approved. For example, if you have an assistantship, you won’t be able to start it until after you receive your F-1 status.

Traveling and Reentering the U.S.

The alternative method of changing to F-1 status is through travel and re-entry, which may be preferred over the in-country change of status in certain situations. In this case, you would depart the U.S. and then apply for an F-1 visa at a U.S. embassy or consulate abroad, preferably the local consulate in your home country. If the F-1 visa application is approved and the F-1 visa is issued, then you can re-enter the U.S. using your F-1 Form I-20 and F-1 visa. At the Port of Entry, your electronic Form I-94 will be updated to show your status as F-1 and the Admit Until Date as D/S, which confirms F-1 status. Note: Canadian citizens are exempt from the requirement of a having an F-1 visa to re-enter the U.S. in F-1 status. But travel and re-entry are still required for Canadian citizens to obtain F-1 status.

If you would like to discuss the risks and benefits of your strategy for change of status, or have questions about your options, schedule an appointment with the Office of International Education and Global Engagement. 

This fee may be paid by the student or another person (friend or family). The SEVIS fee must be paid in U.S. dollars using one of the approved methods.

OPTION 1: Online (Digital Form)

1. Complete and submit the Form I-901, which you will find online at www.fmjfee.com. 
2. Pay the fee using Visa, MasterCard, or American Express.
3. Print the payment confirmation/receipt. Bring it with you to your visa interview and/or your arrival to the US.

OPTION 2: By Mail (Paper Form)

Citizens of Cameroon, Ghana, Kenya, and Nigeria must complete the paper I-901 Form and pay with a Western Union money transfer, cashier’s check, or money order.

1. Print and complete the Form I-901, which you can get online. 
2. Send the Form I-901 with your check or money order to the address listed in the instructions.
3. Print confirmation of payment from www.fmjfee.com.

Contact the I-901 Helpline for assistance: +1 703-603-3400.

I-901 Confirmation/Receipt: Keep the printed I-901 Payment Confirmation of Payment. You will need it later for proof of payment of the SEVIS fee. All receipts must be confirmed at least three (3) U.S. government business days before your visa application interview.

1. A passport, which must be valid for at least six months beyond your period of stay in the U.S. Be sure there are at least three empty pages in your passport. If needed, request additional pages prior to your visa interview.
2. Form I-20 (sign the form under Item 11) or Form DS-2019 (sign the form at the bottom of page 1)
3. Kutztown University admissions letter (Includes merit scholarship and tuition reduction)
4. Kutztown University scholarship letter(s) (If applicable)
5. Financial supporting documents that shows you have sufficient funds to cover your tuition and living expenses. These should be the same documents (or updated versions) you submitted to the International Office for the issuance of the Form I-20 or Form DS-2019.
6. I-901 Payment Confirmation/Receipt of the SEVIS fee.
7. DS-160 Form Nonimmigrant Visa Application confirmation page.
8. Receipt for the DS-160 Form Nonimmigrant Visa Application fee payment.
9. Photo: You must bring one printed photo if your photo upload fails; photo requirements are listed online at travel.state.gov.
10. Any additional information that proves that you have no intention of immigrating to the U.S. and that you plan to return to your home country after finishing your studies in the U.S. This may include proof of property, list of family members and photos, or other ties to your community.

The visa interview may last 30 seconds or may be as long as 5 minutes. During that time, the visa officer is required to determine 3 things during the visa interview:

#1 What is your purpose of going to the U.S.? 
#2 Can you afford to live and study in the U.S.? 
#3 Do you have plans to immigrate to the U.S.? Will you return to your home country upon completion of your program?

BE KNOWLEDGEABLE - Be able to explain why you chose to study at Kutztown University.
BE COMFORTABLE - Get a good night of sleep. Don't stay up late practicing. 
BE CONFIDENT - Smile and give eye-contact. Remain calm during the interview. 
BE KNOWLEDGEABLE - You need to know basic information about Kutztown University, otherwise a visa officer may question the legitimacy of the program or the university. 

DO NOT LIE - The officer is trying to determine if you are telling the truth in your answers. 
DO NOT ASSUME A QUESTION - If you don’t understand the question don't guess! It is better to ask “Can you repeat the question?” or to say “Sorry, I don’t understand the question.”
DO NOT MEMORIZE ANSWERS - The officer will see this as a sign that you are trying to lie.

THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT KUTZTOWN:

• KU is located in Pennsylvania on the east cost of the U.S. 
• KU is located 1 hour from Philadelphia and 2  hours from New York City
• KU is a public university and part of Pennsylvania's university state system
• KU is accredited by Middle States Commission on Higher Education
• KU was established in 1866
• KU has about 7,500 students

SAMPLE QUESTIONS:

• What is the name of your school?
• Where is your school located?
• Why did you choose to study at this university?
• What is your major? What are you studying? 
• Why did you pick that major to study?
• How long are you studying in the U.S.?
• Do you really need to study in the U.S.?
• Who will pay for your studies?
• What will you do to improve your English?
• Do you work hard?
• How many hours do you study in a day?
• What are you going to do after your finish your studies in the U.S.?
• Can I see your transcripts? Can I see your class schedule?
• Do you have any family or friends in the U.S.? - What do they do?
• Have you been to the U.S. before? - What did you do? Where did you go?
• Where do you want to visit in the U.S.?
• What are your hobbies? What is your favorite movie? Music?
• What is your mother’s / father's name?
• How much is your parents’ salary?
• What does your father / mother do for work?
• Do your parents support your study in the U.S.? 

Other Helpful Resources

• U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement FAQ for F-1 Nonimmigrant: Provides important information on what to expect when arriving at a U.S. port of entry.
• Travel.State.Gov: Student Visa Process
• NAFSA: 10 Points to Remember When Applying for Your Student Visa
• InternationalStudent.com: F-1 Student Visa