The Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) Form I-20 is an official DHS document that contains information about the school, the degree one intends to pursue, the timeframe in which the degree will be attained, and one’s financial obligations. It also includes a bar code used to access the student’s information within the SEVIS electronic database.
It is important to understand that the I-20 is only a “certificate of eligibility” for F-1 status. Form I-20 alone is not an indication of student status. After an I-20 is issued, the student must either apply for an F-1 visa at a U.S. consulate or embassy outside of the U.S. (with the exception of Canadian citizens or nationals who are exempt from the visa requirement) or use it to change status from one nonimmigrant status to F-1 from within the U.S. by applying to the USCIS.
