- Form I-20A-B, Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant
(F-1) Student Status. For Academic and Language Students or
Form I-20M-N, Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant
(M-1) Student Status for Vocational Students. You will need
to submit a SEVIS generated Form, I-20, which was provided
to you by your school.You and your school official must sign
the I-20 form. All students, as well as their spouses and
dependents must be registered in the Student and Exchange
Visitor Information System (SEVIS), an Internet-based system
that maintains accurate and current information on
non-immigrant students and exchange visitors and their
dependents (F/M-2 visa holders). Your school is responsible
for entering your information for the I-20 student visa form
into SEVIS. Students will also have to pay an SEVIS I-901
fee for each program of study. Questions regarding your
exchange program should be directly to your program sponsor;
- A completed application, Nonimmigrant Visa Applicant,Form
DS-156, together with a Form DS-158. Both forms must be
completed and signed. Some applicants will also be required
to complete and sign Form DS-157. A separate form is needed
for children, even if they are included in a parent's
passport. The DS-156 must be the March 2006 date, electronic
"e-form application." Select Nonimmigrant Visa Application
Form DS-156 to access the electronic version of the form
DS-156.
- An interview at the embassy consular section is required
for almost all visa applicants. The waiting time for an
interview appointment for applicants can vary, so early visa
application is strongly encouraged. During the visa
interview, an ink-free, digital fingerprint scan will be
quickly taken, as well as a digital photo. Some applicants
will need additional screening, and will be notified when
they apply.
- A passport valid for travel to the United States and with
a validity date at least six months beyond the applicant's
intended period of stay in the United States (unless
country-specific agreements provide exemptions). If more
than one person is included in the passport, each person
desiring a visa must complete an application.
- One (1) 2x2 photograph. See the required photo format
explained in nonimmigrant photograph requirements;
- A MRV fee receipt to show payment of the visa application
fee, a visa issuance fee if applicable and a separate SEVIS
I-901 fee receipt. While all F-visa applicants must pay the
MRV fee, including dependents, only the F-1 principal
applicants must pay the SEVIS fee.
- Students who are authorized for Optional Practical
Training (OPT) must have an I-20 endorsed for OPT, and
provide a USCIS-issued Employment Authorization Document (EAD).
All applicants should be prepared to provide:
- Transcripts and diplomas from previous institutions
attended;
- scores from standardized tests required by the educational
institution such as the TOEFL, SAT, GRE, GMAT, etc.;
- financial evidence that shows you or your parents who are
sponsoring you have sufficient funds to cover your tuition
and living expenses during the period of your intended
study. For example, if you or your sponsor is a salaried
employee, please bring income tax documents and original
bank books and/or statements. If you or your sponsor own a
business, please bring business registration, licenses,
etc., and tax documents, as well as original bank books
and/or statements.
Applicants with dependents must also provide:
- Proof of the student’s relationship to his/her spouse
and/or children (e.g., marriage and birth certificates.);
- it is preferred that families apply for F-1 and F-2 visas
at the same time, but if the spouse and children must apply
separately at a later time, they should bring a copy of the
student visa holder’s passport and visa, along with all
other required documents.
Additional Information
- No assurances regarding the issuance of visas can be given
in advance. Therefore final travel plans or the purchase of
non refundable tickets should not be made until a visa has
been issued.
- Unless previously canceled, a visa is valid until its
expiration date. Therefore, if the traveler has a valid U.S.
visa in an expired passport, do not remove the visa page
from the expired passport. You may use it along with a new
valid passport for travel and admission to the United
States.
Time required to issue visa:
Advance travel planning and early visa application are
important, since visa applications are subject to a greater
degree of scrutiny than in the past. If you plan to apply
for a nonimmigrant visa to come to the United States, we
know you ’d like to estimate how long you will have to wait
to get an interview appointment to apply for a visa.
It is important to thoroughly review all information
provided by your Embassy's Consular Section for local
procedures and instructions, such as how to make an
interview appointment. Your Consulate will also explain any
additional procedures for students, exchange visitors and
those persons who need an earlier visa interview
appointment.
You'll also want to know how long it will take for your
nonimmigrant visa to be processed at the Consular Section,
after a decision is made by a Consular Officer to issue the
visa, and the visa is available for pick-up by you or the
courier at the embassy. Some visa applications require
additional special clearances or administrative processing,
which requires some additional time. Most special clearances
are resolved within 30 days of application. Applicants are
advised when they apply. When additional special clearances
or administrative processing is required, the timing will
vary based on individual circumstances of each case.
When Do I Need to Apply for My Student Visa?
- Students are encouraged to apply for their visa early to
provide ample time for visa processing. Students may apply
for their visa as soon as they are prepared to do so.
- The consular officer may need to get special clearances
depending on the course of study and nationality of the
student. This can take some additional time.
- Students should note that Embassies and Consulates are
able to issue your student visa 120 days or less, in advance
of the course of study registration date. If you apply for
your visa more than 120 days prior to your start date or
registration date as provided on the Form I-20, the Embassy
or Consulate will hold your application until it is able to
issue the visa. Consular officials will use that extra time
to accomplish any of the necessary special clearances or
other processes that may be required.
