Student Visa for
USA
The U.S.A. issues different types of visas to temporary visitors,
including students. As a full-time student, you would receive an F-1
or M-1 visa. Most students fall under the F1 category. The temporary
visas are also known as non-immigrant visas.
The spouse and children would receive F-2 or M-2 visas.
The "F" visa is for academic studies, and the "M" visa is for
nonacademic or vocational studies.
Procedure
1) Get your passport made. Follow this link for
detailed information regarding how to obtain your passport.
2) Once an academic institute has accepted you
for admission to full-time study, they will send you a document
known as the I-20 form, which is extremely necessary for the
application for a student visa. This form I-20 contains information
about how much financial responsibility you will need, what is going
to be the duration of your studies, etc.
3) You may need to show the proof of financial
support if you or your parents are going to fund your studies in
USA. A bank letter may be necessary. You might want to find out from
your embassy about the types of documents they may accept regarding
the proof of financial support.
Get an "Affidavit of Support" form from the U.S. Embassy or
Consulate if the studies are going to be sponsored by your relatives
or others who are currently in USA. Complete this form with
information about your sources of financing (letter of sposorship),
and submit it along with your other documents. The embassy may
require a letter from the bank that holds the funds.
4) Obtain all the necessary documents mentioned
on this page. Now, you are ready to go to the U.S. Consulate for a
visa interview. If your visa is rejected twice, you may need to
apply by mail.
Documents required for obtaining the visa
A nonrefundable application fee (You should find out the exact
amount before going to the consulate and carry exact change if
possible).
An application Form OF-156, completed and signed. Blank forms are
available without charge at all U.S. consular offices.
A passport valid for travel to the United States
One photograph 1 and 1/2 inches square (37x37mm) for each applicant,
showing full face, without head covering, against a light
background; and
For the "F" applicant, a Form I-20A-B. For the "M" applicant, a Form
I-20M-N.
[These forms are sent by the institutions where you have applied and
upon acceptance they send you these forms.]
Sponsorship letters
Student visa applicants must establish to the satisfaction of the
consular officer that they have binding ties to a residence in a
foreign country which they have no intention of abandoning, and that
they will depart the United States when they have completed their
studies.
Maintaing Visa Status After Arrival
If a student on a F-1 visa is not able to complete their studies
by the expiration date on the I-20 form, they must apply to the
school's Foreign Student Advisor for an extension 30 days before
expiration. Extensions are normally granted for academic and medical
reasons so long as there have been no violations of visa status.
It is possible to transfer schools after arrival on an F-1 visa.
You will need to notify your current school of the transfer and
obtain an I-20 form from the new school. You will complete the
student certification section of the I-20 and must deliver it to the
foreign student advisor at the new school within 15 days of
beginning attendance at the new school.
If you are changing majors at your current school, you do not
need to notify the INS. If you are changing degree programs (e.g.,
from a bachelors degree to a masters degree program), however, you
will need to get a new I-20 and submit it to the foreign student
advisor within 15 days of beginning the new program.
More Details are Coming soon.
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