Legal Question in Immigration Law in Massachusetts

Re: HELP WITH IMMIGRATION STATUS. Absence from university....

It is generally not good to be out of status for U.S. immigration purposes. In particular, if you are in unlawful status for a period exceeding 180 days and you depart the U.S., you could be barred from re-entering the U.S. for 3 years. A 10-year bar may be triggered if the period of unlawful presence is one year or more.

That said, there is a procedure for Reinstatement of F-1 status that may be applicable in certain circumstances - if you are intending to return to school and have not engaged in unauthorized employment. In your case, the length of your period of absence from school may be a problem - you will need to determine the exact period you have been out of status and be able to explain whether there are circumstances beyond your control that resulted in such lapse.

You should consult with an attorney to discuss whether reinstatement to F-1 status or other options may be possible in your particular circumstances. You may contact our office at 617-542-3333 if you wish to discuss further.

Disclaimer: Please note that the above is only for informational purposes. It does not create an attorney-client relationship. Proper legal advice can only be given after we have a signed engagement letter and we have discussed fully the facts in your particular case.