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USA Visa Information
Most non-U.S. citizens
who wish to study in the United States will seek an F-1
(non-immigrant) student visa, but there are other visa types
that are sometimes authorized for those who study in the U.S.
Here is a short description of the different visa types that
involve study:
F-1, or Student
Visa. This visa is the most common for those who wish to
engage in academic studies in the United States. It is for
people who want to study at an accredited U.S. college or
university or to study English at a university or intensive
English language institute.
Know More
J-1, or Exchange
Visitor. This visa is for people who will be participating
in an exchange visitor program in the U.S. The "J" visa is for
educational and cultural exchange programs.
Know more
M-1, or Student
Visa. This visa is for those who will be engaged in
non-academic or vocational study or training at an institution
in the U.S.
Know More
Applying for a Student or Exchange Visitor Visa
In order to apply for a visa at a U.S. embassy or consulate, you
must first have a SEVIS (Student and Exchange Visitor
Information System)-generated document (either an I-20 or
DS-2019) issued by a U.S. college or university or Department of
State-designated sponsor organization. You will be required to
submit this form when you apply for a visa. The U.S. academic
institution or program sponsor will provide you with the
appropriate SEVIS-generated form only when you have been
academically admitted to the institution or accepted as a
participant in an exchange program. The institution or program
sponsor will also send you additional information about applying
for the appropriate visa, as well as other guidance about
beginning your academic program in the United States. (For more
information about SEVIS, see below.)
Once you have all the
documentation that is required, you may apply for the visa, even
if you do not intend to begin your program of study for several
months. It is best to apply early for the visa to make sure that
there is sufficient time for visa processing.
More Information About the Visa Application Process in Your
Country
Most of the procedures and requirements for applying for the
various types of student visas, as well as for the Exchange
Visitor visa are described at the following websites.
http://travel.state.gov/visa/temp/types/types_1268.html
http://travel.state.gov/visa/temp/types/types_1267.html
Some procedures vary from country to country, for example, how
to pay the visa application processing fee and how to make an
appointment for an interview. For details on applying for a
Student or Exchange Visitor visa in the country in which you are
located, please visit the
U.S. Embassy or
Consulate
SEVIS
The Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS),
administered by the Bureau of Immigration and Customs
Enforcement (ICE) within the Department of Homeland Security
(DHS), is an Internet-based system that maintains data on
foreign students and exchange visitors before and during their
stay in the United States. For more information about the SEVIS
program,
visit the ICE
In order to enroll
students from other nations, U.S. colleges and universities must
be approved by the School Certification Branch of the Student
and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP). Most U.S. institutions of
higher education have received this approval. If you wish to
confirm that the institution that you are interested in
attending has been approved to admit international students,
please view the list of approved schools on the ICE website.
Planning Ahead for the Visa Process
One of the most important things you can do to ensure that you
will be able to arrive in time for the start of your educational
program in the United States is to plan well in advance, not
only for the academic portion of your U.S. program, but also for
the visa process. This means you will need to request and
receive the appropriate visa-qualifying document (either an I-20
or DS-2019) from the U.S. institution or program sponsor well in
advance of your planned departure to the United States. You will
also need to make an appointment for your visa interview. Please
consult the
U.S. Embassy or Consulate nearest you to find out
how long it may take to get an appointment.
Applying for a Visa
Among the things you’ll need to do is pay the SEVIS fee
(information about paying the fee -– and confirming that your
payment has been received -- is available at
http://www.ice.gov/graphics/sevis/i901/index.htm
), pay the
visa processing fee (the procedure will differ from one U.S.
Embassy/Consulate to another, so visit the website of the U.S.
Embassy in the country where you are located), and make an
appointment for the visa interview (again, procedures will
differ, so visit the website of the U.S. Embassy). You should
also make sure you have all the documentation you will need when
you go for the interview, including the visa-qualifying document
(I-20 or DS-2019), financial support documents, proof of payment
of the SEVIS and visa fees, and a completed visa application
form. Ensure that you complete the visa application correctly by
following the Department of State website procedures carefully.
Key Information about Visas and Entering the United States
There are two additional bits of information that are useful to
know. The first is that the U.S. Embassy/Consulate cannot issue
a visa more than 90 days before the actual start of the program
in the United States. However, visa applicants are encouraged to
apply for their visa as soon as they are prepared to do so.
Thus, if the college or university to which you have been
admitted states on the I-20 or DS-2019 that the program will
start on August 1, a visa cannot be issued before May 1. Second,
even if you have been issued a visa to enter the United States,
you will not be allowed to enter the country more than 30 days
before the start of your program, if you are an initial entry
student. Returning students do not have this requirement. Using
the earlier example, if the program of study starts on August 1,
you will not be permitted to enter the United States until July
1 or later.
Immigration Related information
U.S. immigration law governs the entry of all visitors to the
United States, including students and exchange visitors. It
details what they are authorized to do during their stay in the
country. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is the agency
responsible for ensuring that these visitors comply with U.S.
law and regulations. When you arrive in the United States, you,
too, will come under the authority of the Department of Homeland
Security, and one of the three units within DHS responsible for
non-U.S. citizens: the Bureau of Customs and Border Protection;
the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement; and the U.S.
Citizenship and Immigration Services Bureau.
when you arrive in the
U.S., you will receive a Form I-94 (Arrival-Departure Record).
Please safeguard this form; it contains the official record of
your stay in the United States. For more information about
arriving in the U.S., see, "Arriving at a U.S. Port of Entry ---
What a Student can Expect," or, "Arriving at a U.S. Port of
Entry --- What an Exchange Visitor can Expect," on the
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) website.
To obtain answers to
questions you may have regarding your stay in the United States
(for example, travel outside the United States, employment, and
much more) visit the U.S.
Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) website. After
you arrive in the U.S., you may wish to direct your questions to
the office at your educational institution that is responsible
for services to international students. This office should be
able to provide you with the answers you need or refer you to a
person or office that can.
What to Do When You Arrive at the College or University in the
U.S.
Once you arrive on campus, you should report immediately to the
office that is responsible for assisting international students
and scholars. It may be called the Office of International
Services, the Office of International Education, the
International Programs Office, or some other similar name.
Whatever the name, however, that office can help you with any
questions or concerns you may have about immigration rules and
regulations. Moreover, that office must report your arrival
within the SEVIS system. If this report is not submitted, you
may be considered to be in violation of your status in the
United States, so be sure to make the international student
office one of your first stops on campus.
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