- Students are advised of the Department of Homeland
Security regulation which requires that all initial or
beginning students enter the U.S. 30 days or less in advance
of the course of study start/report date as shown on the
Form I-20. Please consider this date carefully when making
travel plans to the U.S.
- A beginning student who wants an earlier entry into the
U.S. (more than 30 days prior to the course start date),
must qualify for, and obtain a visitor visa. A prospective
student notation will be shown on his/her visitor visa and
the traveler will need to make the intent to study clear to
the U.S. immigration inspector at port of entry. Before
beginning any studies, he or she must obtain a change of
classification, filing Form I-539, Application for Change of
Nonimmigrant Status, and also submit the required Form I-20
to the Department of Homeland Security office where the
application is made. Please be aware that there is an
additional fee of $140 for this process, and that one may
not begin studies until the change of classification is
approved.
- Continuing students may apply for a new visa at any time,
as long as they have been maintaining student status and
their SEVIS records are current. Continuing students may
also enter the U.S. at any time before their classes start.
How do I apply?
Recently, the U.S. has updated its visa policies to increase
security for our citizens and visitors. It will likely take
you longer to get a visa than it used to, and you will find
that a few new security measures have been put into place.
For details that may apply specifically to your country,
contact your nearest US Embassy or consulate.
What is the cost of a visa?
Most non-diplomatic and non-official visas issued by United
States consular officers abroad require a visa "application"
(machine-readable visa - MRV) fee that recovers for the
United States the costs associated with manufacturing,
processing, and printing the visa. The current visa
"application" fee is $131.00. Most visa applicants
(visitors, students, temporary workers, etc.) are charged
this $131.00 visa "application" fee
How long is the visa valid for?
10 years. Some visas are valid for multiple entries.
The length of stay in the USA is determined by US
immigration officials at the time of entry, but is generally
6 months.
For extensions and further information, apply to the US
Immigration & Naturalisation Service
When you enter the United States on a student visa, you will
usually be admitted for the duration of your student status.
That means you may stay as long as you are a full time
student, even if the F-1 visa in your passport expires while
you are in America. For a student who has completed the
course of studies shown on the I-20, and any authorized
practical training, the student is allowed the following
additional time in the U.S. before departure:
- F-1 student - An additional 60 days, to prepare for
departure from the U.S. or to transfer to another school.
- M-1 student - An additional 30 days to depart the U.S.
(Fixed time period, in total not to exceed one year). The 30
days to prepare for departure is permitted as long as the
student maintained a full course of study and maintained
status. An M student may receive extensions up to three
years for the total program.
As an example regarding duration of status, if you have a
visa that is valid for five years that will expire on
January 1, 2001, and you are admitted into the U.S. for the
duration of your studies (often abbreviated in your passport
or on your I-94 card as "D/S"), you may stay in the U.S. as
long as you are a full time student. Even if January 1, 2001
passes and your visa expires while in America, you will
still be in legal student status. However, if you depart the
U.S. with an expired visa, you will need to obtain a new one
before being able to return to America and resume your
studies. A student visa cannot be renewed or re-issued in
the United States; it must be done at an Embassy or
Consulate abroad.
What Items Do Returning Students Need?
All applicants applying for renewals must submit:
- A passport valid for at least six months;
- an application Form DS-156, together with a Form DS-158.
Both forms must be completed and signed. Some applicants
will also be required to complete and sign Form DS-157.
Blank forms are available without charge at all U.S.
consular offices.
- a receipt for visa processing fee. A receipt showing
payment of the visa application fee for each applicant,
including each child listed in a parent’s passport who is
also applying for a U.S. visa, is needed;
- a new I-20 or an I-20 that has been endorsed on the back
by a school official within the past 12 months.
All applicants applying for renewals should be prepared to
submit:
- A certified copy of your grades from the school in which
you are enrolled;
- financial documents from you or your sponsor, showing your
ability to cover the cost of your schooling.
Students Away from Classes More Than Five Months
Students in or outside the U.S., who have been away from
classes for more than five months, will likely need a new
visa to enter the U.S.
Can I work in USA?
Under an F-1 student visa, work is generally not permitted
Embassy contact information:
Please contact the nearest United States embassy for
information on what documentation you may require to enter
the USA.
Disclaimer: The contents of these pages are provided as an
information guide only, in good faith. The use of this
website is at the viewer/user's sole risk. While every
effort is made in presenting up-to-date and accurate
information, no responsibility or liability is accepted by
the owners to this website for any errors, omissions,
outdated or misleading information on these pages or any
site to which these pages connect or are linked.
Source & Copyright: The source of the above visa and
immigration information and copyright owner/s is the:
- The U.S. Department of State - URL: www.travel.state.gov
- Embassy of the United States, London, UK - URL:
www.usembassy.org.uk
The viewer/user of this web page should use the above
information as a guideline only, and should always contact
the above sources or the user's own government
representatives for the most up-to-date information at that
moment in time, before making a final decision to travel to
that country or destination.
