Extension of stay

Immigration services

F-1 students are admitted for duration of status, noted as “D/S” on the I-94 card. This means that their stay in the U.S. is authorized for as long as the student is in school, following regulations and has a valid I-20. Students are expected to complete their studies in a reasonable amount of time.

If their length of stay at a degree level is longer than usually required for that degree, the student will be required to file for an extension of stay with the international student adviser, also known as your designated school official (DSO). Please contact us at least one month before your current stay expires if you wish to apply for an extension.

F-2 dependents’ extensions are filed at the same time as the F-1 extension and are immediately extended when the F-1’s extension is processed.

Eligibility for extension

A student is eligible to apply for an extension if he/she meets all of the following criteria:

The student has continually maintained status.
The need for an extension results from compelling academic or medical reasons, such as change of major or research topic, unexpected research problems or documented illness. Academic probation or suspension is not an acceptable reason.
The student applies for extension within the 30-day period before his/her I-20 form expires.

Students who do not meet all of the above criteria must either leave the U.S. or apply for reinstatement.

Application process for extending F-1 status

In order to apply for an extension, you must submit the following to the GEO at least 30 days before your current I-20 form expires:

Extension request form completed by the student and his/her academic adviser
Updated proof of financial support. [If VCU provides full funding, please provide a new letter of support from your department. If your funding comes from private sources, you must provide documentation of financial support to meet the minimum funding requirements (i.e., bank statements, letters from home employers, letters from external scholarship source, etc.). These cannot be more than three months old.]

Completing the extension process

Please allow at least two weeks for your I-20 Form to be issued. We will contact you when the new I-20 has been prepared, at which time you can come to our office to sign the new I-20 and to obtain your copy.

Please note: the entire extension process must be completed before your current I-20 Form expires or you will be considered to be in the U.S. illegally. You would then have to apply to the USCIS to be reinstated to legal F-1 status.