Confused about I-20 & SEVIS? Let's dive in.
All foreign admitted students admitted to a US university need an I-20 issued by the university in order to apply for an F-1 student visa. The I-20 contains the SEVIS id (Student Exchange and Visitor Information System) which is a unique record for each student entering the United States. As long as you are a student in the United States, you will maintain a SEVIS record.
Foreign students can gain employment using CPT/OPT during their stay on F1 visa and SEVIS record is updated by the school officials to indicate the student's valid employment authorization period.
Foreign students also need to get a travel authorization on their I-20 before they leave the United States if they are planning on visiting their home country. Travel signature would be checked at the border/airports for F1 visa holders who left the US temporarily.
Always check with your Designated School Official (DSO) if you are unsure about the requirements of your visa, eligibility for employment or have questions about travelling overseas.
Good Luck!
