Life Acts & Amendments

The M-1 visa offers a great opportunity for foreign nationals to gain new and strengthen existing technical, non-academic skills. The M-1 visa is offered to students who wish to pursue full-time study at a USCIS approved vocational or non-academic school in the U.S. M-1 visa vocational programs are meant to provide international students educational and vocational skills that will benefit them upon return to their home country.

M-1 students may also obtain work authorization in the U.S. after they have completed their vocational program(s). Spouses and unmarried children under age 21 may accompany or join the M-1 student to the U.S. in M-2 dependent status. However, spouses and children are not permitted to work. Children are permitted to attend school (kindergarten to 12th grade). Spouses may take recreational and a vocational courses but not full-course studies.