Maintaining Visa Status Checklist

New international students in F-1 and J-1 status must complete iTriton Online Training before the start of their first quarter of study. 

Recorded webinars from virtual orientation sessions on topics such as how to maintain status, how to set up a bank account, how to apply for a visa, student health requirements, and how to find employment can be found on our iWorkshops page.

Complete the iSelfCheck every time you re-enter the U.S. New students should complete the iSelfCheck within 15 days of entering.

There is no need to notify ISEO when you complete document self-check unless you have questions or if you believe there is an error in your visa status. Failure to complete the document self-check steps listed above may result in the loss of your F-1 or J-1 status, especially if your documents were processed incorrectly at the port of entry and you do not get them fixed.

Remember, maintaining your visa status is your responsibility, but ISEO is here to help with any questions.

The U.S. Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952 requires foreign nationals to carry appropriate immigration-related documentation at all times. Appropriate documentation includes:

• Valid passport.
• Up-to-date I-20 (F-1 students) or DS-2019 (J-1 students).
• Form I-94.

Enrollment during the Academic Year:

F-1 and J-1 students are required to enroll full-time in at least 12 units in each academic term - Fall, Winter and Spring quarters.

Remote classes: No more than one (1) remote class per quarter can be counted toward the 12-unit, full-time enrollment requirement. Students may take additional online classes in excess of the 12-unit, full-time enrollment requirement. Note: Remote courses are denoted as “RCLASS” in WebReg. Hybrid classes do not count against the maximum of one online course towards full-time enrollment requirements. 

Graduate students: Graduate students who are approved for in-absentia and are enrolled in a minimum of 12 units will be able to maintain valid F-1 and J-1 Status. Visit your graduate department to learn more about requirements to maintain residency in a specific location while in-absentia. Graduate students who are enrolled in one 12-unit research or independent study course should ensure there is an in-person component to their coursework. Remote courses are denoted as “RCLASS” in WebReg.

Enrollment during the Summer Term:

Full-time enrollment is not required for continuing students with an active SEVIS record in the Summer term, since Summer is considered a vacation term. F-1 and J-1 students must study full time for three academic quarters before taking a vacation term. If you are planning to take a vacation term outside of the Summer term, discuss your plans with an international student advisor.

You must enroll full-time in the Summer if it's your first term at UC San Diego (if your Form I-20 or Form DS-2019 has a program start date corresponding to a Summer term). If Summer is your first term at UC San Diego, see full-time enrollment requirements below: 

• Full-Time Enrollment Requirements for a Summer Session 1 Program Start Date:
  • Summer Session 1 (6 units minimum) and Summer Session 2 (6 units minimum)
  • OR
  • Summer Session 3 (6 units minimum)

• Full-Time Enrollment Requirements for a Summer Session 2 Program Start Date:
  • Summer Session 2 (6 units minimum)
  • OR
  • Summer Session 3 (6 units minimum)

Exceptions to the Full-Time Enrollment Requirement:

F-1 and J-1 students may apply for a Reduced Course Load (RCL) for a Fall, Winter, or Spring term if they need to be enrolled in less than 12 units for academic, or medical or final quarter reasons. F-1 or J-1 students are required to submit the Reduced Course Load (RCL) request before dropping below 12 units. Students on an approved final-quarter reduced course load (RCL) with only one class left to graduate must ensure that this class is either hybrid or fully in-person. The class cannot be fully remote.

Update your address and contact information in Tritonlink within 10 days of any move or change. Note that there is no need to notify ISEO when you update your information in Tritonlink. 

Your I-20 or DS-2019 is used as proof of your legal and academic status in the U.S, but it is not your main form of identification or a visa to travel to the U.S. Keeping your I-20/DS-2019 document updated is very important for maintaining your status, traveling, and retaining eligibility for benefits such as work authorization. Keep copies of all I-20/DS-2019 documents you receive for your own personal records.

• Is your biographical information correct?
  • If you have changed any biographical information such as your legal name or citizenship, you should submit an Updated I-20/DS-2019 Request in iPortal and select the relevant update option.

• Have you added your signature?
  • Make sure that you have signed your I-20 under the Student Attestation section or your DS-2019 under the Exchange Visitor Certification. See below to view a sample I-20 and DS-2019.

