Current F-1 Students

The information here is for currently enrolled International Students.

Emergency Services

If you are in the U.S. and experiencing a critical immigration emergency outside OIE business hours, call the UTA Police Department at (817) 272-3003 for assistance.

UTA Police

Request Forms for Current F-1 Students

F-1 international students are required to maintain full-time enrollment every fall and spring semester. Full-Time enrollment for long semesters (fall and spring) is 12 semester hours for undergraduates and 9 semester hours for graduate students. Full-time enrollment is also required in the summer if that is your first semester at UTA. (Please check with an OIE advisor during advising hours for summer full-time enrollment guidelines). Immigration has a limited number of acceptable reasons why a student may drop below the full-time enrollment requirement. Students must receive approval from the OIE before falling below full-time enrollment. The form below is necessary to receive approval for a full-time enrollment waiver. 

  1. Fill out page 1 of the Full-Time Enrollment Waiver form and sign at the bottom of page 1. Initial the bulleted statements showing your responsibilities to maintain status when receiving a full-time enrollment waiver.

  2. Take the Full-Time Enrollment Waiver form to your academic advisor. Your advisor must then decide if your specific case fits into the allowable reasons as defined by USCIS shown on page 2 of the form and mark the appropriate reason. The advisor then signs at the bottom of page 2 on the form.

  3. Email all required documents to international@uta.edu as a pdf for processing. Incomplete request will not be accepted.

  4. Please allow up to 7 business days for processing. During this time, the OIE will determine eligibility. Note: processing times may vary if follow-up is required.

  5. A copy of the completed form is available upon request. 

Full Time Enrollment Waiver Form

Use this form when you have a new Immigration Status you need to tell the Office of International Education about.

  1. Submit the Documentation of Status Change form along with proof of your new status using the 'Document of Status Change eForm in GlobalMavs' button provided below. Please allow up to 7 business days for processing.

  2. To change your residency, you should go to: https://www.uta.edu/admissions/apply/residency

  3. For more information on changing residency, undergraduate students can e-mail ugresidency@uta.edu or call 817-272-6287. Graduate students can e-mail graduate.school@uta.edu or call 817-272-2681 for more information.

  4. If you reside outside the DFW metroplex you may refer to the eShipGlobal instructions here: F-1 & J-1 Office Procedures.

Document of Status Change eForm in GlobalMavs

Students who are unable to complete their program in the estimated time listed on line #5 of the I-20 must provide documentation that there is a valid academic reason which has caused the delay in completion during the usual time estimated. This form provides a place for academic advisors to report that academic reason and to indicate the amount of time required to complete the program. Note: USCIS does not allow extension longer than 12 months at a time.

  1. Meet with academic advisor at least 4 weeks before expiration date on I-20 to discuss academic reason and amount of time required to complete program. Note: It is impossible to extend an I-20 after the expiration date.
    2.  
  2. Download "Extension Request Form" or provide link to form for academic advisor.
    3.  

  3. Once academic advisor has completed and signed the form, email form to international@uta.edu, along with New I20 Request form and proof of finances. To extend I-20 the student must provide proof of finances for the time required on new I-20.

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  4. OIE will review documents. Please allow up to 7 business days for processing.
     

Extension Request Form  New I-20 Request Form

Use the IMMIGRATION DOCUMENT UPLOAD button below to submit copies of your immigration documents to the Office of International Education. Immigration documents that should be submitted include:

  • New passport
  • New visa
  • Change of Status Receipt
  • Change of Status Approval
  • Reinstatement Receipt
  • Reinstatement Approval
 

If you are currently approved for OPT, please upload your immigration documents using the OPT IMMIGRATION DOCUMENTS button below. Immigration documents that should be submitted include:

  • Receipt Notice
  • Approval Notice
  • EAD Card
  • Denial Notice
  • Request for Evidence
  • Rejection Notice

OPT Immigration Documents

Use this form when you need to request a new I-20 from the Office of International Education.

  • Complete the eForm provided below

  • Please allow up to 7 business days for processing. During that time, the OIE will issue a new I-20 and email it to your @mavs.uta.edu email address.

  • If you are a new student for the upcoming semester and get an "Access Denied" message when trying to open the GlobalMavs eform below, you will need to wait until after census date to fill out the New I-20 Request eform. To locate the census date for the current semester, please see the UTA Academic Calendar.

New I-20 Request/I-20 Reprint eForm in GlobalMavs

Students are allowed to enroll concurrently at another university or college if they meet the criterion listed below. This form is an agreement between UTA and the student of what is required to maintain status while being concurrently enrolled.

