U.S. · Immigration · Visa symbols
F1 visa symbol meaning.
Type a visa symbol to read its class and the section of law that 22 CFR 41.12 gives for it.
The F1 visa symbol means Student in an Academic or Language Training Program. Table 1 of 22 CFR 41.12 ties it to INA 101(a)(15)(F)(i).
Visa symbol
Result
What F1 means in 22 CFR 41.12
Section 41.12 of Title 22 of the Code of Federal Regulations is titled “Classification symbols”. It opens: “A nonimmigrant visa issued to an applicant within one of the classes described in this section shall bear an appropriate visa symbol to show its classification. The symbol shall be inserted in the space provided on the visa.” Table 1 to that section then lists each symbol with its class and the section of law. The row for F1 is:
| Symbol | Class | Section of law |
|---|---|---|
| F1 | Student in an Academic or Language Training Program | INA 101(a)(15)(F)(i). |
The statute behind the symbol
The “section of law” column points to the Immigration and Nationality Act as codified at 8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(15), the definition of “immigrant”, which lists the classes of nonimmigrant aliens by letter. The definition begins: “The term “immigrant” means every alien except an alien who is within one of the following classes of nonimmigrant aliens”. F1 is in the group below.
Clause (i) of subparagraph (F), the one the F1 row cites, reads:
“an alien having a residence in a foreign country which he has no intention of abandoning, who is a bona fide student qualified to pursue a full course of study and who seeks to enter the United States temporarily and solely for the purpose of pursuing such a course of study consistent with section 1184(l) of this title at an established college, university, seminary, conservatory, academic high school, elementary school, or other academic institution or in an accredited language training program in the United States, particularly designated by him and approved by the Attorney General after consultation with the Secretary of Education, which institution or place of study shall have agreed to report to the Attorney General the termination of attendance of each nonimmigrant student, and if any such institution of learning or place of study fails to make reports promptly the approval shall be withdrawn,”
Source: 8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(15), INA 101(a)(15)(F)(i)
Reading the F1 row against its neighbours
| Symbol | Class | Section of law |
|---|---|---|
| F1 | Student in an Academic or Language Training Program | INA 101(a)(15)(F)(i). |
| F2 | Spouse or Child of F1 | INA 101(a)(15)(F)(ii). |
| F3 | Canadian or Mexican National Commuter Student in an Academic or Language Training Program | INA 101(a)(15)(F)(iii). |
The table has three F rows. F1 is “Student in an Academic or Language Training Program” and cites INA 101(a)(15)(F)(i). F2 is “Spouse or Child of F1” and cites clause (ii). F3 is “Canadian or Mexican National Commuter Student in an Academic or Language Training Program” and cites clause (iii).
Clause (i) is long, and it contains several conditions in a single sentence: a residence in a foreign country the person has no intention of abandoning, a bona fide student qualified to pursue a full course of study, entry temporarily and solely to pursue that course, and a school that is “particularly designated by him and approved by the Attorney General after consultation with the Secretary of Education”. The statute also says the school must have agreed to report the termination of attendance of each nonimmigrant student. The table’s class name, “Academic or Language Training Program”, is the regulation’s short form of the list of institutions in that clause.
Whether a particular school is approved, and what an application or status involves, are outside the table. This page only decodes the symbol.
What this page does not tell you
A visa symbol is a label. Table 1 says what each class is called and where the classification comes from in law. It says nothing about who qualifies, what evidence is needed, how long anyone may stay, whether work is allowed or what an application costs. Those answers sit in other regulations and in agency guidance and they change, so use the lookup above to read the label and then take the question to the State Department’s visa pages (travel.state.gov, which blocked automated reading on November 2, 2026, so we have not cited its contents) or a licensed immigration attorney.
For other codes seen on immigration paperwork, see the EAD category code lookup, which covers a different code set, and the I-94 number format checker.
Sources
Sources opened and read November 2, 2026.
- eCFR: 22 CFR 41.12 Classification symbols, Table 1 (current text; last amended 2023-09-12 per the eCFR version history) (read November 2, 2026)
- eCFR renderer API, the same section as machine-readable text (read November 2, 2026)
- Cornell Legal Information Institute: 8 U.S.C. 1101, definitions, subsection (a)(15) (read November 2, 2026)
Frequently asked questions
What does the F1 visa symbol mean?
In Table 1 to 22 CFR 41.12 the F1 symbol is the class “Student in an Academic or Language Training Program”, with the section of law INA 101(a)(15)(F)(i).
Which section of law does F1 cite?
The table cites INA 101(a)(15)(F)(i).
Where is the symbol printed?
The regulation says a nonimmigrant visa shall bear an appropriate visa symbol to show its classification and that the symbol shall be inserted in the space provided on the visa.
What is the difference between F1 and M1?
Table 1 lists M1 separately, as Vocational Student or Other Nonacademic Student, citing INA 101(a)(15)(M)(i). F1 is Student in an Academic or Language Training Program, citing (F)(i).
What are F2 and F3?
In Table 1, F2 is Spouse or Child of F1 and F3 is Canadian or Mexican National Commuter Student in an Academic or Language Training Program.
Does this page tell me whether I qualify for F1?
No. The table only names the class and the section of law. Eligibility and the application process are decided by the government agencies, so check the State Department visa pages or ask a licensed immigration attorney.
Where can I read the official table?
It is Table 1 to 22 CFR 41.12 in the Electronic Code of Federal Regulations at https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-22/chapter-I/subchapter-E/part-41/subpart-B/section-41.12. We read it on November 2, 2026; the eCFR version history shows the section was last amended on 2023-09-12.
Not legal advice
This page is general information drawn from the sources listed. It is not legal advice, it does not say whether you qualify for any visa class, and it is not run by any government agency. Immigration rules change and the agencies decide each case, so confirm with the State Department or a licensed immigration attorney before you rely on it. Everything runs in your browser; nothing you enter is sent anywhere.