F-2 visa support: keep your family together while you study.
Planning your family's F-2 from the start, or ready to study on your own F-1? We organize the school side and our partner attorneys guide the legal side.
Academic consulting, not legal advice. Immigration legal work is done by our partner law firm.
F-2 in plain words.
F-2 is the dependent visa for the spouse and unmarried children under 21 of an F-1 student. Your family's status depends on yours: if the F-1 student stays in status, the family can too.
What F-2 allows (and what it doesn't)
- F-2 dependents can't work in the U.S.
- F-2 children can attend elementary, middle and high school.
- F-2 spouses can take recreational or part-time classes, but not a full degree program on F-2.
- Want to study full time? A change from F-2 to F-1 may be an option. That's where we help most.
How we help
- Families planning from Brazil
- We include F-2 dependents in your F-1 plan and I-20 process from the start.
- F-2 spouses who want to study
- We find a school and handle enrollment for your own F-1, and our partner attorneys handle the change of status.
- Children close to 21
- F-2 status ends at 21. See our aging-out support.
Can my spouse work on F-2?
No. F-2 dependents are not allowed to work in the U.S.
Can my spouse study on F-2?
Only recreational or avocational classes, and some part-time study. For a full degree, they'll need their own F-1.
Can F-2 change to F-1?
In many cases, yes, through a change of status or by applying from abroad. Our partner attorneys will say which route fits.
Do my children need F-2 visas?
If they come with you and are under 21 and unmarried, F-2 is usually the path. Your attorney confirms.
What happens if the F-1 student falls out of status?
The family's F-2 status is affected too. Talk to us and to an attorney right away.
Related guides
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Academic consulting, not legal advice. Immigration legal work is done by our partner law firm.
