Transfer Out

Transfer out is the immigration process that occurs when you transfer to a new school within the U.S.

When you transfer to a new school within the U.S., WT must transfer your SEVIS record to your new school. This allows you to have the same SEVIS ID Number and the same visa stamp.

Transfer Out requests must be made at least 15 business days (3 weeks) before the start date of your new program at your new school.

If you have graduated from WT or the program end date on your I-20 has expired, per federal regulation, you have 60 days to be admitted into a new program AND have your SEVIS record transferred to the new school.

When transerring your SEVIS record to a different school, there are some very important things that you need to know:

If 60 or more days have passed since your last day of your final semester at WT or your OPT end date, your SEVIS record has been terminated or completed and can no longer be transferred.

• Per the federal Department of Homeland Security regulations, students have 60 days after degree completion or OPT end date to take action, whether this be leaving the US, applying for OPT, applying for a new degree level, and/or transferring their SEVIS record to a different school, or other options.

If you are on OPT or STEM OPT, once your SEVIS record has been transferred, you must stop working immediately.

• Per the federal Department of Homeland Security regulations, students on OPT or STEM OPT must stop working immediately once their SEVIS record has been transferred to a new school.

Once your SEVIS record is transferred, WT no longer has access to it.

• Once your SEVIS record is transferred, we can no longer make any changes to it.
• If you are on OPT or STEM OPT, please be sure to submit your final updates to our office at least 1 week BEFORE your SEVIS record is transferred

Once your SEVIS record is transferred, it cannot be undone or canceled.

• Please be sure that the school we transfer your SEVIS record to is the school that you will attend. Before requesting a transfer, you may also wish to verify that you will be able to show the required financial verification to your new school for them to be able to issue your new I-20.

If you leave the US while your transfer is still pending, you must reenter the US with your new I-20 from your new institution.

• Once your SEVIS record has been transferred to your new school, your WT I-20s become invalid. To reenter the US, you will need to use your new I-20 from your new school.

Once your SEVIS record is transferred, you can no longer use any I-20 issued by WT for any purpose.

• This includes travel, driver's license, etc.
• Please do keep all of your WT I-20s, and any and all I-20s ever issued to you by any school. This is especially important if you will apply for a different visa type (Change of Status) or permanent residence, even if it is 10 years down the road.
• We recommend scanning or taking pictures of pages 1 and 2 of all I-20s. That way, if something happens to the originals, you still have something.

Fill out the Transfer Request Form.

This form also serves as a SEVIS release form that allows us to release your SEVIS record to your new school

Transfer Out requests must be made at least 15 business days (3 weeks) before the start date of your new program at your new school.

Important: As soon as your SEVIS record is transferred to your new school, your OPT is no longer valid and you must stop working immediately. Please keep that in mind when choosing a SEVIS release date