Frequently Asked Questions

We provide education and immigration consulting services, including student visa consulting, visitor visa guidance, and Integral CPT program guidance, along with support for investment immigration (EB-5, E-2), family sponsorship, and corporate work permits.

No. The Immigration Compass is an education and immigration consultancy providing consulting services. We are not a law firm and do not provide legal advice. Where legal representation is required, clients are referred to independent licensed immigration attorneys.

The standard minimum investment amount is $1,050,000. However, for projects in Targeted Employment Areas (TEAs) - which include rural areas or areas with high unemployment - the minimum investment is reduced to $800,000.

Yes, U.S. citizens and permanent residents (Green Card holders) can sponsor their spouses for permanent residency. The process and timeline vary based on the sponsor's status and whether the spouse is currently inside or outside the U.S.

The F-1 visa is a non-immigrant student visa issued by the U.S. government that allows international students to study full-time at an accredited U.S. academic institution. It comes with provisions for work authorization through CPT and OPT.

SEVIS stands for Student and Exchange Visitor Information System. It is a U.S. government database managed by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) that tracks F-1 and J-1 students throughout their stay in the United States. Your university's Designated School Official (DSO) manages your SEVIS record and is responsible for maintaining your F-1 status.

Maintaining F-1 status means fulfilling all requirements set by USCIS and your university - enrolling full-time each semester, maintaining satisfactory academic progress, keeping your passport and I-20 valid, reporting address changes to your DSO, and not working without proper authorization such as CPT or OPT.

F-1 students are generally not permitted to work off-campus without authorization. On-campus employment is allowed up to 20 hours per week during the academic year. Off-campus work requires either CPT or OPT. Working without authorization is a serious violation that can result in loss of F-1 status.

After completing your degree, F-1 students typically have a 60-day grace period to either depart the U.S., transfer to another school, change visa status, or apply for OPT. During this period, you may not work unless you have an approved OPT authorization.

Most universities require graduate students to maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or above. Falling below this threshold may place you on academic probation, which can jeopardize your CPT authorization and your F-1 status. Requirements may vary slightly by university.

No. A federal judge issued a nationwide preliminary injunction on September 14, 2026, blocking the rule one day before it was scheduled to take effect. Duration of status remains in place while the lawsuit continues. Full breakdown: Judge Blocks DHS Rule Ending Duration of Status Before It Takes Effect.

Day 1 CPT is a commonly used term that refers to Curricular Practical Training (CPT) for which students are eligible from the first semester of enrollment, rather than after completing a full academic year. Integral CPT is the term TIC uses to describe the same concept - programs where practical work experience is a required, integral part of the academic curriculum from day one. The underlying federal regulation is the same: 8 CFR 214.2(f)(10)(i). TIC uses the term Integral CPT to more accurately reflect the academic structure of the programs we work with, where the practical training is genuinely embedded in the curriculum, not an add-on. CPT authorization from Semester 1, once eligibility criteria are met: your program must be a graduate program that requires immediate participation, you must have a secured training position, and your university's DSO must authorize CPT and endorse your I-20 before you begin work.

Integral CPT (Curricular Practical Training) is a work authorization pathway where practical, professional work experience is a required, integral component of the academic curriculum. Because the work is embedded in the degree program itself, eligible students can begin working from their very first semester of enrollment - without waiting for a separate OPT approval. It is the same program many F-1 students search for as Day 1 CPT. CPT authorization from Semester 1, once eligibility criteria are met: your program must be a graduate program that requires immediate participation, you must have a secured training position, and your university's DSO must authorize CPT and endorse your I-20 before you begin work.

CPT is authorized under 8 CFR 214.2(f)(10)(i), the federal regulation governing F-1 student work authorization. The regulation allows CPT when practical training is an integral part of an established curriculum. The university's DSO authorizes CPT in accordance with these regulations.

Yes. CPT authorization is only available to F-1 students under 8 CFR 214.2(f)(10)(i), so you'll need to hold, or obtain, an F-1 student visa to participate in an Integral CPT program. Visit our Student Visa Services page for guidance on the application process.

