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I-20/DS-2019 Termination/Reinstatement

Termination of a student’s I-20/DS-2019 is in response to a violation of immigration maintenance requirements. For this reason, visa holders should become familiar with the immigration requirements related to maintaining their status.

Reasons for termination include:

• Unauthorized employment
• Unauthorized drop below minimum credit requirements
• Authorized drop below minimum credit requirements exceeded
• Required to withdraw or dismissal from program
• Failure to enroll
• Absences of 5 months or more from the United States
• Failing to complete transfer-in process within 15 days of arriving at Â鶹¹û¶³ÊÓƵ
• Failure to maintain health insurance (J visas)
• Conviction of a crime (J visas)

Consequences of termination

• Upon termination, students will need to decide what option to pursue. Depending on the choice, a student may need to leave the country within 15 days of the termination.
• Student will not be able to reenter the United States with a terminated I-20/DS-2019.
• All working privileges are terminated. Any type of employment after the stated termination date is considered illegal. Employers may be subject to severe consequences for employing an illegal worker.
• All dependents will lose their status.

Available Options

1. Return to your home country within 15 days of the termination date
2. Return to your home country within 15 days of the termination and apply for a new program of study; this will require applying for a new student visa (paying I-901 fee, sitting through a visa interview, obtaining a new I-20 from a new program, etc.)
3. Work with an Â鶹¹û¶³ÊÓƵ DSO to apply for reinstatement*
   • This option is not available for students who have been suspended, dismissed or expelled.
   • This option is not available for students on a J visa.
4. Transfer to a new program and work with your new program’s DSO through the reinstatement process*
   • Programs are not required to accept students into their program(s) who are currently in a terminated status.
   • This option is not available for students on a J visa.

*Please Note: The reinstatement process is not guaranteed. The final approval/denial is made by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) main office. For information, download reinstatement process.