United States
US immigration form guides
Plain-language guides to the most common forms international students and immigrants encounter in the United States. Each guide explains who files the form, what it is for, the key sections, common mistakes, and where to get help. Forms change—always download the current edition and fee from USCIS or the Department of State before you file.
These pages are educational form explainers. For F-1 / CPT / OPT / STEM OPT procedure, use the US student visas library, where core spokes are reviewed under the named California immigration-attorney pathway (Denise Platter Cabrera, CA Bar #298948) or clearly labeled editorial-only.
Browse by form family
Start with the family that matches your stage, then open the individual form guide.
Student work authorization
I-765 and I-983 drive OPT and STEM OPT. Pair these form guides with the attorney-reviewed student-visas procedure library.
- Form I-765 — Application for Employment Authorization
What Form I-765 is, who files it, and how the employment-authorization process works. Covers OPT, STEM OPT, and renewal.
- Form I-983 — Training Plan for STEM OPT Students
What Form I-983 is, who files it, and how the STEM OPT training plan works. Covers employer requirements and student obligations.
Status and entry documents
I-20, DS-160, and I-94 establish status at entry and during the program. Mistakes here cascade into SEVIS and consular problems.
- Form I-20 — Certificate of Eligibility for F-1 Student Status
What Form I-20 is, who issues it, and how it governs F-1 student status, program extensions, and travel.
- Form DS-160 — Online Nonimmigrant Visa Application
What Form DS-160 is, who files it, and how the online nonimmigrant visa application works. Covers the interview process and common mistakes.
- Form I-94 — Arrival/Departure Record
What Form I-94 is, how it records your admission to the US, and why the admission date and status matter for your immigration record.
Status change / extension
I-539 covers extensions and changes of nonimmigrant status when your category or end date no longer fits.
- Form I-539 — Application to Extend/Change Nonimmigrant Status
What Form I-539 is, who files it, and how to extend or change nonimmigrant status in the US. Covers B-1, B-2, F-1, and J-1 extensions.
Family, work, and citizenship (adjacent)
Students often meet these forms later—relative petitions, adjustment, affidavits of support, H-1B petitions, and naturalization.
- Form I-130 — Petition for Alien Relative
What Form I-130 is, who files it, and how the family-based immigration petition works. Covers qualifying relationships and common mistakes.
- Form I-485 — Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status
What Form I-485 is, who files it, and how to adjust status to lawful permanent resident from inside the United States.
- Form I-864 — Affidavit of Support
What Form I-864 is, who must file it, and how the financial sponsorship requirement works for family-based immigration.
- Form I-129 — Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker
What Form I-129 is, who files it, and how the employer-filed nonimmigrant worker petition works. Covers H-1B, L-1, and O-1 categories.
- Form N-400 — Application for Naturalization
What Form N-400 is, who qualifies, and how the US citizenship naturalization process works. Covers residence, physical presence, and civics requirements.
- Form DS-2019 — Certificate of Eligibility for Exchange Visitor (J-1) Status
What Form DS-2019 is, who issues it, and how the J-1 exchange visitor program works. Covers sponsor requirements and student obligations.
All form guides
Form I-765
Application for Employment Authorization
What Form I-765 is, who files it, and how the employment-authorization process works. Covers OPT, STEM OPT, and renewal.
Form I-539
Application to Extend/Change Nonimmigrant Status
What Form I-539 is, who files it, and how to extend or change nonimmigrant status in the US. Covers B-1, B-2, F-1, and J-1 extensions.
Form I-20
Certificate of Eligibility for F-1 Student Status
What Form I-20 is, who issues it, and how it governs F-1 student status, program extensions, and travel.
Form DS-160
Online Nonimmigrant Visa Application
What Form DS-160 is, who files it, and how the online nonimmigrant visa application works. Covers the interview process and common mistakes.
Form I-94
Arrival/Departure Record
What Form I-94 is, how it records your admission to the US, and why the admission date and status matter for your immigration record.
Form I-983
Training Plan for STEM OPT Students
What Form I-983 is, who files it, and how the STEM OPT training plan works. Covers employer requirements and student obligations.
Form I-130
Petition for Alien Relative
What Form I-130 is, who files it, and how the family-based immigration petition works. Covers qualifying relationships and common mistakes.
Form I-485
Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status
What Form I-485 is, who files it, and how to adjust status to lawful permanent resident from inside the United States.
Form I-864
Affidavit of Support
What Form I-864 is, who must file it, and how the financial sponsorship requirement works for family-based immigration.
Form I-129
Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker
What Form I-129 is, who files it, and how the employer-filed nonimmigrant worker petition works. Covers H-1B, L-1, and O-1 categories.
Form N-400
Application for Naturalization
What Form N-400 is, who qualifies, and how the US citizenship naturalization process works. Covers residence, physical presence, and civics requirements.
Form DS-2019
Certificate of Eligibility for Exchange Visitor (J-1) Status
What Form DS-2019 is, who issues it, and how the J-1 exchange visitor program works. Covers sponsor requirements and student obligations.
Official sources
Always download the current form edition and fee schedule from USCIS or the Department of State before filing. MyCaseworks form pages are not a substitute for the form instructions or a licensed attorney engagement.
- USCIS — Form I-765 (Application for Employment Authorization)
- Study in the States — Form I-20
- US Department of State — DS-160 Online Nonimmigrant Visa Application
- USCIS — STEM OPT extension guidance and Form I-983 requirements
- USCIS — Students and exchange visitors
- Study in the States (SEVP / ICE)
- USCIS fee schedule
Procedural deep-dives
Forms sit inside a larger status story. Use these owners when you need more than a field-by-field explainer.
- US student visas hub
F-1, CPT, OPT, and STEM OPT procedural guides that use these forms.
- OPT & STEM OPT complete guide
How I-765 and I-983 fit the post-completion work path.
- I-765 OPT common mistakes
Category codes, timing, and evidence that trigger rejections.
- F-1 document checklist 2026
Evidence pack around I-20, DS-160, and the consular interview.
- STEM OPT self-employment and startup
When Form I-983 and E-Verify rules constrain founder roles.
- SEVIS termination and reinstatement
What happens when status records break after form mistakes.
Need a document review?
If you already completed a form and want a risk check before filing, start with services & pricing or the annotated templates library. Marketplace gigs are separate from these educational form guides.