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What must you carry on your person for identification if you are in the United States in a legal status?

8 years ago By Rajiv S. Khanna

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F-1 Students Travel During OPT or H-1B Process

4 years ago By admin

Update 1- Feb 8, 2021

Can students on OPT CPT work remotely during the COVID times. ICE says yes. See from page 12 on of this FAQ released by the govt.

https://www.ice.gov/doclib/coronavirus/covid19faq.pdf

Update 2 - Feb 8, 2021

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Curricular Practical Training CPT

4 years ago By Rajiv S. Khanna

Jump to Can CPT be a good way to gain experience in addition to or instead of H-1B?

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USCIS Updates Policy Guidance for International Students

1 year ago By Chief Editor

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is issuing policy guidance regarding the F and M student nonimmigrant classifications, including the agency’s role in adjudicating applications for employment authorization, change of status, extension of stay, and reinstatement of status for these students and their dependents in the United States.

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Linkedin Community Audio Event - Immigration QnA with Rajiv, May 25, 2023

2 years ago By Chief Editor

Nonimmigrant Visas

Immigration Law

Laid off

Green Card

SUBSCRIBE to Immigration.com YouTube Channel for further updates.

Immigration.com, Law Offices of Rajiv S. Khanna PC, US Immigration Attorney Rajiv Khanna

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USCIS Expands Premium Processing for Applicants Seeking to Change into F, M, or J Nonimmigrant Status

2 years ago By Chief Editor

Release Date

06/12/2023

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USCIS Releases Fact Sheet for ELIS and the SEVIS Form I-20

13 years ago By Editor

Background

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will transition from a paper-based model to a secure, electronic environment. This new user-friendly system is called the USCIS Electronic Immigration System (USCIS ELIS).

Introduction

USCIS ELIS is an easy-to-use system designed to modernize the application process for immigration benefits. It will also provide more accurate, convenient, and secure customer service and allow USCIS to process cases with greater efficiency and consistency.

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USCIS Updates Guidance for F/M Nonimmigrant Student Classification

1 year ago By Chief Editor

Release Date

08/27/2024

USICS is updating guidance in the USCIS Policy Manual regarding when students may be eligible for optional practical training (OPT) extensions for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields. This guidance, found in Volume 2, Part F, of the Policy Manual, also provides clarifying guidance for F/M nonimmigrant students concerning online study, school transfers, the grace period, and study abroad.

The Policy Manual update:

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Recording for February 20, 2025, Conference Call with Rajiv S. Khanna

9 months ago By Chief Editor

Immigration.com

Community Conference Calls

Nonimmigrant Visas

Green Card

FAQs:

1. Can I volunteer with a Non-Profit while on any temporary visa (for example, F-1 OPT)?

2. Options after layoff on approved EB-1 - Compelling circumstances EAD and GC EAD conversion

3. NIW I-485 rejected: Refiling options and priority date usage?

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Enhanced Social Media Vetting for Student and Exchange Visas: Troubling Developments in Immigration Screening

8 months ago By Chief Editor

Read more about Enhanced Social Media Vetting for Student and Exchange Visas: Troubling Developments in Immigration Screening

F-1 Student Status

12 years ago By Chief Editor

Our client, a former Tri-Valley University of California (TVU) student who was left out of status due to unexpected closure of TVU, applied for reinstatement to student status. He retained us to respond to the Request for Evidence (RFE) he received on his reinstatement application. There were several serious issues raised by USCIS in the RFE. One of them was that the USCIS alleged that the online classes our client took at TVUdisqualified him from full-time F-1 student status. We prepared a comprehensive response and documented our client’s entire case history

Nonimmigrant Visas

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Rajiv's Article - Enhanced social media vetting for student and exchange visas - What you need to know

8 months ago By Chief Editor

Published by: The Economic Times - Date: April 04, 2025

https://shorturl.at/xyEtn

Synopsis

The State Department's new social media screening measures affect F-1, M-1, and J-1 visa applicants, requiring mandatory reviews under certain conditions. These include broad interpretations of terrorist support and criteria for hostile attitudes toward U.S. institutions, potentially leading to visa revocations.

For more information on this article, please see the attachment below.

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US Visa & Social Media: What you need to know about new screening policies and their impact

5 months ago By Chief Editor

Question details

I believe there was a proposal to include social media handles as part of certain visa/immigration applications. Do you know what the consequences of that are?

If one has deleted social media accounts they don't have access to or accounts they don't remember the details for would that negatively impact the application? Also, is it just public posts that get reviewed or do private messages/dms get reviewed also?

FAQ Transcript

As of June 24, 2025, the US Consulates have updated their policies for F (academic student), M (vocational student), and J (exchange visitor) visa applicants. The key requirements are:

Public Privacy Settings: All your social media accounts must have their privacy settings adjusted to "public" so that the consulate can review them.

Disclosure of Usernames: You are required to list all social media usernames or handles from every platform you have used for the last 5 years. This includes accounts, even if they have since been deleted.

Failing to comply with these requirements, including omitting social media information or keeping accounts private, could lead to visa denial. The new policy aims to facilitate vetting to establish identity and admissibility to the United States.