LAWS & REGULATIONS
Like all nations, the United States has laws governing foreign nationals residing
within its borders. It is the responsibility of each nonimmigrant in the U.S. to know
the rules governing maintenance of his or her legal status.
STUDENT STATUS: F or J?
Students frequently wonder what the difference is between F and J status. Although
the regulations governing the stay of students in both classifications are similar, there
are some fundamental differences between the two classifications.
An F-1 visa or F-1 student status may be granted to "an alien who is a bona fide
student qualified to pursue a full course of study" at an academic or language
institution authorized to admit foreign students. An F-1 student at UNCW is a
degree-seeking student who is at UNCW to earn a degree or a student in the ESL
program.
A J-1 exchange visitor is "a foreign national who has been selected by a sponsor to
participate in an exchange visitor program and who is seeking to enter the United
States temporarily on a J-1 visa." Unlike F-1 students, who apply independently to the
university, exchange visitors are participants in specific exchange programs
administered by private agencies, the U.S. government, or the university. A J-1
student at UNCW is pursuing a degree in his or her home country and is at UNCW
participating in an exchange program for 1-4 semesters.
J-1 IMMIGRATION REGULATIONS
The following are guidelines for maintaining your status:
• report to the OIP within 15 days of your initial arrival to the US to complete a
mandatory “check-in” procedure. Bring your passport and all other immigrationrelated documents to the Office with you;
• maintain accurate and valid immigration documents at all times, and apply in a
timely fashion for any needed changes or extensions of any of these documents;
specifically, this means:
o keep your passport valid at all times (preferably valid at least 6 months into
the future)
o obtain DS-2019 extensions to continue your studies, as needed, at least one
month prior to the current document’s expiration
o have your DS-2019 updated to reflect any change of program, degree level or
funding source before making the change
o ensure that your I-94 card is marked “J-1 D/S”
• meet “full course of study” enrollment requirements for each fall and spring
semester (at least 12 credits for Undergraduate students, 9 credits for Graduate
students—some exceptions may apply, speak with your adviser at OIP);
• report all US address changes within 10 days of moving to the OIP;
• seek and receive proper authorization from the OIP for any off campus employment
prior to starting to work;
• obtain a “travel signature” on your DS-2019 prior to leaving the US if you intend to
return to the US after your trip abroad;
• file a federal tax return for each year you have earned income in the U.S. or a Form
8843 for each year you are in the U.S. but have not earned income;
• when ending UNCW visa sponsorship, inform the OIP of the date and reason for
your departure (required SEVIS information). Meet the 30-day grace period
requirement.
F-1 IMMIGRATION REGULATIONS
The following are guidelines for maintaining your status:
• report to the OIP within 15 days of your initial arrival to the US to complete a
mandatory “check-in” procedure. Bring your passport and all other immigrationrelated documents to the Office with you;
• maintain accurate and valid immigration documents at all times, and apply in a
timely fashion for any needed changes or extensions of any of these documents;
specifically, this means:
o keep your passport valid at all times (preferably valid at least 6 months into
the future)
o obtain I-20 extensions to continue your studies, as needed, at least one month
prior to the current document’s expiration
o have your I-20 updated to reflect any change of program, degree level or
funding source before making the change
o ensure that your I-94 card is marked “F-1 D/S”
• meet “full course of study” enrollment requirements for each fall and spring
semester (at least 12 credits for Undergraduate students, 9 credits for Graduate
students—some exceptions may apply, speak with your adviser at OIP);
• report all US address changes within 10 days of moving to the OIP;
• seek and receive proper authorization from the OIP or the USCIS, as appropriate,
for any on or off campus employment prior to starting to work;
• obtain a “travel signature” on your I-20 prior to leaving the US if you intend to
return to the US after your trip abroad;
• file a federal tax return for each year you have earned income in the U.S. or a Form
8843 for each year you are in the U.S. but have not earned income;
• when ending UNCW visa sponsorship, inform the OIP of the date and reason for
your departure (required SEVIS information). Meet the 60-day grace period
requirement.