Virginia Western
The Community's College

I-20 (F1) Visa Information
 Please fill out the form linked below!
I-20 Student Information Form

Becoming a Student in the US	Virginia Western I-20 Requirements
Transcript Evaluations (NACES)	Student Visa Information
INS Forms and Fees	Change of Status I-539
Apartments in Roanoke	Immigration Classification - Visa Types
U.S. Immigration Form Services	Virginia Western Forms

 

 

Summer Semester Attendance

All students on an F-1 Student Visa, summer attendance is optional.  During the summer months and only during the summer students may attend full-time, part-time, or not at all.  If any student travels within the U.S. please carry all your original documents, passport, I-20, and I-94 card.  If you wish to leave the country please visit the International Education Office (F33), your I-20 needs to be signed. If your F-1 visa has expired it will have to be renewed at the U.S. embassy in your home country. The International Education Office will sign your I-20.  Please feel free to stop by the office or e-mail if you have any questions or problems.

TAXES  -  Important Please Read !!!!!

All International Students on the F-1 Student Status must now file with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) each and every year by April 15th. Even if you did not work, you must file.  If you are single and not married the "1040 NR-EZ" is the form to use. If you are married the "1040NR" is the form to use.  If you had no income for the previous year you only have to file tax Form 8843.

 

Travel Inside/Outside the United States

Travel in the U.S. – please always carry your original I-20, I-94 card and passport when traveling. This is a good habit to get into.  Travel outside the U.S. – please make sure the back of your I-20 is signed.

Deportable Offense

All students on F-1 Student Visas must make sure they are registered full-time for the Fall and Spring term. Only the International Education Office can give permission for less than full-time. Attending less than full-time is now a deportable offense.  Any student who drops below full-time for any Fall or Spring Semester without first gaining permission from the International Education Coordinator, will be considered out of status and designated as deportable by BICE. The College is now required to report all students with I-20s who (without permission) drop below full-time.  You should take12 credit hours for the entire semester without any withdrawals

No matter what others may say about working off campus without employment authorization - do not do it.  If caught a student could be barred from the U.S. for life.  

Web Based/Distance Learning Class Limits

As an F-1 student, you are permitted to take only 3 credits as a web based or distance learning class.  However, if you are registered for 3 credits by distance learning and 9 credits on campus, then you may take more distance learning courses above the 3.   During the semester you are not permitted to drop any of the 9 on campus hours, even though you may be still carrying 12 or more hours total. If you drop the 3 credit distance course or any of the 9 credit hours you will be out of status.

Department Homeland Security

As of March 01, 2003 the Immigration & Naturalization Service no longer exists. All of those duties have been made part of the Department of Homeland Security. The Student and Exchange Visitor Information System, better known as SEVIS is now operated by the Bureau of Immigration & Customs Enforcement (BICE). Most all paper work will be processed through the Bureau of Citizenship & Immigration Service (BCIS).

  

Withdrawal from a class

Please see an International Education Advisor prior to dropping a class!

 
For further Information please contact:
Chapman 105  (540) 857-6577 or 857-7237