International student Fees Killing Me ... Please Help me out !!

[SYED NASEER UDDIN 0]

I am in the Dilemma that even i have EAD/AP combo card i am skeptical about quitting my F1 status. I really don't want to pay any hefty fees for the summer semester in school which is already past due. Can i take a break from school showing my pending I-485 status, so that i can avoid my fees payment roughly 5500$. I talked to my international advisor in school to check if my SEVIS has been updated. They replied saying my SEVIS is still as F-1 . Shouldn't that update will happen automatically soon after i file I-485 to "AOS" . I know if i am using my EAD and quit my F-1 there is nothing left for me to fall back visa status in case I-485 denied. Any advise or experiences are highly appreciated!

[aaron2020 11,651]

You can take a break.

You are here legally while the AOS is being process.

[FelixTX 2]

Yeah you can, show your international Student Advisor the first I-797C.

But usually (As far as I know, at least its at my school like this). the summer sessions won't count towards the full semester and I as an F1 student do not need to take any classes in Summer I and Summer II and maintain a fulltime status. Only during the Spring and Fall semester I have to take a full load to keep my status.

[SYED NASEER UDDIN 0]

Thank you very much for help . One more quick question if i want to drop my Fall semester while the "AOS" is being process i can do that without any problem ? Because i asked to my international Advisor she said "She don't know but she said she will terminate the status ".

[lil2be 11]

Even you are F 1, sunmer semester is not required by USCIS unless it is your first semester.

[AnotherLostSoul 167]

@Sayed: What I was told at the time, if you don't register for Fall (or you drop your classes) then yes your SEVIS record will be terminated. And yes, that means if your AOS fails, you have 30 days to pack up and go back to Pakistan. If however, you register, and attend classes, your SEVIS record is active, you are like an international student, then even if your AOS fails you can stay in the US as long as your program permits. Regarding why your SEVIS is still active while you filed for AOS already. Because it is your choice to tell your IO if you would like to maintain your F1 student status, or you don't. Again, since you were registered up until now, but have never told your IO to terminate your SEVIS, they simply left it as is. It's your choice, both have pros and cons. I personally would want to maintain my SEVIS as long as I know the outcome of my AOS because I would want to stay and finish up my school instead of getting sent back in the mids of it. But this is up to you.

Khuda hafiz!