Yes, You Can Get University Transfer After F1 Visa Stamping
Is it possible to transfer/attend different university after getting visa stamping?
Yes, you can transfer or change to a different university after you got visa stamping.
I have admission from Lamar University. Application to other universities are still pending. So, I decided to attend visa interview for Lamar University. After getting visa stamping for Lamar University, I received admission from TAMU – College Station. I want to study in TAMU, but my visa is stamped for Lamar University. Do I have to go for visa stamping again?
There are 2 options to change, transfer university after visa stamping.
- Apply for Visa Stamping for new university
- Apply for Transfer after Entering USA
- Transfer after studying one or more semesters
I understand you want to avoid appearing for visa interview again.
Here is the procedure on how you can change university without going for visa interview for again. Following instructions is given in ICE site F1 University Transfer website.
University Transfer After F1 Visa
The student must report to your school by the program start date listed on his or her Form I-20. Reporting does not have to be in person, it may be via e-mail, telephone, and/or fax.
As with any other F-1 transfer, the student must provide written verification of his or her acceptance at another SEVP-certified school.
If the student has been accepted by another SEVP-certified school with a program start date that is within 30 days of the student’s initial admission into the United States, you must transfer the student’s SEVIS record. Follow the directions below for transferring an Initial record.
If the student does not have a program start date at the transfer-in school that is within 30 days of his or her initial admission into the United States, the student may do one of the following:
- Enroll for a full course of study at your school. Once the student’s record is Active, he or she may request a transfer following the procedures above.
- Withdraw his or her acceptance to your school, leave the United States, and obtain a new Form I-20 from the school they wish to attend. After exiting the U.S., they will have to pay the SEVIS I-901 Fee. The student must exit the United States within 15 days. Since the student entered the United States, and reported to your school, you must make the record Active and then terminate it for Authorized Early Withdrawal. Use this option only if you know the student plans to leave the United States.
If the student does not choose one of the options above and fails to enroll for classes, terminate the student’s SEVIS record for Failure to Enroll. The student may then ask to have his or her Terminated record transferred.
4.1. How do I transfer an Initial SEVIS record?
SEVIS functionality requires that you make the student’s record Active in SEVIS in order to release the record to the transfer-in school.
For the current session end date, use today’s date. For the next session start date, use tomorrow’s date. Select the Transfer Out function and use tomorrow’s date as the Transfer Release Date. Write “Transfer of initial student not enrolled at this school” in the remarks.
You can make a student’s SEVIS record Active solely for the purpose of initiating a transfer. ICE does not (and will not) view this as registering the student. In these circumstances, the SEVIS record clearly indicates the student properly reported to your school and the school properly initiated an immediate transfer of the student’s SEVIS record. It does not indicate that the student enrolled in classes.
Questions?
Post additional questions about the process listed above in the comments form below. Also, refer to links in the above section for additional details.
Next – 7 FAQ’s About How to transfer to new university in U.S.A. for F-1 Students
Hi Raghuram
My case is complicated.
I got visa for “X” University and I am applying for transfer immediately before my first sem itself to “Y” University.
And I need to go to India during feb for 2 weeks for my cousin’s wedding. I know that I need not go for visa stamping again but I am scared whether this will affect my port of entry or travel or visa?
Could you please help on this?
Also, one more question is… I have heard that “X” university might loose its accreditation in future, if I join “X” university itself in the worst scenerio, Will I have to face any consequences in case it looses its accreditation in future like Out of status or credits loss ?? I am trying to contact my university itself reg. this but I have not got reply from them.
Please input ur thoughts on this.
Thanks!
Hi
I got visa for one University and now I got admission for other University. So I am planning to go to USA and do transfer to the other. My question is: I would like to know if I transfer from one university to other, Do I need to
attend a visa interview again if I go back to India incase of emergency or holidays?
Please reply.
Thanks
No, you don’t have to visa interview again.
Thank you!
Hi Raghu,
I came here to a school and completed my masters and utilized my complete OPT. Now I have transferred to another school to do another masters and I completed one semester. I want to go on vacation to India now. My Visa (from previous school) is still valid. Do I have to go for stamping again or I can enter US with same old visa (now for a different school).
Sorry if the question seems to be redundant as Vydruth Rao’s comment below.
Hey dude!
Once we transfer from one university to another will we have to attend a visa interview again if we go back to india during our vacations?
Please reply, thanks in advance! 🙂
Nope. You don’t have to attend as long as visa stamping is valid.
while applying visa for the new university,is it the same process like the old 1.
the one thing I don’t understand is leaving the US after the record is initiated. I have an admission from one school but they admitted me on a program and changed their mind later on so I no long can study my desired program but a second option. in the mean time I secured another admission but it was too late to show up for a visa interview. In this case, what I should do is report to the initial school and ask them to activate my SEIVS record and then ask for a transfer straight away ? is that about right ? or do I have to register for courses and then ask for the transfer later on ?? I would appreciate it if you can reflect on this
Yup. Ask other school. Call them over the phone. It will be easy.
I think you mean the new school. yes the international student representative from the new school advised me to do it upon arrival. I just read online that I can’t transfer straight away, I have to spend a semester and its rather not clear to me :S
This is what I don’t understand. This blog post give you the solution. did you read what’s written above? I’m not why you wan to reconfirm it again.
Hi , i have a doubt , if i want to differ my admission from spring to summer after getting the VISA,
is there any need to attend the visa interview again.
hey i have 2 i 20’s school x and y . I have arrived to USA a month early to school x and now interested to go to school y.. Please help me
How to find out the authenticity of this article?
– Vignesh
You can search ICE and SEVIS site.
Hi,
I transferred and am attending another university in US, although I have visa stamping of another university. Under these circumstances, will there be any travel issues? Will there be any issues in the immigration while re-entering US?
Thanks
I have complete master in DEC 2010 and after than I worked in US for a year on OPT. I am in India right now. I am planning to go back and start my study again in the same university but with different program. VISA stamp shows me the same name but different SEVIS number than I20.
Will I have any problem at the port of entry if the SEVIS number is different than I20?
P.S. my F1 visa is still valid till June 2013.
@HSB,
I am going for New York Institute of Technology. I will get I20 in some days from University of South Florida. I want to know that what steps a student have to take to transfer from one university to another…
Hello, I got admitted to several universities, got my F1 visa from the University of Virginia and then due to some financial problems decided to go for the University of San Diego that is twice cheaper.
Is my understanding correct and I do not need to re-issue F1 visa but only to ask the UVA to change my SEVIS status?
Am b given an admision into peralta college i just apply for my visa appointment but dey issue a late date to me dats july and b4 then my paper might have expire pls what do i do 2 brig it foward dats may
Hi HSB,
I have got admit from LSU but my application has been put on hold my Iowa State till july 15th. I am worried about getting a visa slot after july 15th as this is the prime time for applicants. Do you advice me to get stamping for LSU now itself and incase I get admit from ISU later I opt for that using the procedure described above?
I got admitted into Western Michigan University for Spring 2011 semester . I got my visa also on Dec 28 2010…But due to some health problems i deferred my admission to Fall 2011 semester .For that i got my new fall semester i20 with the same Sevis number ..
So im planning to go to USA on August 1st week. my question is , will i face any problem at immigration check because of ‘ 8 months ‘ delay after getting VISA?
My sevis is activated upto nov 12th 2011..
NO u will not face any problems as u have the same SEVIS number & the same univ….. so go onnnn.
Ur VISA is Valid
what about visa??? will we get a new one??? please help me out…