1. Understand Your Visa Requirements

If you’re currently on a student visa and nearing the end of your graduate program, it’s important to understand all of the details of your current visa status and any immigration paths available to you after graduation.

Most international graduate students are granted an F-1 student visa, but regardless of your specific visa type, be sure to familiarize yourself with the terms and conditions of your visa. Your student visa may have certain requirements, such as following work guidelines, maintaining your status as a full-time or part-time student, and being mindful of the duration of your stay in the U.S. You can learn more about the F-1 student visa and its various requirements in Boundless’ F-1 guide.

Once you complete your graduate studies, you may be interested in pursuing a career in the U.S. You can explore the different types of U.S. work visas available to international students here. We’ll dive deeper into one of the most common immigration paths for international students below, Optional Practical Training.

2. Pursue Optional Practical Training (OPT)

If you’re an international graduate student on an F-1 visa, you may be interested in pursuing Optional Practical Training (OPT) as the next step in your immigration journey. Optional Practical Training (OPT) is a program that allows F-1 visa holders to gain practical work experience related to their field of study. OPT can be done before or after completing a degree program and typically provides U.S. work authorization for up to 12 months. As a graduate student, OPT gives you a chance to apply your academic knowledge in a real-world work environment and can be an important stepping stone for your future career.

You can learn more about the OPT process and how to apply in Boundless’ OPT guide.

3. Stay Informed About Immigration Policies

U.S. immigration laws and regulations are always changing, so it is crucial to stay informed as you take any next steps in your immigration journey. Changes to visa processing, filing costs, or employment-based applications can all impact your life after graduation in the U.S.

Boundless publishes regular immigration news and alerts on our blog, and we even offer a weekly immigration newsletter so you can stay informed and up-to-date on all things U.S. immigration. Sign up below!

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So how did the U.S. immigration court system become so backlogged and what can be done to fix it?

The uptick in cases is largely driven by unprecedented surges in the number of migrants seeking asylum after being apprehended for crossing the border illegally. Immigration attorneys and advocates say the case backlog and subsequent long wait times for court dates are damaging to an already strained asylum system.

When border officials apprehend migrants attempting to cross the border, they typically release them with documentation of their detention and instructions to attend court proceedings in their destination city. “They’re just being released without any idea of what comes next,” said Randy McGrorty, executive director of Catholic Legal Services for the Archdiocese of Miami, a city which has seen a large influx of asylum seekers in recent years.

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Citizens of France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Singapore, and Spain can enjoy visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to an incredible 194 destinations around the world – the highest number recorded since the Henley Passport Index began tracking global travel freedoms 19 years ago. The index is created by London-based global citizenship and residence advisory firm Henley & Partners, using exclusive data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA).

The Asian nations of Japan and Singapore have dominated the No.1 spot for the past five years, but the new top five is a triumphant rise for Europe. Finland and Sweden are tied with South Korea in second place – with easy access to 193 destinations –while Austria, Denmark, Ireland, and the Netherlands come third (with 192 destinations).

Belgium, Luxembourg, Norway, Portugal, and the United Kingdom are at No. 4, while Greece, Malta and Switzerland are at No. 5.

Australia and New Zealand have improved their rankings and are now at No. 6 alongside Czechia and Poland. The United States and Canada, meanwhile, are tied in seventh place, along with Hungary, with visa-free access to 188 destinations.

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