• Do you have a valid travel signature?
  • A travel signature is located on page two of an I-20 under the ‘Travel Endorsement’ section and is on page one of a DS-2019 under the ‘Travel Validation by Responsible Officer’. A valid travel signature signed by a DSO or ARO allows F-1 or J-1 students to seek re-entry to the U.S. during the time period of its validity.
  • For enrolled F-1 and J-1 students, travel signatures are valid for one year. This means that you may use the Form I-20 or Form DS-2019 to seek re-entry to the U.S. for up to one year after the travel signature date. For F-1 students on OPT or STEM OPT, travel signatures are valid for 6 months.
  • If you are traveling internationally and your travel signature has expired, please submit a Travel Signature Request in iPortal.

• Is your program end date in the future?
  • The program end date is an estimate of how much time it will take you to complete your program. It may take you more or less time.
  • If you need additional time to graduate after your program end date: Please submit an Extension I-20/DS-2019 Request in iPortal. It is very important that your program end date is in the future, as ISEO is unable to extend your I-20/DS-2019 after your program end date has passed.
  • If you are graduating before your program end date: Your grace period begins when you complete your program regardless of the program end date on your I-20/DS-2019. For undergraduate students, completion is determined by your graduation date or enrollment end date. For graduate students, a completion date can be determined by several factors depending on your program. Please talk to an international student advisor to determine your program end date.

• Is your major correct?
  • If you have changed your major or added a second major, please submit an Updated I-20/DS-2019 Request in iPortal and select the “Academic Major Change” update option.
  • The major as displayed on your document may look different, as it reflects a standardized CIP code rather than your major’s UC San Diego code and name used on Tritonlink. Find your major’s equivalent CIP Code to ensure that it is correct.
    • The CIP code for EAPR and Global Exchange Students will always default to ‘24.0199 Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities, Other’ regardless of your major at your home university.

• Have you changed your program level?
  • If you are beginning a new program level at UC San Diego (for example, if you have completed an undergraduate program and will start a graduate program), then you will need to submit a Change of Program Level I-20/DS-2019 Request in iPortal.
    
    
• Other Changes:
  • If you have changed or will change your name, or citizenship, or other information that is displayed on your I-20/DS-2019, then follow instructions on our Other Changes page to update your I-20/DS-2019.

The UC Regents made health insurance a mandatory non-academic condition for enrollment. To ensure that all students have adequate health care coverage, including ongoing primary and specialty care, and to satisfy the mandatory health insurance requirement, UC San Diego automatically enrolls all registered students into the Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP).

Additional Information for J-1 students:

J-1 Exchange Visitors are required by U.S. Department of State to have health insurance for themselves and any accompanying dependents in J-2 status for the entire time that they are in the United States as exchange visitors.

Minimum insurance coverage must provide:

1. Medical benefits of at least $100,000 per person per year or accident.
   1. may include provision for co-insurance under the terms of which the exchange visitor may be required to pay up to 25 percent of the covered benefits per accident or illness.
2. Medical evacuation of the Exchange Visitor to his or her home country in the amount of $50,000.
   
3. Repatriation of remains in the amount of $25,000.
   
4. Deductible not to exceed $500 per accident or illness.
5. May require a waiting period for preexisting conditions (but cannot exclude altogether coverage for preexisting conditions).

Additionally, the insurance corporation underwriting the policy must have one of the following ratings:

• A.M. Best rating of “A-” or above.
• Insurance Solvency International, Ltd. (ISI) rating of “A-i” or above.
• Standard & Poor’s Claims paying Ability rating of “A-” or above.
• Weiss Research, Inc. rating of B+ or above.
• Coverage backed by the full faith and credit of the government of my home country.
• McGraw Hill Financial/Standard & Poor’s Claims-paying Ability rating of “A-“ or above.
• Moody’s Investor Services rating of “A3” or above.

If you are transferring your SEVIS record to another school or ending your program at UC San Diego early, you need to notify ISEO in advance so we can transfer your SEVIS record to another school or shorten your SEVIS record as needed.

Visit our Two-Year Home Country Residence Requirement (212e) Information page for more information about how to comply with this regulation.