What is the INS Form
I-20?
INS Form 1-20 is the certificate of eligibility for student (F-1)
status. You will need to complete INS Form 1-20 in order to apply
for student (F-1) status.
The INS Form I-20 may be issued only to students who:
- have been admitted to Borough of Manhattan Community College
for a full-time program,
- plan to register for a full-time course of study each semester
at BMCC, and
- have sufficient financial support to live and study here for
two years without employment.
Who needs to obtain the
INS Form I-20?
Non-U.S. citizens and residents must have INS Form I-20 in order to
obtain the F-1 visa to study full-time in the United States.
What is the BMCC Request
for Form 1-20?
This is a form you need to fill out to request BMCC to issue an
INS Form 1-20.
What is the deadline
for submitting my BMCC Request for Form 1-20 and financial documentation?
November 30 for the Spring semester
What if I have an F-1
visa and it has not expired? Can I reenter the United States?
Yes, as long as you have a new Form I-20. If you are returning to
full-time study at BMCC, and your F-1 visa has not expired, you
may travel directly to the U.S. with a new Form I-20 without visiting
a U.S. embassy or consulate.
Can I use another visa,
other than an F-1 student visa, to enter the United States?
No, not if you intend to enroll in college as a full-time student.
If you enter the U.S. with a B-1 or B-2 (tourist) visa when you
intend to enroll as a full-time student in college here is fraudulent.
If you are found to have committed fraud, you can be denied permission
to enter the United States for the rest of your life.
Note: Do not enter the United States under the visa waiver program.
The visa waiver program permits only a 90-day visit. Extensions
are prohibited by law.
I heard about a visa waiver
program. Can I study at BMCC under the visa waiver program?
No. The visa waiver program permits only a 90-day visit. You cannot
be granted an extension. If you want to enroll at BMCC, do not enter
the United States under the visa waiver program.
What if I need to apply
for a different kind of visa, such as a work visa, but I also want
to take college courses?
If, by any chance you apply for a new visa other than F-1, you must
state clearly on your visa application that you intend to be a student
and ask for a "prospective student" notation on your visa.
What should I do with
U.S. Immigration when I first enter the United States?
- Present your Form 1-20 in the sealed envelope given to you by
the embassy or consulate in your country.
- An immigration inspector will staple a small, white card, known
as I-94, inside your passport.
- The immigration inspector will stamp your Form 1-20, take the
first two pages and return the third and fourth pages to you.
Do not lose your section of Form 1-20. This is an important document
you need to retain.
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