F-1 Students

F-1 student visa holders must arrive within 30 days prior to the program start date listed on your I-20. Students arriving to the United States must check-in with the Office of International Student and Scholar Services within 30 days after your arrival. Our office will make the necessary changes to your SEVIS ID and issue a new I-20 form certifying you have activated the F-1 status. Before the start of your first semester, our office will conduct international student orientation, providing a high-level overview of maintaining legal status within the United States and an overview of the Rutgers University – Newark campus. The orientation is required for all new incoming F-1 student visa holders.

F-1 visa holders are required to report any changes that may occur while in the United States to Rutgers University – Newark DSOs within 10 days of the change. This includes if you move to a new address, change your telephone number, change email address, name change, if you have declared a different degree or added a second major/minor to your degree program, passport information, visa information, or a change in any of your F-2 dependents information. Our office will make the necessary changes accordingly to your SEVIS ID. You may contact our office via email stating any of the above changes that have occurred.

The Office of International Student and Scholar Services primary responsibility is to advise future and current F-1 visa holders about maintaining legal presence within the United States. Our office provides group advising sessions and one-on-one advising for our F-1 student visa holders throughout the progression of their academic career at Rutgers University – Newark and provides support for our alumni who are F-1 visa holders.

Designated School Officials (DSOs) should be your point of contact for receiving advice about maintaining legal F-1 status in the United States. You should report to your DSO any changes to your F-1 visa status or changes that may have occurred within the United States (please see F-1 Student Visa Information about reporting requirements)

The Office of International Student and Scholar Services provides virtual advising appointments to F-1 student visa holders of Rutgers University – Newark Mondays through Thursdays. Select the link for an advising appointment with one of our DSOs.

The Office of International Student and Scholar Services is responsible for communicating to the Department of Homeland Security that students are maintaining their legal F-1 visa status. DSOs and students work together to ensure that all F-1 student visa regulations are being followed and to be aware of any upcoming actions that need to be taken in order to maintain legal status in the United States. This encompasses our students who are arriving in the United States to begin their degree program, current students, and those students who are working on their F-1 visa status (Please see Employment Information for further details about F-1 visa employment.)

The OISS hosts a series of engaging programming throughout the year that are cultural and informational in nature where international students, scholars and their dependents can meet to experience a variety of activities here at Rutgers University – Newark.

Some exciting special events and activities are coffee social hours, trivia, immigration workshops, CPT/OPT and STEM OPT workshops and events planned for International Education Week in mid-November. We’ve taken trips to the Statue of Liberty, Broadway shows, baseball games and hikes in the local area.

Our International Club is dedicated to international students and scholars and is a place where you can meet, socialize and interact with each other outside of the classroom.

Check our website and your email to learn about how you can join us for one of our events.

To keep up with all happenings in the OISS, follow us on Facebook:oissrutgersnewark and Instagram:oissrutgersnewark

Form I-20 for the dependent(s) is required to apply for an F-2 dependent visa. The following documentation must be submitted to the Rglobal portal  to obtain the dependent I-20:

• REQUEST FOR FORM I-20 FOR DEPENDENT(S) Marriage Certificate or birth certificate for child dependents (MUST be translated in ENGLISH).
• Copy of personal identification page of dependent passport(s)
• Financial documentation of $5,000 for spouse and $3,500 for each child to prove sufficient funding to cover living expenses for all dependents to stay in the U.S. 
• Health insurance for each dependent. (See "Health Insurance” on OISS website for coverage requirement and cost. Please note that F2 dependents are required to have insurance coverage as well.  If you have an assistantship which provides you with health insurance, please ask your hiring department to complete their portion of the  REQUEST FOR FORM I-20 FOR F-2 DEPENDENT(S) on the Rglobal portal confirming that your dependent(s) will be covered by employee health benefits. (Note: Dependent I-20 Form(s) will not be issued if proof of health insurance is not provided.)
• An online credit card payment for the one-time SEVIS Administrative fee payment of $50.00 for spouse and $25 for each child will be assessed at the time of request.

Dependent(s) should submit the following documents to the U.S. consulate nearest to their home for F-2 visa application:

• Original Dependent Form I-20 properly signed, financial documentation, passport and passport-type photo
• Invitation letter from F-1 student
• Photocopy of F-1 student's most recent I-20, F-1 visa, I-94 record and passport bio page and expiration date

Only a spouse and/or unmarried children under the age of 21 of a student/scholar in F-1 status are eligible for F-2 dependent status.  Children over the age of 21, parents, brothers, sisters and other family members are NOT eligible for F-2 dependent status. They may come to visit on a B2 visitor visa. 

If your spouse and/or child(ren) plan to visit you in the U.S. for a short period of time, they may also enter the U.S. on B2 visitor visa. If you wish for them to stay with you for the duration of your studies, they will have to enter in F-2 dependent status to remain in the U.S.

Various immigrant and nonimmigrant visa holders decide to change their current status to F-1 visa status. The two options for changing to F-1 status are traveling overseas to your U.S. embassy and receiving the F-1 visa stamping or filing for a change of status within the United States. Both options can be provided support from the Office of International Student and Scholar Services. If you are considering changing your current legal status to F-1 visa status, please contact our office for more detailed information and answers to your questions.

Please Note: The Office of International Student and Scholar services does not provide legal advice. Our office always recommends consulting with an attorney when filing for a change of status within the United States.