Immigration Warning

If you are not a U.S. Citizen, you need to know about and consider potential problems concerning your immigration status.

Foreign Students:

If you are attending college with a student visa, the U.S. Government expects you to be a full-time student. On a student visa, you will normally only be authorized to work part-time on campus, except for school breaks when student workers can work full-time. However, the Citizenship & Immigration Services may authorize off-campus employment due to economic hardship. Violating the terms of your visa could cause you to be considered out of status. If you remain beyond the time permitted under your visa, your presence becomes unlawful and could lead to you being barred from re-entry as described below.

Undocumented Students:

If you are not a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident or a current visa holder, your presence in the United States after your 18th birthday is considered to be unlawful. It triggers a bar to your return to this country for three years, if you depart the U.S. after being unlawfully present for over 180 days, and for ten years, if you depart the U.S. after being unlawfully present for over one year. Accordingly, your presence in the U.S after your 18th birthday starts this immigration bar clock running and the bar happens after you leave the U.S. (for any reason) then try to return. If you are in an unlawful status, you should seek legal advice immediately.