F-1 Student Visa

F-1 visa is for foreign students to enroll in colleges, universities, conservatories, academic schools or institutions with language training programs in the U.S. as full-time students. Foreign students must keep their full-time student status at a school or institution approved by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The DHS monitor the status of F-1 visa holders through the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS). Each school must inform changed foreign students’ status and the foreign students must inform schools the changes of their status.

Application Requirements

• F-1 visa applicants must be foreign residents and have intention to go back to their countries after the completion of the study.
• F-1 visa applicants must have sufficient financial supports.
• F-1 visa applicants must have a strong relationship in their countries, such as families, bank accounts, properties, job offer letters, etc.

F-1 Visa Holder Requirements

• F-1 visa holders should keep studying in the school issued the visa.
• While traveling countries out of the U.S., the F-1 visa holders must have a passport, F-1 visa, and I-20 to re-enter the U.S.
• F-1 visa holders can work in the school issued the visa. They can apply for CPT to work as a full-time student, or OPT to intern after the completion of study. 

F-1學生簽證是簽發給將在美國某學術機構全時學習的外籍學生的非移民簽證。該簽證允許國際學生在美國以學生身份生活；同時要求學生必須為全職學生，滿足一定的學分要求；不得在美國商業性質公司、企業、組織內工作獲取工資。一般來講，持有F-1簽證的國際學生只能在學校裡找工作以獲得社會安全號(SSN)，但是一周工作時間共計不得超過20個小時。但是，在一些特殊情況下，美國移民局也有可能給個別學生簽發短期的工作許可。

F-1簽證持有人可以參加兩種與課程專業相關的實習，CPT(Curricular Practical Training)和OPT(Optional Practical Training)。 CPT用於在讀期間，一般來講全職不超過11個月，兼職不超過23個月；而OPT一般是在畢業後使用，在每拿到一個更高級的學歷後都可以申請為期一年的OPT 。 2008年4月8日起，新的法規允許一些理工科類別的專業可以在1年時間的OPT的基礎上再延長17個月的實習。這些專業被稱為 “STEM” (即科學：Science，技術Technology，工程Engineering，數學Mathematics)。但是新的規定對於OPT期間沒有找到工作的學生的規定更嚴格：如果累計超過90天沒有工作，F-1簽證持有人則需離境。