Extend Your Stay
If you want to extend your stay in the United States, you must file a request with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), Application to Extend/Change Nonimmigrant Status before your authorized stay expires. If you remain in the United States longer than authorized, you may be barred from returning and/or you may be removed (deported) from the United States. Check the date in the lower right-hand corner of your Form I-94, Arrival-Departure Record, to determine the date your authorized stay expires. We recommend that you apply to extend your stay at least 45 days before your authorized stay expires. You will want to call us at least 60 days before to give us time to prepare the paperwork. Your extension application must be processed and granted before your current visa expires. It is NOT enough to submit your application prior to the application date. Also, if you delay your filing, you may be forced to pay an expediting fee for 15 day processing, costing you another $1,500.00 in legal and USCIS fees.
You may apply to extend your stay if:
- You were lawfully admitted into the United States with a nonimmigrant visa
- Your nonimmigrant visa status remains valid
- You have not committed any crimes that make you ineligible for a visa
- You have not violated the conditions of your admission
- Your passport is valid and will remain valid for the duration of your stay
You may not apply to extend your stay if you were admitted to the United States in the following categories:
- Visa Waiver Program
- Crew member (D nonimmigrant visa)
- In transit through the United States (C nonimmigrant visa)
- In transit through the United States without a visa (TWOV)
- Fiancé of a U.S. citizen or dependent of a fiancé (K nonimmigrant visa)
- Informant (and accompanying family) on terrorism or organized crime (S nonimmigrant visa)
Contact Information:
Visit our office at
2300 Buffalo Road, Building 100A,
Rochester, NY 14624
(585) 247-9170
Fax: (585) 247-9171
Postal Address:
Tracy Jong Law Firm
2300 Buffalo Road, Building 100A,
Rochester, NY 14624
Direct Contacts:
Tracy Jong:
For inquiries in Mandarin or Bahasa Malaysia, call Cheng-Ning Jong (杨成宁) at (585)615-5240 or e-mail
For inquiries in French (le français) and Thai (ภาษาไทย) , call Heidi Faro at (585)247-9170 or e-mail
For inquiries in Farsi فارسی, call Raha Torabi at (585)247-9170
For inquiries in Japanese, call William Sturnick at (585)247-9170
To speak to a paralegal, call (585)247-9170 or e-mail