International Student Advising
Office of International Programs

Reinstatement Information

WHAT IS REINSTATEMENT?
A student who fails to maintain status http://roosevelt.edu/isa/f1_status.htm must be reinstated to lawful F-1 status at the discretion of USCIS, but only under the limited conditions specified in 8 CFR 214.2(f)(16) www.ice.gov/sevis/regs/8cfr214_2f.htm. If an F-1 student violates status, all F-2 dependents of that individual automatically lose their status as well. Consequently, F-2 dependents must be included in a Reinstatement application.

AM I ELIGIBLE FOR REINSTATEMENT?
 USCIS may consider reinstating a student to F-1 status if the student can prove all of the following:

• The student has not been out of status for more than 5 months
• The student does not have a record of repeated violations
• The student is pursuing, or will pursue in the next available term, a full course of study
• The student is not engaged in unauthorized employment
• The student is not deportable on any grounds other than the status violation for which reinstatement is being requested
• The status violation resulted from either:
• Circumstances beyond the student’s control; or
• Failure to apply in a timely manner for a reduced course load authorization from OIP, but only if violation relates to something OIP would have had the authority to approve and that failure to receive reinstatement would result in extreme hardship to the student.

HOW DO I APPLY?
Meet with the International Student Advisor to determine eligibility and follow his/her instructions to submit the following documents:

1. A completed I-539 (form and instructions also available online at www.uscis.gov/graphics/formsfee)  
2. A money order payable to “Department of Homeland Security” for $300.
3. Financial Statement/Affidavit of Support and two original bank letters (Issued within past 3 months)
4. A letter from student explaining how the violation of status resulted from circumstances beyond student’s control or how failure to receive reinstatement will result in extreme hardship to student
5. Proof of registration for current or next available semester
6. Original I-20 issued for reinstatement and copies of all past I-20s
7. Original Form I-94 arrival/departure record — keep copies for your records
8. A copy of your passport (picture page) and all current (and past, if any) US visas
9. Official transcripts from each university/college attended in the US

WHAT DO I DO NEXT?
Mail all the following documents to USCIS District Office for adjudication.

1. The International Student Advisor will review the documents and write a letter in support of your reinstatement application.
2. You will be notified to come to OIP to sign your I-20 issued for reinstatement.
3. OIP will mail your reinstatement application to:

U.S. Department of Homeland Security
US Citizenship and Immigration Services
California Service Center
P.O. Box 10539
Laguna Niguel, CA 92607-1053

4. If USCIS approves reinstatement, they will stamp the I-20 form and return it to the student and will also notify OIP by email. If USCIS denies reinstatement, the student may not appeal the decision.

NOTE: While reinstatement application is pending, the student                  may NOT work and should not travel.