(a) General. Except for those classes enumerated in §248.2 of this part, any alien lawfully admitted to the United States as a nonimmigrant, including an alien who acquired such status in accordance with section 247 of the Act who is continuing to maintain his or her nonimmigrant status, may apply to have his or her nonimmigrant classification changed to any nonimmigrant classification other than that of a spouse or fiance(e), or the child of such alien, under section 101(a)(15)(K) of the Act or as an alien in transit under section 101(a)(15)(C) of the Act. Except where the nonimmigrant classification to which the alien seeks to change is exempted by law or regulation from section 212(a)(4) of the Act or that section has been waived, as a condition for approval of a change of nonimmigrant status, the alien must demonstrate that he or she has not received since obtaining the nonimmigrant status from which he or she seeks to change, public benefits, as described in 8 CFR 212.21(b), for more than 12 months in the aggregate within any 36-month period (such that, for instance, receipt of two benefits in one month counts as two months). DHS will only consider public benefits received on or after October 15, 2019 for petitions or applications postmarked (or, if applicable, submitted electronically) on or after that date. An alien defined by section 101(a)(15)(V) or 101(a)(15)(U) of the Act may be accorded nonimmigrant status in the United States by following the procedures set forth in 8 CFR 214.15(f) and 214.14, respectively.

(b) Decision in change of status proceedings. Where an applicant or petitioner demonstrates eligibility for a requested change of status, it may be granted at the discretion of DHS. There is no appeal from the denial of an application for change of status.

(c) Except in the case of an alien applying to obtain V nonimmigrant status in the United States under §214.15(f) of this chapter, a change of status may not be approved for an alien who failed to maintain the previously accorded status or whose status expired before the application or petition was filed, except that failure to file before the period of previously authorized status expired may be excused in the discretion of USCIS, and without separate application, where it is demonstrated at the time of filing that:

(1) The failure to file a timely application was due to extraordinary circumstances beyond the control of the applicant or petitioner, and USCIS finds the delay commensurate with the circumstances;

(2) The alien has not otherwise violated his or her nonimmigrant status;

(3) The alien remains a bona fide nonimmigrant; and

(4) As a condition for approval, an alien seeking to change nonimmigrant classification must demonstrate that he or she has not received, since obtaining the nonimmigrant status from which he or she seeks to change, one or more public benefits, as defined in 8 CFR 212.21(b), for more than 12 months in the aggregate within any 36-month period (such that, for instance, receipt of two benefits in one month counts as two months). For purposes of this determination, DHS will only consider public benefits received on or after October 15, 2019 for petitions or applications postmarked (or, if applicable, submitted electronically) on or after that date. This provision does not apply where the nonimmigrant classification from which the alien seeks to change or to which the alien seeks to change is exempt from section 212(a)(4) of the Act, or where that section has been waived.

(d) Change of nonimmigrant classification to that of a nonimmigrant student.

(1) Except as provided in paragraph (c)(3) of this section, a nonimmigrant applying for a change of classification as an F-1 or M-1 student is not considered ineligible for such a change solely because the applicant may have started attendance at school before the application was submitted. USCIS will deny an application for a change to classification as an M-1 student if the applicant intends to pursue the course of study solely in order to qualify for a subsequent change of nonimmigrant classification to that of an alien temporary worker under section 101(a)(15)(H) of the Act. Furthermore, an alien may not change from classification as an M-1 student to that of an F-1 student.

(2) [Reserved]

(3) A nonimmigrant who is admitted as, or changes status to, a B-1 or B-2 nonimmigrant on or after April 12, 2002, or who files a request to extend the period of authorized stay as a B-1 or B-2 nonimmigrant on or after such date, may not pursue a course of study at an approved school unless the Service has approved his or her application for change of status to a classification as an F-1 or M-1 student. USCIS will deny the change of status if the B-1 or B-2 nonimmigrant enrolled in a course of study before filing the application for change of status or while the application is pending.

(e) Application for change of nonimmigrant classification from that of a student under section 101(a)(15)(M)(i) to that described in section 101(a)(15)(H). A district director shall deny an application for change of nonimmigrant classification from that of an M-1 student to that of an alien temporary worker under section 101(a)(15)(H) of the Act if the education or training which the student received while an M-1 student enables the student to meet the qualifications for temporary worker classification under section 101(a)(15)(H) of the Act.

(f) Change of nonimmigrant classification to that as described in section 101(a)(15)(N). An application for change to N status shall not be denied on the grounds the applicant is an intending immigrant. Change of status shall be granted for three years not to exceed termination of eligibility under section 101(a)(15)(N) of the Act. Employment authorization pursuant to section 274(A) of the Act may be granted to an alien accorded nonimmigrant status under section 101(a)(15)(N) of the Act. Employment authorization is automatically terminated when the alien changes status or is no longer eligible for classification under section 101(a)(15)(N) of the Act.

[36 FR 9001, May 18, 1971, as amended at 48 FR 14592, Apr. 5, 1983; 52 FR 11621, Apr. 10, 1987; 59 FR 1465, Jan. 11, 1994; 62 FR 10386, Mar. 6, 1997; 66 FR 42595, Aug. 14, 2001; 66 FR 46704, Sept. 7, 2001; 67 FR 18064, Apr. 12, 2002; 72 FR 53041, Sept. 17, 2007; 76 FR 53794, Aug. 29, 2011; 84 FR 41508, Aug. 14, 2019; 84 FR 52363, Oct. 2, 2019]