How Do I Get A Student Visa To US

Hundreds of thousands of students apply for student visas to come to the U.S. from around the world. Recent changes in visa issuance policies and procedures have made it more difficult to get a visa in a timely manner. Students should apply for their visa as soon as the necessary documents are obtained. In some countries, getting an appointment for the visa interview itself may take more than a month, so students should always plan ahead and leave themselves more time than they think they need.

The U.S. government implemented many changes in various procedures after September 11 to make sure that both U.S. citizens and visitors were safe. Two new measures allow the U.S. government to know that the students are following its education program. Registration after arrival in the U.S. is the starting point for the student tracking system. Students should always contact their chosen university's international officer with any questions about obtaining a visa. After a student is granted admission to a university, he or she will receive an I-20A-B form that denotes that the student is admitted and eligible to apply for a visa.

The immigration laws of the U.S. permit foreign students to come to the U.S. to attend school at many academic levels. U.S. universities can get authorization and documentation from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) at http://uscis.gov to allow students to obtain an F-1 non-immigrant student visa classification in their home country. This document is called the I-20 form. Upon receiving the I-20, a student may file an F-1 student visa at the U.S. consulate in his or her home country.

There are two types of non-immigrant student visas: the F-1 visa and the J-1 visa. The student should make sure which visa he or she will be entitled to before applying for one. Dependents are allowed to accompany students, and may be granted F-2 or J-2 visa classification. A foreign student in the F-1 classification may stay in the U.S. for an extended period of time to complete degrees or continuing education, and may be allowed to work in the U.S. by changing his or her status to a H1B work visa.

Usually the F-1 visa will be issued for the period of study. For example, if the student is joining a Bachelor's program, then he or she may be granted four or five years. If the student is applying for a Master's program, then he or she may be granted three to five years.

Dependents Visa

The F-2 visa is a non-immigrant dependent visa for dependents of F-1 visa holders. A spouse and unmarried, minor children may also apply for a non-immigrant visa to accompany the student. Family members must meet all visa eligibility requirements, including evidence that the student will have sufficient funds for the studies as well as supporting the dependents. They must also present convincing evidence that the dependents will depart the U.S. when the student's program ends. Spouses and children of students may not accept employment at any time, but they are allowed to study in the U.S. using the dependent visas.

The spouse and children may either come with the student or come later to the U.S. in F-2 status. Dependents should go with the student to the U.S. embassy or consulate where they apply for the student F-1 visa. It is also possible to apply later for the F-2 visa based on the F-1 visa status. It is always better to apply together for the F-1 and F-2 visas so that all the documents can be verified at one time. The student must establish his or her relationship with the dependents by showing documents such as birth or marriage certificates. If the student's spouse or children are following to join at a later date, then he or she should provide the U.S. embassy staff with a copy of the USCIS Form I-20 ID (Certificate of Eligibility for Non-immigrant (F-1) Student Status - for Academic and Language Students) and proof of their relationship with the student. The F-2 status will be dependent upon the status as the F-1 academic student. This means that any change in the student's status will affect his or her dependents. If the student loses his or her status, then all of the dependents will also lose their status.

The spouse and minor children of participants in J exchange programs may apply for J-2 visas to accompany the student by presenting a copy of the student's Form DS-2019. They must demonstrate that they will have sufficient financial resources to cover all expenses while in the U.S.

Visa Filing

In order to apply for a student visa, the university must have accepted the application and sent the appropriate documents. For example, the F-1 student visa requires the I-20 form, the J-1 student visa requires the DS-2019 form, and the M-1 student visa requires the I-20M-N form. Students should always double-check the documents that they receive and immediately notify the university if they find an error. Following is a list of items to which students should pay particular attention:

• Check the spelling of names. When applying to the university, always write the name in capital letters to avoid the misinterpretation.
• Check the date of birth. U.S. universities follow the MM/DD/YYYY format.
• Check the program of study and the start of term date. If the student is not able to report on the specified date, then he or she should contact the university and defer the application until the next semester.

Required Documents

• Students may have multiple I-20 forms from multiple universities, but they may only apply for a visa for one university.
• Students must have the original report sheet of all strategic tests taken, such as the GRE, GMAT, or TOEFL.
• Students must have completed the course of study required for entering the program.
• Students must have financial documents to support the proof of sufficient and easily transferable funds to cover the cost of living and tuition fees. It is advisable to show at least twice the amount of one-year expenses as liquid cash, as well as showing the funds in both local currency and U.S. dollars. Financial support can be directly from a student's savings, from parents or a sponsor, or from a loan. If the student gets the support from a sponsor there must be legitimate reason for the support. If full or partial support is from a loan, there must be a justification with a reasonable time frame for repaying the loan. While the government or an employer is a credible sponsor, the university is not. Student funds may not be available until after the student has completed his or her studies.
• Students must have an affidavit of support from parents or a sponsor, guaranteeing support during the entire period of study.
• Most importantly of all, students must have supporting documents that guarantee their intent to leave the U.S. and return to their home country after completing their studies.

