Transferring SEVIS Records Between US Schools as a Canadian Student

What a SEVIS transfer actually moves

Your SEVIS record, not your I-20 alone, is what a transfer moves between schools. Your current school's DSO holds control of that record while you are enrolled. A transfer hands control to your new school's DSO at an agreed point, called the release date, and your new school then issues you a fresh Form I-20 under the same SEVIS ID.

Step 1: get accepted at the new school

Apply to your new US school and secure an admission offer before you start the transfer process. Your new school's international student office needs your SEVIS ID number and basic program details to prepare your transfer paperwork, so have your current I-20 on hand when you reach out to them.

Step 2: request the transfer from your current DSO

Tell your current DSO you plan to transfer and to which school. Your current DSO records the transfer-out in SEVIS and sets the release date. Do this before you leave your current school, since a DSO cannot process a transfer for a record that has already gone silent.

The release date, and why timing matters

Under 8 CFR 214.2 , the release date is your current semester or session completion date, or an earlier date if you are leaving before the term ends. Until that date passes, your current school keeps SEVIS access to your record. After it passes, your new school's DSO gains full access and responsibility for your record.

Ask your current DSO to set a release date that lines up with when you actually plan to stop attending, not a date chosen arbitrarily. A mismatched release date can create a gap where neither school has clear responsibility for your record.

Step 3: your new school issues a new I-20

Once the release date passes and your new DSO has access, they issue you a new Form I-20 for your program at the new school. Sign this new I-20 as soon as you receive it, and carry it with you going forward. Your previous school's I-20 no longer represents your active status once the transfer completes.

The 5-month rule

You are not permitted to remain in the United States after transferring unless you begin classes at your new school within 5 months of your transfer-out date. Plan your transfer around your new school's term start dates so this window does not become tight, especially if your old and new schools run on different academic calendars.

Staying in status during the gap

Between your release date and your first day at the new school, you are still in the United States on F-1 status tied to your new SEVIS record, provided you start classes inside the five-month window. Keep your new I-20, your passport, and your admission record together during this period, and confirm your enrollment start date with your new DSO before you consider the transfer finished.