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Border Commuters

The Border Commuter category/I-20 is an option for students who are citizens of Mexico and who attend a U.S. institution within 75 miles of the U.S. / Mexico border. Border Commuters may attend full-time or part-time.  Provided that classes are still in session, a student may change from a full-time I-20 to a part-time I-20, at any time during a semester.

Full-time Border Commuters

Full-time border commuter students must be enrolled full-time every semester to maintain their F-1 visa status.  A student who lives in Ciudad Juarez and attends º£½ÇÉçÇø on full-time basis is issued an I-20 for the entire length of their program.  

Part-Time Border Commuters

A student who wishes to attend º£½ÇÉçÇø part-time will be issued an I-20 for one semester of enrollment. The student MUST be enrolled in at least one in-person academic course to maintain part-time border commuter visa status. The student must request a renewal of the I-20 every semester before the expiration date on the I-20.  If the request is made after the end date, the student falls out of F-1 status and must request a reinstatement of the F-1 status and pay a new SEVIS again.

Border Commuters are subject to the following rules:

• º£½ÇÉçÇøs MAY NOT live in the U.S.
• º£½ÇÉçÇøs MAY NOT own a car with American plates.
• º£½ÇÉçÇøs MAY NOT have an F-2 dependent
• º£½ÇÉçÇøs MAY work on or off campus through Curricular Practical Training (CPT)
• º£½ÇÉçÇøs MUST renew the I-20 every semester before the expiration date located on page 1 of the I-20. This gives students continuous status which is important for maintaining eligibility for work authorization. If students do not renew the I-20 on time, they have to wait until they have two terms of continuous status for work eligbility.

Falling out of F-1 Status

If you fall out of status, you MUST get back INTO status to legally continue your studies at º£½ÇÉçÇø.

Common reasons why students lose F-1 status

• Not enrolling in sufficient credit hours, student has a full-time I-20
• Not earning sufficient credit hours (“W” grades don’t count as credit earned to maintain immigration status), student has a full-time I-20
• Being fired from a required full-time CPT during a semester in which a student was not taking any classes
• Allowing the I-20 to expire and not requesting an extension before the expiration date
• Not completing the program by that date, and being ineligible for an I-20 extension
• Being a part-time Border Commuter who forgot to submit a request form to obtain an I-20 renewal before the expiration date of the current I-20.

Consequences of losing your status

When you lose your status you lose your eligibility for Curricular Practical Training and Optional Practical Training for one year.

Steps to Reinstate your F-1 Border Commuter Status:

1. Request a letter from your academic advisor stating when you are expected to graduate. 
2. Submit the letter from your advisor along with a I-20 request Form using Sunapsis.
3. Submit updated “Confirmation of Financial Resources” for approval (if Mexican student; submit PASE e-form too)
4. Pay the SEVIS I-901 fee of $350 online at . Print the receipt.
5. Turn in your I-94 at a US port of entry and exit the United States
6. Re-enter the US with your passport, visa, new I-20, and I-901 payment receipt. You must be given a new I-94 when you do this.
   • YOU MUST HAVE A MULTIPLE ENTRY VISA TO DO THIS. IF YOU DO NOT HAVE A MULTIPLE ENTRY F-1 VISA, PLEASE SEE AN INTERNATIONAL STUDENT ADVISOR AT OIP.
   • IF YOUR F-1 / F-3 VISA HAS EXPIRED, YOU MAY HAVE TO OBTAIN A NEW F-1 / F-3 VISA BEFORE YOU CAN RE-ENTER THE US. For more information on reentering the US with an expired visa, click here: Travel & Re-Entry.
   • Once you have reentered the US, go to OIP and provide a copy of your I-20 with the stamp from the port of entry as well as a copy of your new I-94.
   • Provided you are enrolled full-time for the term in which your I-20 begins, OIP will register your I-20 record in SEVIS and your F-1 / F-3 status will be valid again.