Checklist for Changing to F-1

Application Checklist

• Form I-539 (pdf)
• $300 application fee check or money order, payable to "USCIS"
• I-20 for F-1 students (DS-2019 for J-1 students)
• Evidence of adequate funding
• Your original I-94 card
• Photocopies of the photo ID and expiration date page(s) of your passport
• Evidence of current immigration status in the U.S. (such as copies of spouse's I-20/DS-2019 and I-94 or (if applicable) copies of DS-2019's showing exemption from the two-year home country physical presence requirement)
• Any additional evidence necessary for secondary applicants - such as childrens' passport and I-94 copies
• Receipt documenting that you have paid the SEVIS I-901 fee

The Process

1. Gather all necessary documents as listed above.
2. If you will use the International Center address (recommended because USCIS does not forward mail) or you currently reside in Missouri, you will need to mail your completed application to the following address:
   
   California Service Center
   P.O. Box 10539
   Laguna Niguel, CA 92607-1053
   

   **If you live outside of Missouri, please consult with international student advisor before sending the application. You may need to send it to an alternative USCIS location depending on your return address.

   It is recommended that you do not use any type of mail service that requires Immigration to sign for your application.

3. Approximately two weeks after submitting the change of status application to Immigration, you should receive a receipt (Notice of Action, Form I-797). The document indicates your receipt number, which you can use to find out the status of your application online.
4. Immigration will take 1-4 months to process your application. However, they can take as long as six months to process the application.
5. If Immigration approves your application, you will receive:
   • another Form I-797 ("Approval Notice"), which includes a new I-94
   • your I-20 with an Immigration approval stamped in the upper-right corner
   • your old I-94
6. You must bring a copy of your new I-94 and I-20 to the International Center so that we can update our records.

* You cannot begin on-campus employment or a graduate assistantship appointment until you have received the change of status approval notice from Immigration. If you have been offered a graduate assistantship, you may request to expedite the processing of your application.