Are you in the United States on an F1 student visa but didn’t maintain your status? Do you want to continue studying in America? If so, an F1 visa reinstatement lawyer could be in a position to help. At that point, your options include leaving America and coming back on an F-1 visa or petitioning the USCIS for reinstatement. At Rijal Law Firm, we’ve helped many who didn’t maintain their status to be able to continue studying in the United States. Drawing upon our experience, we may be able to do the same for you.
Why You May Need Reinstatement
When you’re on an F-1 student visa, it’s imperative that you be a student, and that you do the work. Many fall out of status by not attending the academic institution, whatever it may be, for whom the I-20 was used to receive your F-1 visa. It could also be that, without the proper authorization, you didn’t maintain a full course load at that academic institution. Many, however, did their proper schoolwork, yet they just didn’t extend their I-20 before expiration. If these or other circumstances happened to you, we may be able to help.
How to Qualify for Reinstatement
The first step should always be to reach out to your DSO (“Designated School Official”) and/or the International Students’ Office at your academic institution. To qualify for reinstatement, you have to be able to show that the violation of your status was due to circumstances beyond your control. Moreover, unless there were extraordinary circumstances, you need to have not been out of status for more than five months. To continue studying in America, you have to really want to continue to study in America and intend to pursue a full course of study. Plus, it does help if you haven’t been unlawfully employed in America nor do you have a record of abusing the regulations.
The Process and What Happens After
The good news is that, while the USCIS decides whether or not to reinstate you, you can continue your studies. You aren’t eligible to work nor are you able to leave the United States, but you can continue studying. If your request is denied, it’s not the end of the world. You may want to consider appealing the decision or filing a Motion to Reopen/Reconsider. We can help in those circumstances as well.
An F1 Visa Reinstatement Lawyer and More
When you feel like you’ve fallen out of F-1 status, it can be unmooring, frustrating, and worse. That said, we can be right there by your side. We can guide you every step of the way, helping to make your case as strong as possible. To that end, there are more ways to immigrate to the United States than just the F-1 visa. We offer free consultations so that we can best figure out how to continue your immigration journey. For more: (855) 997-4525.
