NewsFlash! USCIS Eliminates B-2 ‘Bridge’ Requirement for F-1 Applicants

Today, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that foreign nationals applying for a change of status to F-1 are no longer required to maintain nonimmigrant status until within 30 days of the actual (i.e. deferred) program start date. Rather, the USCIS has reverted to its prior policy of only requiring the applicant to be in valid status at the time the application is filed, and to maintain valid status through at least 30 days before the initially requested program start date.

Today’s announcement serves to reverse a policy implemented by the Trump Administration that had required many F-1 applicants to also file one or more B-2 “bridge” applications. More details on the now-defunct bridging requirement are available in the MurthyDotCom NewsBrief, USCIS Expands New Policy for Nonimmigrants Changing Status to F-1 (15.Mar.2018).

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