Other Requirements

• $100 non-refundable visa application fee
• $77 non-immigrant visa issuance fee
• Completed and signed DS-156 form
• Completed and signed DS-157 form for supplemental non-immigrant visa applications (only for males ages 16-45)
• Completed and signed DS-158 form with contact information and work history
• One front-facing photograph, size 37 mm x 37 mm, and less than six-months-old
• Cover letter explaining any special circumstances that should be considered

Getting the Visa

Every visa official has a list of requirements that he or she looks for in a visa application. If they are met, then the visa will be granted. If not, the application will be rejected. It is how these requirements are met that makes a visa decision seem subjective. For instance, the requirement for a student will return to his or her home country after completing studies forces the student to give logical, thought-out evidence. On the other hand, if a student has nothing substantial to show, then the visa will not be issued.

Presenting proper documents alone does not determine the visa approval or denial. The visa officer knows that documents can be easily forged, so they can judge authenticity in less than a minute due to the large number of papers that they process every day. Therefore, presenting the individual case is the most important part in getting the visa. What the student says and how he or she says it matters a lot. Sometimes it can even make up for inadequate documentation. Success in obtaining a visa depends on both the proper documentation and giving a good presentation during the interview.

Key Factors

• Academic Performance: U.S. universities have high standards and expectations of international students. Therefore, having a good academic record increases a student's chance of obtaining a visa.
• Financial Capabilities: U.S. universities are more expensive than most of the countries in the world. The U.S. government needs assurances that the student will not drop out of school or take a job illegally. I-20 or DS-2019 forms will list the amount for tuition and other expenses. It is the student's responsibility to provide solid evidence for any scholarships, grants, or loans that have been awarded. The student is also required to establish proof of his or her relationship with the sponsor, and to submit documentation of the sponsor's active and passive incomes.
• Strong Ties to Home Country: Under U.S. law, all applicants for non-immigrant visas are viewed as intending immigrants until they can convince the consulate officer that they are not. It is the student's responsibility to justify the visa application and provide convincing evidence that his or her intention is only to study in the U.S. The law states that the student must demonstrate sufficient economic, family, and social ties to his or her home country to ensure that the stay in the U.S will be temporary.

Positive Points for Applications

• The student's proposed education or training would be very useful in the home country.
• The proposed education or research opportunities are not available in the home country.
• The student is going for a highly valuable research-oriented education, such as drug discovery, or next generation technology.
• The student will learn international or U.S. business skills.
• The student will bring cultural or ethnic values and experiences to the U.S.
• The student has well-planned career goals with definite objectives.
• The student has chosen a university that will help him or her to attain those career goals.
• The student gives a good presentation of documents.
• The student gives simple, straight-forward, clear, and concise answers to the visa officer's questions.

Negative Points for Applications

• The proposed education or training would not appear to be very useful in the home country.
• The indented education is already available in the home country.
• The student is not in very good academic standing.
• The student's intention is most likely to get a job and settle in the U.S.
• The student is financially incapable of studying in the U.S.
• The student has a poor presentation of documents.
• Financial support for education is completely based on university funding.

Visit http://travel.state.gov/visa/index.html for more information on all of the details about applying for a visa and ensuring that it is granted.

The Student and Exchange Visitor Information System

The Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services (BCIS) created the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS). SEVIS is an internet-based system that maintains current information on non-immigrant students, exchange visitors, and their dependents. SEVIS will track F and J visa holders from the time they receive their documents until they complete their programs. When fully operational, SEVIS will link with colleges and universities, U.S. embassies and consulates, U.S. ports of entry, the Department of State, and exchange visitor programs.

Effective September 1, 2004, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) requires the collection of a one-time fee of $100 from certain international students and visiting scholars. Students also have the option of paying an additional $30 to have their receipt sent by a courier service rather than by mail. The fee is required to cover operational costs of SEVIS. Students may schedule an interview for a visa before making the SEVIS I-901 fee payment. Spouses and minor children of students and exchange visitors (F-2, M-2 or J-2 non-immigrants) do not have to pay the SEVIS I-901 fee. However, if the spouse or a minor child wishes to change status to F-1, M-1, or J-1, he or she must pay the SEVIS I-901 fee before filing a change of status application.

Visit http://www.ice.gov/graphics/sevis/i901/faq.htm for more information about the SEVIS I-901 form, or visit http://www.fmjfee.com to fill out the form itself.

The Top 10 Interview Questions

• Why do you want to go to the U.S.? This is the most common question put to international students. Short explanations of the proposed education or research opportunities that are not available in the student's home country will convince the visa officer.
• Why this university? Specific academic advantages or possible research facilities should be a student's primary reason for choosing the university. Students might have participated in research projects, so making notes about past experiences, or knowing a specific professor at the university will be advantageous to students going to the interview.
• How did you find this university? Students can answer this question very easily. The Internet is the primary source for finding and doing more research on each and every university.
• How many universities have you applied to? Most students try for three to five universities. Receiving a higher number of acceptances or rejections will not impact the decision about the student's visa.
• Who is your sponsor? Parents or family funds primarily support international students. Students are required to provide their sponsor details with sufficient proof of financial capabilities for the sponsors. Sometimes, education loans and companies provide the financial support.
• What is your father's occupation? If parents are the primary sponsors, many consulate officers try to find out the family background and their financial capabilities. Students are required to provide honest answers since the visa officers handle thousands of cases and are able to judge very easily whether or not a student is telling the truth.
• Why this program? Students should give a brief summary of their past academic experience and future career goals.
• How much is your or your sponsor's annual income? This question is also designed to understand students' financial situation.
• What are your post-graduate goals? Students should state what they intend to do after they graduate.
• What are the reasons to come back after your studies? Economic, family, and social ties are reasons for students to return to their home country after they graduate.