As an international student studying in the United States, your graduation date may approach more rapidly than you initially anticipate. So you must have a plan in place for when this day finally comes and your F-1 visa expires. This is especially the case if you wish to stay in the country. Read on to discover what your options are as an international student who wants to stay in the United States after graduation and how a seasoned adjustment of status – immigration attorney in WI, at Sesini Law Group, S.C., can help you in exploring them.
Is my F-1 visa still valid after graduation?
Of note, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services offers an optional practical training program for international students on the F-1 visa. More specifically, this training program offers a means of temporary employment that may be directly related to your major area of study.
For example, if you are still pursuing your academic studies, you may participate in up to 12 months of pre-completion optional practical training. This is so long as you are lawfully enrolled on a full-time basis for one full academic year at a college, university, or equivalent education level that has been certified by the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement Student and Exchange Visitor Program.
Similarly, if you have already graduated, then you may still be eligible for up to 12 months of post-completion optional practical training. This is so long as all your periods of pre-completion optional practical training are deducted from your available period of post-completion optional practical training. And most notably, if you have earned a degree in a certain science, technology, engineering, or math field, then you may be eligible to apply for a 24-month extension of your post-completion optional practical training.
What are my options as an international student who wants to stay in the United States after graduation?
If you are not eligible for the optional practical training program, then you may rest assured knowing that there are other methods for legally residing in the United States after graduation. Most of these options are non-immigrant visas, and they are as follows:
- Check your eligibility and apply for the non-immigrant H3 visa, trainee.
- Check your eligibility and apply for the non-immigrant H-1B visa, specialty occupation.
- Check your eligibility and apply for the non-immigrant R-1 visa, religious worker.
- Check your eligibility and apply for the non-immigrant E1/E2 visa.
- Check your eligibility and apply for the non-immigrant L-1 visa.
- Check your eligibility and apply as a non-immigrant obtaining a green card.
- Check your eligibility and apply for an employment-based visa.
There is no time like the present to get your legal matter in order. So pick up the phone and call a competent Wisconsin adjustment of status immigration attorney from Sesini Law Group, S.C. today. We are looking forward to it.