Are you an F-1 student studying at a Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP)-certified school that closes its campus for winter break?

Typically, the time you spend off-campus during your school’s winter break usually will not count as your annual vacation. This is because for many F-1 students, annual vacation is taken during the summer and lasts about as long as a semester or term of your school year.

 However, you must still maintain your student status while your SEVP certified school is closed during winter break. This means, for example, that you can work off campus during the break only if you have work authorization. To make sure that you remain compliant with SEVP rules and regulations, talk to your designated school official (DSO) before leaving campus for the winter break.

If you are traveling abroad during winter break, your DSO will be able to verify that you are in Active status and help you with any questions about the proper documentation that you will need to return to the United States.

If you have an issue-specific question about your status, contact the SEVP Response Center by sending an email to sevp@ice.dhs.gov.