I-539

Application to Extend/Change Nonimmigrant Status

Agency
USCIS
Revision
08/28/24
Fillable fields
159
Pages
7
Official source
USCIS form page
Checked
October 14, 2026
Fill I-539 online
Page 1 of form I-539

Form I-539: Application to Extend/Change Nonimmigrant Status

Form I-539 is the application for staying longer in the United States in your current nonimmigrant status, or switching to a different one. It is also used by F and M students asking for reinstatement, by people in the Northern Mariana Islands asking for an initial grant of status, and by people seeking V status.

What matters most is picking the right form. USCIS warns that filing on the wrong form can lead to rejection or denial, and fees are not refunded if the case is denied. Several statuses cannot use Form I-539 at all, including H-1B, L-1, O-1 and TN principals, whose employers file Form I-129 instead.

You can file the application online with a USCIS account or on paper. You can fill the form online on this page for free and without an account, then print it. Add a separate Form I-539A for each family member you include.

Page 1 of Form I-539, Application to Extend/Change Nonimmigrant Status, with the title area and Part 1

What's on Form I-539

Part 1. Information about you

Full legal name, A-Number, USCIS online account number, mailing and physical addresses, birth details, citizenship, passport, I-94 number, and current nonimmigrant status and expiry.

Part 2. Application type

Whether you want reinstatement, an extension of stay, or a change of status, the new status and effective date, how many people are included, and any school and SEVIS number.

Part 3. Processing information

The date you want the extension to run to, and whether your request depends on a spouse, child or parent's pending or granted extension or change.

Part 4. Additional information about the principal applicant

Current passport, address abroad, whether an immigrant petition or Form I-485 has been filed, and other history questions.

Parts 5 to 7. Signatures

Your contact details and signature, the interpreter's certification, and the preparer's declaration.

Part 8. Additional information

Extra space, with page, part and item numbers.

Form I-539A

A supplement for each co-applicant, signed by that person. A parent or guardian may sign for a child under 14.

How to fill out Form I-539

  1. 1

    Part 1, Item 4: mailing address

    Give a valid U.S. mailing address. A residence, APO, commercial address or P.O. box works. Use In Care Of if someone else receives your mail. If your mailing and physical addresses differ, only the mailing address is used for USCIS letters.

    Form I-539 Part 1 Item 4 with a U.S. mailing address and In Care Of line, sample values
  2. 2

    Part 1, Item 8: citizenship

    Enter the country of citizenship or nationality, which is not always the birth country. Write stateless and explain in Part 8 if you have no citizenship.

    Form I-539 Part 1 Items 7 and 8 with the country of birth and country of citizenship entered, sample value
  3. 3

    Part 1: current status

    Enter your current nonimmigrant status and the date it expires as shown on your Form I-94. USCIS rejects forms missing family name, mailing address, date of birth or current status.

    Form I-539 Part 1 Item 12 with the current nonimmigrant status and the date it expires, sample values
  4. 4

    Part 2, Item 1: pick one box

    Choose reinstatement, extension of stay, or change of status. For a CNMI initial grant, USCIS says to select a change of status.

    Form I-539 Part 2 Item 1 with one of the three boxes checked, extension of stay
  5. 5

    Part 2, Item 2: new status

    For a change of status, enter the status you want and the requested effective date. B-1 applicants state which B-1 category they request.

    Form I-539 Part 2 Item 2 with the requested new status and effective date, sample values
  6. 6

    Part 2, Items 3 and 4: how many people

    Tick whether you are the only applicant or are filing with family, and enter the total including yourself. Fill in a Form I-539A for each co-applicant.

    Form I-539 Part 2 Items 3 and 4 with the number of people and a Form I-539A for each co-applicant
  7. 7

    Part 3: extension date and linked cases

    Give the date you want your stay extended to. If your request depends on a family member's case, give the form type and USCIS receipt number.

    Form I-539 Part 3 with the linked-petition boxes and a USCIS receipt number entered, sample values
  8. 8

    Parts 5 and 6: sign

    Sign and date Part 5. A typed or stamped name does not count. An interpreter and any preparer must complete their parts.

    The applicant's ink signature and date on Form I-539 Part 5, using sample values
  9. 9

    Attach evidence for your category

    The instructions list category by category what to include, such as Form I-94 copies, Form I-20 or DS-2019 for students and exchange visitors, and proof of support.

    Form I-539 Part 1 Item 11 with the last arrival date, I-94 record number and travel document details the evidence must match, sample values

Type or print in black ink. Write N/A where a question does not apply and None for a zero.

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Deadlines, fees and where to send Form I-539

When to file

Before your authorized stay expires. USCIS suggests filing at least 45 days, but generally not more than 6 months, before it expires. Even if a future status is approved, you may need an I-539 to cover any gap.

Late filing

A late request may be excused only if the delay had extraordinary causes beyond your control, was reasonable, you did not otherwise violate status, you are still a bona fide nonimmigrant, and you are not in removal proceedings.

Where to send it

File online with a myUSCIS account or use the Form I-539 Direct Filing Addresses page on uscis.gov. CNMI initial grant requests go to the California Service Center.

Fee

Fees change, so check the USCIS fee schedule page for Form I-539 and Form I-539A before you file.

Edition to use

USCIS says it continues to accept the 08/28/24 edition because of a September 2026 court order, and is not accepting a 09/15/26 edition. Check the edition date on the USCIS form page before you print.

Common mistakes

Filing on the wrong form for your status, filing after the I-94 date, leaving out Form I-539A for a co-applicant, passport that does not cover the full requested stay, and missing signatures.

Related forms

Who needs to fill out Form I-539?

  • Extending or changing status

    Certain nonimmigrants who want to extend their stay or change to another nonimmigrant status. You must have been lawfully admitted, not committed an act that makes you ineligible, and apply before your authorized stay on your Form I-94 expires.

  • Family members as co-applicants

    You can include your spouse and unmarried children under 21 for the same extension or change, but only if you are all in the same status or they are all in derivative status. Each co-applicant needs a separate Form I-539A.

  • Student reinstatement and V status

    F and M nonimmigrants applying for reinstatement, and people seeking V status or an extension as a V nonimmigrant.

  • CNMI residents

    Residents of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands applying for an initial grant of status.

  • Not eligible to use this form

    Do not file for E-1, E-2 or E-3 principals, H-1B, H-1B1, H-2A, H-2B, H-3, L-1, O-1, O-2, P, Q-1, R-1 or TN status. Some statuses, including C, D, K-1, K-2, S, TWOV, WT and WB, cannot extend or change at all.

USCIS lists the groups that use this form.

Official sources and the blank

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Questions about Form I-539

Can I use Form I-539 to extend H-1B status?

No. USCIS lists H-1B, H-2A, H-2B, H-3, L-1, O-1, TN and other categories as ones that cannot use Form I-539. The employer files Form I-129.

How early should I file?

USCIS suggests at least 45 days, but generally not more than 6 months, before your stay expires. You must file before the expiration date.

Do my spouse and children need their own form?

You can include them as co-applicants if the status conditions are met. Each needs a separate Form I-539A, signed by that person.

Which edition of the form is accepted?

USCIS says the 08/28/24 edition is accepted, and a 09/15/26 edition is not being accepted because of a September 2026 court order.

Can I file Form I-539 online?

Yes. USCIS lets you file online with a myUSCIS account or by mail.

Do I need a valid passport?

Your passport must be valid for your entire requested period of stay in the new classification, according to USCIS.