If you are or plan to become an F-1 student at Tufts University, you can seek F-2 status for your legal spouse and/or unmarried dependent children under 21. You must be in valid F-1 status in order for your dependents to qualify for F-2 status.
Dependents may obtain F-2 status and come to the US at the same time you apply for your F-1 visa and enter the US as an F-1 student. Or they may join you at a later time, after you have already obtained and arrived in the US as an F-1 student.
To obtain F-2 status for your dependents, you must first request separate Form I-20 visa certificates for each dependent. Please follow the procedure outlined below.
If your F-2 dependents are applying for visas and/or coming to the US separately from you, they should carry copies of your I-20, passport, F-1 visa, I-901 SEVIS fee payment receipt, and financial documents.
Note: by requesting I-20s for your dependents, you are confirming that you are submitting a request ONLY for your legal spouse and/or unmarried dependent children under the age of 21. The legal relationships and conditions must applicable at the time your dependents apply for their F-2 visas, enter the US, and throughout their stay in the US in F-2 status. The International Center does not require proof of marriage or parentage as a condition of issuing an I-20 to your dependent(s); but you must present such evidence when your F-2 dependents apply for a F-2 visa and enter the US in F-2 status. If at any time you no longer have F-1 status your F-2 dependents also lose status.
F-2 dependents have limited study privileges and are not allowed to work while in the US.