USA VISA PROCEDURES
USA Visa Requirements:
Students should first apply SEVP-approved schools in the United States. After the SEVP-approved school accepts your enrollment, you will be registered for the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) and must pay the SEVIS I-901 fee $350. The SEVP-approved school will then issue you a Form I-20 form from the university/institution. After an international student is admitted to an institution, the school collects necessary financial and identification documentation, which is entered into SEVIS by an approved institution. SEVIS processes the information to produce the I-20, which is printed and signed by a DSO (designated school officials), then delivered to the incoming student.
After you receive the Form I-20 and register in SEVIS, you may apply at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate for a student (F or M) visa. Students have to fill online DS-160: Online Nonimmigrant Visa Application
You must present the Form I-20 to the consular officer when you attend your visa interview.
If your spouse and/or children intend to live with you in the United States while you study, they must also enroll in SEVIS, obtain individual Form I-20s from the SEVP-approved school, and apply for a visa (but they do not pay the SEVIS fee).
Please Note, Only the US Embassies and USA consulates outside the US have the authority to issue F-1 Visas. No other governing body or agencies can issue F-1 visas. However, extensions in stay or changes in the status of the applicant can be done within the US through legitimate agencies. Further, the spouse and/or children of the F-1 Visa candidates need to get the dependent’s F-2 Visa. The F-2 Visa holders are not permitted to join any form of employment although the children are allowed to attend public schools.
Visa procedure is a difficult process, students should start applying beforehand. As soon as you receive your admit or acceptance letter from the university and the I-20 form (Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant), the student should apply for F-1 Visa, application fees are $160.
The I-20 (You must provide your original Form I-20, not a photocopy or scanned copy) form will act as a supporting document to prove that you have enough funds for your entire stay duration, as there is a limited number of legal employment opportunities. This form will also serve as the medium to schedule an appointment for your interview with the local US Embassy or Consulate.
How much money you’ll need:
For F1 visa, your financial resources must clearly cover a 12 month academic term. student also need to demonstrate that additional years of study will be covered. The US government does’t accept student to show the funds for the full duration of your course.
For F1 visa, students must demonstrate that sources of the funds has a genuine source.
Tuition in the United States can be high, ranging from about $5,000 a year at state schools to $32,000 a year at prestigious private colleges or universities. Graduate and professional schools — even public ones — can be even more expensive.
Estimated living cost in USA is around $10,000- $12,000per year, which averages around $700- $1200 per month. This includes your accommodation costs, room, board, food, travel, books etc.
Student need to show that they have about $15000 in their account for year and their tuition fees, plus any money or sources of the money he will need for his next academic years.
US accept fund from the following sources:
- Personal and family funds, such as copies of bank statements or stock certificate.
- The employment status of family members who will support you.
- assets held by you or your family that can be readily converted to cash, i,e Land.
- scholarships, fellowships, assistant-ship, grants or loans from your school, government or private sources. This has to be listed on the form I-20, that you receive from the school that accepts you. Students must provide independent confirmation of them.
Form DS-160 confirmation page, including the barcode.
One 5 x 5 cm (2” by 2”) color photograph taken within the last six months: If you have successfully uploaded a photograph to the DS-160, you are not required to submit an additional photograph with your application.
Nonimmigrant Visa Instructions: Go to the ‘Print instructions’ section of your Visa Appointment Service account at https://ais.usvisa-info.com/en-GB/niv/users/sign_in to print the entire instructions page, including the bar codes.
Your passport or valid travel document
Form I-20: Students must provide your original Form I-20, not a photocopy or scanned copy. Please check to make sure that the biographical details on your Form I-20 are correct. If there any mistakes, contact your Designated School Office as soon as possible before you apply for the visa.
Form DS-2019 if you are applying for a J visa
SEVIS fee receipt: F-1, M-1 and J-1 visa applicants are required to pay a Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) fee. You must pay through the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) website at least 3 days before your visa interview. For detailed information about the fee, including how much it will be and how to pay, go to ICE’s SEVIS website www.fmjfee.com. If you have questions about the SEVIS fee or your SEVIS status after checking the ‘Help’ section of that website, contact ICE directly using the email address provided on their webpage.
Previously issued U.S. visa(s), if applicable
If you have ever been arrested, convicted and/or cautioned you are required to declare it
If you have ever been denied entry into the United States, deported, or removed from the country
Bank Statements including the amount stated in I- 20.
Tax return for last three years.
Academic certificates including TOFEL, SAT etc.
Note for USA F1 visa: For admissions to Universities in USA, the Financial Proofs (liquid funds) are requested at the time of confirmation of admission by the universities. It is only when the proofs are provided that the I-20s are issued by the university. Also, as mentioned, there is no minimum requirement but the University would provide a basic cost which the student would have to provide proof of capacity for.
To know more in details please visit the US embassy website and the page of student visa.