Inspector's Field Manual - Gani

Inspector's Field Manual
(1) Classification: M-1 Student in established vocational or other recognized nonacademic institution,
other than language training program.
Documents required: Passport valid for 6 months at time of entry unless exempt. Nonimmigrant visa (M-1)
unless exempt. Form I-20MN. Evidence of financial support.
Qualifications: Must be coming to pursue full course of study at an approved "M" school. Must have sufficient
financial resources. All nonimmigrant grounds of inadmissibility apply.
Terms of Admission: Admit as M-1 to the end date of the course, as specified on the I-20, plus 30 days. Do not
exceed 1 year.
Notations on I-94: M-1, ending date of course plus 30 days not to exceed 1 year.
Special notes:
(A) Missing or incomplete I-20. If otherwise admissible, a student not in possession of Form I-20MN,
or a student who after a temporary absence does not present an endorsed page 4 of Form I-20 and there is no bad
faith involved in the student's failure to obtain the necessary form, the inspecting officer shall admit the student
in M-1 status for 30 days and issue Form I-515. Instruct the student to obtain the necessary Form I-20 or
endorsement, as the case may be, and submit the I-515, I-20, and I-94 to the Service office having jurisdiction over
the school he or she plans to attend, within the 30 day period, for extension. The accompanying spouse and
children of an M-1 without an endorsed page 4 of Form I-20 or a new Form I-20 shall be admitted M-2 for 30
days and may be granted an extension. Note the back of Form I-94, both sections, with: "I-515."
(B) Certain students with expired visas. M-1 students and dependents with expired visas who have
been outside the U.S. for less than 30 days solely to contiguous territory may be readmitted if they have their
original I-94 and a valid I-20 [See 8 CFR 214.1(b)(1) and 22 CFR 41.112.]. The "adjacent island" exemption,
available to F and J nonimmigrants does not apply to M students.
(C) Fraudulent Forms I-20. Fraudulently issued Forms I-20 are not uncommon. Inspectors should
examine these forms carefully for irregularities. Improperly issued Forms I-20, whether issued with fraudulent
intent or through ignorance by a non-approved school, often do not contain the correct sequence of letters and
numbers in the school approval code. An example of the correct format is: WAS 214F 1123.004. The three letters
indicate the files control office having jurisdiction over the school. The "214F" is standard to all codes. The next
series of numbers indicate the specific school or school system and may include a three-digit suffix. The suffix
indicates a school or campus within a school system, if applicable. An I-20 bearing the wrong sequence in the
approval code or any other irregularities should be considered suspect. Information about schools and students
may be found in the student/school data base (STSC) discussed in Chapter 31.3.
(D) Disposition of Forms I-20MN. Upon initial admission, an M-1 will present a two-part Form
I-20MN (Student Copy and School Copy). Upon admission, the record the admission number from the I-94 on
both parts, stamp and endorse "M-1(date to which admitted)" in the designated block and separate the two parts
of the I-20MN. Also record the admission number on the visa page of the passport. The Student Copy is returned
to the student for readmission and other uses. The School Copy is lifted for forwarding for Service data
processing, along with the arrival I-94, which is stapled to the lower left corner of the I-20MN. Once data
processing is complete, the forms are forwarded to the school by the data entry contractor.
(E) Readmission. Upon readmission of an M-1 student, cross out the admission number from the new
I-94 and enter the original admission number from the passport or I-20MN, Student Copy. Admit the student for
the balance of the time needed to complete his/her course of study, plus 30 days, not to exceed 1 year.
(2) Classification: M-2 Spouse and children of M-1 vocational student.
Documents required: Passport valid for 6 months at time of entry unless exempt. Nonimmigrant visa (M-1)
unless exempt. Form I-20MN, student copy, if following to join.
Qualifications: Must be an individual listed in the general description, accompanying or following to join a
principal M student. All nonimmigrant grounds of inadmissibility apply.