Using Integral CPT does not affect your 12-month OPT eligibility as long as you do not accumulate 12 or more months of full-time CPT. If you accumulate 12 or more months of full-time CPT, your OPT eligibility is forfeited. Our partner universities structure their programs specifically to keep students within safe limits.

Yes. Integral CPT can be authorized for either part-time (up to 20 hours per week) or full-time (more than 20 hours per week) work. Most of our partner university programs make students eligible for full-time CPT from the first semester. However, accumulating 12 or more months of full-time CPT will forfeit your OPT eligibility. CPT authorization from Semester 1, once eligibility criteria are met: your program must be a graduate program that requires immediate participation, you must have a secured training position, and your university's DSO must authorize CPT and endorse your I-20 before you begin work.

Yes, but each new employer requires a new CPT authorization from your university's DSO. You must not start working for a new employer before the updated CPT is reflected on your I-20. Always coordinate with your DSO before making any employer change.

Yes, you can transfer to another SEVIS-approved institution, but your CPT authorization does not transfer with you. The new university must issue a new I-20 and authorize CPT independently. There is typically a waiting period at the new institution before CPT can be authorized.

If you stop working, notify your DSO immediately. Since CPT is an integral part of your curriculum, being without employment could affect your academic standing and F-1 status. Do not simply stop working without informing your school.

TIC currently works with eight Integral CPT partner universities: Ottawa University, National Louis University, Humphreys University, Texas Wesleyan University, Harrisburg University, Benedictine University, Bay Atlantic University, and Avila University Arizona. Visit our Integral CPT Programs page to compare all options.

SEVP issued two broadcast messages in August 2026, BCM 2608-01 (August 12) and BCM 2608-02 (August 24), addressing how schools document and record CPT authorization in SEVIS. The regulation itself has not changed. In August 2026, SEVP told schools to scrutinize CPT authorizations more closely and to authorize CPT only when it is integral to the curriculum. Full breakdown: The ICE Memo on University CPT: What It Actually Says About Day 1 CPT.

Optional Practical Training (OPT) is a period of authorized work experience for F-1 students, directly related to their major field of study. Post-completion OPT gives graduates 12 months of work authorization after completing their degree. STEM graduates may qualify for a 24-month extension, giving them up to 36 months total.

CPT is authorized by your university's DSO and is used during your studies - the work is part of your academic curriculum. OPT is authorized by USCIS and is typically used after graduation. CPT requires a job offer before authorization; OPT does not. Both allow you to work legally in the US on F-1 status.

If you graduated with a STEM degree and your employer is enrolled in E-Verify, you may apply for a 24-month STEM OPT extension, giving you up to 36 months of post-completion work authorization on F-1 status. This significantly improves your chances of securing an H-1B sponsorship.

Yes. There is no rule preventing your employer from filing an H-1B petition while you are on CPT. Many students use their time on CPT to build a relationship with their employer and become a strong H-1B candidate. The H-1B lottery typically opens in March for an October start date.

Cap-gap automatically extends F-1 status and OPT work authorization for students who are the beneficiary of a timely filed, cap-subject H-1B petition that requests a change of status and is based on a selected registration. The extension lasts until April 1 of the fiscal year for which H-1B status is requested or until the petition's validity start date, whichever is earlier.

U.S. citizens can sponsor their spouse, unmarried children under 21, unmarried adult children, married children of any age, and siblings. Immediate relatives - spouse, unmarried children under 21, and parents - are processed faster as there is no annual visa cap for this category.

Processing times vary based on the relationship, the petitioner's immigration status, and the beneficiary's country of birth. Immediate relative cases for U.S. citizens can take 12 to 24 months. Preference category cases can take several years due to annual visa caps and backlogs, particularly for applicants born in India, China, Mexico, and the Philippines.

In some cases, yes. If the beneficiary is inside the U.S. and an immigrant visa is immediately available, they may be able to file for Adjustment of Status and concurrently apply for an Employment Authorization Document (EAD). This depends on the specific category and individual circumstances.