Just like every other visa, when you’re issued the F1 student, it comes with conditions.
And, you’re expected to obey these conditions.
One of these conditions is to maintain full-time enrollment in your program.
Before you’re issued an F1 visa, you must convince the visa officers that you intend to attend school when you get to the USA.
If you don’t attend school after getting your visa, you won’t be allowed to stay.
How long can an F1 student stay in the U.S. without attending school?
An F-1 student cannot legally stay in the U.S. without attending school or maintaining their F-1 status.
When you stop attending school without proper authorization from your school authority and you don’t transfer to another school, you’ll be considered out of status immediately.
And, upon becoming out of status, you’re expected to leave the country – and go back home.
With an F1 visa, there is no grace period for students who are out of status due to non-attendance.
If you’re on an F1 visa, you must leave the U.S. as soon as you stop attending school unless you transfer to another school
It’s safe to say that if you’re not attending school, your F-1 visa will become invalid.
However, if you’re on an F1 visa and have completed your program or if you officially withdraw from school, you can remain in the U.S. for up to 60 days (referred to as the grace period).
Generally, if you are out of status due to not attending classes without authorization, you’ll leave the USA immediately but if you have completed your program or if you withdraw from your program, you can stay in the country for up to 60 days.
What happens to an F1 visa if I don’t attend the school?
When you’re issued an F1 visa, the government expects you to follow the rules of your visa, which include going to school.
Once you stop attending school, your visa becomes invalid, your school will tell immigration authorities that you’re no longer a student.
This means you lose your legal status in the U.S. right away. Without legal status, you cannot stay in the U.S. anymore.
Also read: How do I correct an error on my passport?
If somehow you still stay in the US without status, you’ll face serious punishment like being banned from returning to the U.S. later or being deported.
In addition, when you’re out of status due to not attending school, you’re also expected to stop working.
Plus, you can’t travel in or out of the US legally.
As a student, if you have any issues that will stop you from attending school, you should talk to your school’s DSO (Designated School Official).
Generally, if you stop attending school on an F1 visa, you’ll face immediate termination of your visa.
Your school will notify the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) of your non-attendance, which will make them terminate your SEVIS record.
From the date of termination, your presence in the U.S. will be declared unlawful unless you have a grace period or another visa option.
In rare cases, you can get a 15-day grace period if you notify your DSO before leaving school.
Otherwise, you won’t get any grace period.
I have an F1 visa how long can I stay after graduation?
As an F-1 visa holder, you can stay in the U.S. for up to 60 days after graduating.
This is called the grace period. During this time, you’ll prepare to leave the U.S. or make plans to stay legally.
If you want to stay longer, you can apply for Optional Practical Training (OPT).
If you apply for OPT and it is approved, you can then stay in the US for up to one year (or longer for STEM graduates who can extend).
You must apply for OPT before your grace period ends. If you get OPT, your grace period starts again after your OPT ends.
You can also transfer to another school or start a new program.
If you do this, your F-1 status stays active. But if you don’t do anything by the end of the 60 days, you must leave the U.S.
How to stay compliant if you’re unable to attend
If you’re unable to attend school, you should:
- Request a leave of absence: Contact your DSO to apply for a leave of absence due to personal or medical reasons.
- Transfer schools: If you wish to change institutions, transfer through your current DSO.
- Change visa status: If studying is no longer viable, you can change your visa status (e.g., to a tourist visa).
