During your time at NYU, there may be several reasons that you might need to close/end your F-1 or J-1 immigration status. Closing your immigration record does not necessarily mean you are ending your academic program at NYU.  

Reasons to End Your F-1/J-1 Immigration Status

  1. You are taking a leave of absence from NYU, including military service.
  2. You have been approved for a new immigration status, such as H-1B or Permanent Residency.
  3. You are graduating or completing your academic program at NYU and you intend to return to your home country or depart the US during your grace period. Do not request to end your F-1/J-1 status if you will:
  4. You are departing the US to complete your degree from abroad.
  5. You are enrolling at NYU part-time from outside of the United States.
  6. You have been dismissed, disqualified, or suspended from NYU
  7. You are withdrawing from NYU
    • If you are transferring to another US institution and wish to have your SEVIS record transferred, please visit our Transfer Out information and follow the instructions there.
  8. You are ending your OPT or Academic Training work permission early, and departing the US

How to End Your F-1/J-1 Immigration Status

Carefully review the reasons to end your F-1/J-1 immigration status (above) to see if one of the options applies to you. If so, submit your request to End Your F-1/J-1 Status to OGS. If you are unsure about whether to end your F-1/J-1 immigration status, please schedule an appointment with an OGS advisor to discuss your plans.

Once your request is approved, your F-1/J-1 SEVIS record will be closed and your I-20/DS-2019 will no longer be valid. You will have to apply for a new immigration document if you wish to resume your studies.  

E-FORM: Request to end your F-1/J-1 immigration status

How to Return to NYU and the US in F-1/J-1 Status at a Future Time

When you are able to return to the US to attend NYU in F-1/J-1 status in the future, you must apply for an updated I-20/DS-2019 about 3-4 months prior to your intended return to the United States/NYU.

If you have already been issued an F-1/J-1 visa, you can generally use that F-1/J-1 visa (along with your other required travel documents) to enter the US as long as the visa is valid on the date of your arrival to the United States. It is okay if the SEVIS ID or school name differs. You can double-check the validity of your F-1/J-1 visa directly with the embassy/consulate that issued the document.

Future F-1 Off-Campus Employment Authorization

Ending your immigration status now may impact your future CPT or OPT employment eligibility. In general, after returning to the US with a new immigration document, you must complete at least 2 sequential semesters (one fall and one spring) in the US before becoming eligible for off-campus employment.

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