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 91ɬÂþ
- 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
- Return to your home country within 15 days of the termination date
- 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.)
- Work with an 91ɬÂþ 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.
- 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.