International Students New Student Checklist

If you are a new student coming from outside of the United States, please follow the steps below:

1. Pay the SEVIS Fee (I-901 Fee) of $350 to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency at www.fmjfee.com.  
2. Sign the enclosed Form I-20 in BLUE INK on page 1
3. Review all the instructions on the Form I-20 on page 3  
4. Complete the online Non-immigrant Visa Application (Form DS-160) at https://ceac.state.gov/ceac. Print the application and bring it to your visa interview 
5. Schedule your visa interview at your nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate. Please remember to check with the Embassy or Consulate for what additional documents you will need to bring or prepare for your interview by visiting www.usembassy.gov. Documents you may need to bring may include bank statements, letter of admission, English test scores, etc. 
   • Note: You may be able to schedule an Emergency Appointment with the consulate to expedite your appointment due to COVID-19 and long visa backlogs. Contact your local consulate for more information.
6. Bring your signed and original Form I-20 with you, along with any required documents stated by the U.S. Embassy or Consulate, to your visa interview

If you are a student changing status from other visa type, please follow the following steps:

1. Pay the SEVIS Fee (I-901 Fee) of $350 to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency at www.fmjfee.com.  
2. Sign the enclosed Form I-20 in BLUE INK on page 1
3. Review all the instructions on the Form I-20 on page 3  
4. Visit the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) website for detailed instructions and application (use Form I-539) on how to apply for a Change of Status. Search for “Change my Nonimmigrant Status” in the search bar
5. After you have submitted your application to USCIS and as soon as you receive your Receipt Notice, properly scan and email the confirmation to the International Student Center at iso@pasadena.edu. 
6. If your Change of Status application is not approved by the first day of classes, please contact the International Student Center at iso@pasadena.edu or (626) 585-7808 to discuss your options

Important Information about Change of Status

• You must maintain your current non-immigrant status until your Change of Status application is approved by USCIS. If you are not sure, consult with the International Student Center
• Do not travel outside of the United States while your Change of Status application is pending with USCIS. Your Change of Status application will be cancelled by USCIS if you leave the U.S. 
• If you are changing from a B1/B2 visitor’s visa, do not enroll or begin your studies until USCIS has approved your change of status. If USCIS has not adjudicated, or decided on your change of status at least 15 days before the first day of the semester (program start date listed on your Form I-20), please contact us at iso@pasadena.edu 
• If you are changing from F2 to F1 status, you can enroll only up to 11.9 units (part-time) at PCC

If you are a continuing student transferring from another college or university, please follow the following steps:

Please request your current school to release your SEVIS (immigration) record to Pasadena City College so we can issue your PCC Transfer-Pending I-20. 

PCC SEVIS CODE: LOS214F00788000

1. Please talk to the international student office at your current school to ask about what you need to do to transfer your I-20 SEVIS record to PCC.
2. If you are still taking classes at your current school, do not release your I-20 SEVIS record to PCC until you have completed all your classes at your current school.
3. If you are going to travel outside the United States before attending PCC, please plan ahead and figure out which school’s I-20 you will use to travel.
   • If you are using your current school’s I-20 to travel, DO NOT ask your current school to release your I-20 to PCC until you return to the United States. 
   • If you are using PCC’s transfer-pending I-20 to travel, please plan ahead and request your current school to release your I-20 SEVIS record to PCC so that we issue you a PCC transfer-pending I-20 before you leave the U.S. 
   • We recommend that you avoid all unessential travel outside the U.S. until you are fully transferred and registered as a PCC student.