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Title 8 — Aliens and NationalityRelease 119-73

§1258 Change of nonimmigrant classification

Title 8 › Chapter CHAPTER 12— - IMMIGRATION AND NATIONALITY › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER II— - IMMIGRATION › Part Part V— - Adjustment and Change of Status › § 1258

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Secretary of Homeland Security can allow a person who was lawfully admitted to the United States on a temporary (nonimmigrant) visa and who is still keeping that status to switch from one nonimmigrant classification to another. The person cannot be barred under section 1182(a)(9)(B)(i) unless that bar was waived under section 1182(a)(9)(B)(v). Some groups generally cannot make that switch: people in classifications C, D, K, or S; J visitors who came for graduate medical training; other J visitors who must meet the two‑year foreign residence rule in section 1182(e) and have not had it waived (unless they apply to change to A or G); and people admitted as visitors without a visa under sections 1182(l) or 1187. Those limits do not stop a change to T or U status.

Full Legal Text

Title 8, §1258

Aliens and Nationality — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)The Secretary of Homeland Security may, under such conditions as he may prescribe, authorize a change from any nonimmigrant classification to any other nonimmigrant classification in the case of any alien lawfully admitted to the United States as a nonimmigrant who is continuing to maintain that status and who is not inadmissible under section 1182(a)(9)(B)(i) of this title (or whose inadmissibility under such section is waived under section 1182(a)(9)(B)(v) of this title), except (subject to subsection (b)) in the case of—
(1)an alien classified as a nonimmigrant under subparagraph (C), (D), (K), or (S) of section 1101(a)(15) of this title,
(2)an alien classified as a nonimmigrant under subparagraph (J) of section 1101(a)(15) of this title who came to the United States or acquired such classification in order to receive graduate medical education or training,
(3)an alien (other than an alien described in paragraph (2)) classified as a nonimmigrant under subparagraph (J) of section 1101(a)(15) of this title who is subject to the two-year foreign residence requirement of section 1182(e) of this title and has not received a waiver thereof, unless such alien applies to have the alien’s classification changed from classification under subparagraph (J) of section 1101(a)(15) of this title to a classification under subparagraph (A) or (G) of such section, and
(4)an alien admitted as a nonimmigrant visitor without a visa under section 1182(l) of this title or section 1187 of this title.
(b)The exceptions specified in paragraphs (1) through (4) of subsection (a) shall not apply to a change of nonimmigrant classification to that of a nonimmigrant under subparagraph (T) or (U) of section 1101(a)(15) of this title.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2006—Pub. L. 109–162 designated existing provisions as subsec. (a), substituted “Secretary of Homeland Security” for “Attorney General”, inserted “(subject to subsection (b))” after “except” in introductory provisions, and added subsec. (b). 1996—Pub. L. 104–208, § 301(b)(2), in introductory provisions, inserted “and who is not inadmissible under section 1182(a)(9)(B)(i) of this title (or whose inadmissibility under such section is waived under section 1182(a)(9)(B)(v) of this title)” after “maintain that status”. Par. (1). Pub. L. 104–208, § 671(a)(2), made technical amendment to directory language of Pub. L. 103–322, § 130003(b)(3). See 1994 Amendment note below. 1994—Par. (1). Pub. L. 103–322, § 130003(b)(3), as amended by Pub. L. 104–208, § 671(a)(2), substituted “(K), or (S)” for “or (K)”. 1986—Par. (4). Pub. L. 99–603 added par. (4). 1981—Pub. L. 97–116 permitted certain exchange visitors who are not subject to a requirement of returning to their home countries for two years, or who have had such requirement waived, to adjust to a visitor or diplomat status, prohibited the adjustment of nonimmigrant status by fiancee or fiance nonimmigrants, and specifically precluded the change of status with respect to doctors who have entered the United States as exchange visitors for graduate medical training, even if they have received a waiver of the two-year foreign residence requirement. 1961—Pub. L. 87–256 inserted references to paragraph (15)(J) of section 1101(a) of this title in two places.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 1996 AmendmentAmendment by section 301(b)(2) of Pub. L. 104–208 effective, with certain transitional provisions, on the first day of the first month beginning more than 180 days after Sept. 30, 1996, see section 309 of Pub. L. 104–208, set out as a note under section 1101 of this title. Amendment by section 671(a)(2) of Pub. L. 104–208 effective as if included in the enactment of the Violent Crime Control and Law

Enforcement

Act of 1994, Pub. L. 103–322, see section 671(a)(7) of Pub. L. 104–208, set out as a note under section 1101 of this title.

Effective Date

of 1981 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 97–116 effective Dec. 29, 1981, see section 21(a) of Pub. L. 97–116, set out as a note under section 1101 of this title. Abolition of Immigration and Naturalization Service and

Transfer of Functions

For abolition of Immigration and Naturalization Service,

Transfer of Functions

, and treatment of related references, see note set out under section 1551 of this title.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

8 U.S.C. § 1258

Title 8 — Aliens and Nationality

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73