  • Before enrolling concurrently, check with your academic department to determine which courses will transfer to your specific degree program. A course equivalency guide can be found at https://www.uta.edu/admissions/apply/transfer/transfer-guides.

  • Check with the school you wish to enroll for their admissions requirements for students who wish to concurrently enroll.
  • Enroll in at least 6 hours at UT-Arlington for the semester you wish to enroll concurrently. (If you are not required to enroll in Summer at UTA, then you do not have to meet this requirement). Your total enrollment between the two schools must equal full time.

  • Submit the concurrent enrollment e-form in GlobalMavs. You will be required to provide proof of enrollment or your enrollment receipt from the other school showing your name, name of the school, the credit hours and the semester. Failure to submit proof of enrollment can result in a violation of status. 

  • After you complete the course submit a transcript showing the completed course to UTA Admissions.

  • Submit proof of completion (transcript, unofficial or official) using the Concurrent Enrollment e-form in GlobalMavs to show that you met your full-time requirements for that semester. 

  • Remember, you must complete this process EVERY semester you wish to enroll concurrently. 
Request for Concurrent Enrollment eForm in GlobalMavs

Transferring your SEVIS record to another college or university. 

ATTENTION: Students are responsible for dropping their courses. Prior to the first day of class, students may drop all of their courses in MyMav. After the first day of class, a student must meet with an Academic Advisor to drop all of their courses.

For reference, the Add/Drop/Swap/Withdraw Through Late Registration section of our registration website contains this information: https://www.uta.edu/administration/registrar/students/registration/courses/add-drop-withdrawal.

 Note: If you want to transfer from another college or university to UT Arlington, please see the following links:

  1. Apply to the college or university of your choice. As a part of the application, the other school may ask for UTA to complete a transfer notification form which verifies your current immigration status. If this is the case, submit the form provided below using the 'REQUEST TO BE RELEASED FROM UTA eForm in GlobalMavs' button below and we will fax it directly to the school within 7 business days.

    2.  
  2. Gain admission to the college or university of your choice. 
    3.  
  3. Submit your admission letter along with a completed “Request to be Released from UTA” form. Be sure to specify the date you would like your SEVIS record to be released to the new school. 
    4.  
  4. Within 7 business days of receipt and/or on the day of release you select, UTA’s OIE will release your SEVIS record to the new school. 

Request to be Released from UTA eForm in GlobalMavs

This form is used to certify that a course coded as online has a required on-campus component.

  • Complete the form below and email it to international@uta.edu as a pdf for processing
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  • Please allow up to 7 business days for processing. You will be contacted by e-mail when your request has been processed.

If you reside outside the DFW metroplex you may refer to the eShipGlobal process here: F-1 & J-1 Office Procedures.

Required On-Campus Component for Online Courses

Leave of Absence can be a time-sensitive and complex process. Please consult with an OIE advisor during advising hours before emailing your documents to the OIE at international@uta.edu .

Use the top section of this form to request an "Authorized Early Withdrawal" termination of your SEVIS record after you have had an academic Leave of Absence Approved.

At least 60 days before you plan to return to the U.S., use the bottom section of this form to request a re-activation of your SEVIS record and/or a new I-20 from the OIE.

Please Note: SEVIS re-activation will only be requested if your date of departure from the U.S. is prior to the semester’s census date. For more information on SEVIS re-activation, please consult with an OIE advisor during advising hours.

To request an "Authorized Early Withdrawal" termination of your SEVIS record based on an approved Leave of Absence outside the U.S., submit this form along with the documentation listed on the top portion of the form.   Before returning to the U.S., submit this form along with the documentation listed on the bottom portion of the form.   Normal processing time may vary based on the student's departure and return date from the U.S. Leave of Absence is a time sensitive process, so regular communication with an OIE advisor on this issue is highly recommended.

Leave of Absence eForm in GlobalMavs

Return after Absence eForm in GlobalMavs

Visa applicants must qualify on the basis of the applicant's residence and ties abroad, rather than assurances from U.S. family and friends. A letter of invitation or Affidavit of Support is not needed to apply for a visitor visa. If you choose to bring a letter of invitation or Affidavit of Support to your interview, please remember it is not one of the factors used in determining whether to issue or deny the visa. For additional information you may visit the US Department of State Travel site.

As of May 10, 2023, the Office of International Education at the University of Texas Arlington does not issue invitation letters for family visits.

Please refer to the specific US Embassy website that your family will be visiting for their interview.

 

As a student, you can write a letter to invite your family to visit. Please see the letter template provided: Here

Note: A letter is not required from UTA to invite family to visit. If you choose to send a letter, the letter should come from the student.