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VISA
Current Visa and/or I-20
The International Student Office issues the I-20 form
for newly admitted international students who are seeking
an F1 student visa. This includes students admitted
to the college credit program, as well as the intensive
English Language Academy.
After you receive your I-20 from our office, you must
bring your passport, I-94 form, and other visa documents
with you when coming to the Orientation. An International
Student Program Specialist will review your visa documents
and inform you of the benefits and limitations of U.S.
immigration regulations governing F1 students.
| Q:
What is the I-20 form and when do I receive it? |
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A: The I-20 is the "Certificate
of Eligibility" form that schools issue to
admitted students who have accepted an offer of
admission so they can apply for their F-1 Student
Visa in their home country.
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| Q:
I received my I-20 from your office and I'm about
to travel outside the U.S. Do I come to the International
Student Center to get the back of my I-20 signed? |
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A: No. You are only required to get
International Student Office signatures on your
I-20 AFTER the first time you have entered the
U.S. using the Santa Ana or Santiago Canyon College
I-20. When leaving the country prior to starting
one of our schools you will be traveling on your
previous documents.
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| Q:
I need my I-20 right away and I know my application
has already been approved. Can you send it express
mail? |
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A: Generally, we only mail the I-20s
through standard U.S. Air Mail. It could take
an average of two to four weeks for you to receive
the I-20 after we mail it. However, you can arrange
for special handling in cases where there is an
urgent need to expedite the mailing. Contact the
International Student Center for details.
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| Q:
I have an I-20 from my previous school. Do I still
need an I-20 from Santa Ana College or Santiago
Canyon College? |
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A: Yes. Even though you may have a
valid F-1 Visa and an I-20 from another school,
you will still need an I-20 from our school. BCIS
requires updated school information on all international
students. To be in compliance with BCIS regulations,
you need a valid I-20 from the school you are
currently attending and an updated visa.
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Important: Your
previous school must release certain information
to us before we can issue you an I-20. Notify
the International Student Office at your previous
school about your transferplans so processing
of your I-20 is not delayed. After our office
issues the I-20, the International Student Center
will assist you with transferring your visa to
Santa Ana or Santiago Canyon College.
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| Q:
Can I re-enter the U.S. with my current visa and
the I-20 from my old school and get the SAC or SCC
I-20 after I've returned to the U.S.? |
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A: No. If
you are outside of the U.S. after completing your
course of study at your previous school and re-enter
the U.S. with an I-20 issued by your previous
school, you will be considered
in violation of your F-1 status unless you continue
at the old school. If you do not receive
our I-20 within a time frame that allows you to
obtain your visa, you may want to reconsider your
travel plans. We'll make every effort to process
your I-20 promptly.
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