What You Can Do for F1 Student Visa Revocations or SEVIS Terminations, F1 visa, F-1 Visa, F1 Student, F1 Visa, F1 Revocations, F1, F1 SEVIS Terminations, SEVIS Terminations

Question:

From the recent news, some international students' F-1 visas have been revoked. As a F-1 student, do we need to worry about it? and do we have some rights to fix the issue?

Answer:

Some international students with F-1 visa in the United States are facing the issue that their F-1 visas have been revoked, and their SEVIS records are terminated. Thus, this causes tremendous fear and confusion.

If you receive this notification, please be sure to contact your university International Center immediately, so that the advisors can help you decide on next steps. If your SEVIS record is terminated, you will lose your F-1 student status, which means you can no longer legally stay in the U.S. to study, work, or travel with that status. Additionally, your visa will be revoked, and you may be subject to removal proceedings.

The U.S. government maintains the right to revoke visas for various reasons, including DUI convictions or related offenses. They can also be revoked for national security purposes at the discretion of the State Department.

If your school is willing to keep you enrolled. SEVIS termination does not automatically cancel your university enrollment, and some schools may try to fix the issue by requesting a “SEVIS data correction” from the U.S. government. Your university can ask SEVIS to fix what may be a technical or unjustified termination. These requests are sometimes denied, but it may be worth trying.

If you are not in removal proceedings, you may be able to challenge the SEVIS termination under the Administrative Procedure Act (APA). If the U.S. government begins formal removal proceedings, you have the right to a hearing in immigration court. You can request a bond if detained, and argue that you have maintained valid status.

The following are some options after your F-1 visa termination:

     1) Travel and Re-entry: You can attempt to re-enter the U.S. with a new I-20 and a new visa, but your previous visa is invalid.

     2) Reinstatement: You may be eligible to apply for reinstatement of your F-1 status, if you meet certain requirements, such as applying within five months of termination, not having worked without authorization, and demonstrating that the termination was not your fault.

     3) Changing to Another Visa: If eligible, you can explore changing to another type of visa, such as a visitor visa (B-2) or a temporary worker visa (H-1B),.

     4) Consulting with an Immigration Attorney: It is recommended to seek legal advice from an immigration attorney to understand your options and navigate the process.