F-1 to F-2

Student to Spouse of Student

To qualify to change from F-1 to F-2, you must:

• be in good legal standing with USCIS (must have maintained full-time status while in school),
• be a bona fide non-immigrant, and
• the F-1 principal, your spouse whose status you will be attendant to, must be in good status.

To Apply

1. Have your spouse request an I-20 application showing you as a dependent. This will require your spouse to document his or her current finances and $2,000 for you. Then submit the following documents to International Student Services for review:
   
   1. Completed Form I-539 (Application for Change of Nonimmigrant Status)
   2. Copies of your passport pages, including your visa, passport number, passport expiration date, and picture.
   3. Departure Record—Form I-94—This small white card is usually stapled to your passport next to your visa.
   4. A photocopy of your spouse's new Form I-20.
   5. New Form I-20 issued through International Student Services—Have your spouse sign in the space on item 11 at the bottom of page one.
   6. Proof of financial support for both you and your spouse.
   7. A notarized copy of your marriage license or certificate—if this is not in English, it must be translated into the English language.
   8. (Optional) Personal statement explaining why the change of status (COS) is necessary.
2. After our document review and copies are made for your records, apply online at USCIS.gov.

You will submit the form and pay the fee online and then mail in the required documents to the address listed on the cover page you will print at the end of the process.

When approved, the service center will return a new Form I-94 indicating your new status to the address indicated on your Form I-539 application. Make sure that if you move, you have your mail forwarded.

It is advised that you do not travel outside of the U.S. with a change of status application pending.