I entered the United States in B-2 status, can I apply for a change of status in the United States?
A. As of April 12, 2002, INS has published a new regulation which bars nonimmigrants who have entered the United States in B-1 or B-2 (visitor) status from changing status to F-1 or M-1 (student) status unless they notified the INS upon their initial entry of their intent to begin a course of study in the U.S. The INS continues to recognize that many prospective students enter the United States as B-1 or B-2 visitors in order to visit campuses of academic institutions prior to making a decision on where to attend, with the understanding that the individual will subsequently apply to change status to F-1 or M-1 student. The new regulation requires such B-1 or B-2 visitors to state such an intention explicitly at the time that they apply for admission to the United States. The individual must also at that time present any Forms I-20 that have been issued. Furthermore, applicants for change of status from B-1/B-2 visitor to F-1 or M-1 student will no longer be permitted to commence their
