Visa requirements for the USA

Applying for visas is often seen as complicated, but our trained counsellors are experts in guiding you through the application process.

The visa you need will depend on the type of study you want to do in the United States.

The US Government offers three different student visa types:

• F Student Visa: used to study at an accredited US college or university or to study English at an English language institute
• J Exchange Visa: for participation in an exchange program, including high school and university study
• M Student Visa: for non-academic or vocational study or training in the US

 

You must first apply and be accepted by a US institution that is certified by the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP). Once accepted, you will receive a Form I-20 from the institution's international student office, which is a paper record of your information in the database called the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS).

You will need the following documentation for your visa application:

• A valid passport that is valid for at least six months beyond your period of stay in the US (unless exempt by country specific agreements)
• Acceptance at a SEVP approved school and your Form I-20
• Application fee payment for the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System
• Non-immigrant visa application and the Form DS-160 confirmation page
• One or two photographs in the requested format.

 

Additional documentation may also be required:

• Academic preparation documents such as transcripts, diplomas, degrees or certificates.
• Evidence that you have sufficient funds to maintain your living expenses throughout the period of your stay in the US. This may include: bank statements, a financial undertaking by a sponsor to cover your accommodation and living costs or a scholarship program. 
• Evidence that you will leave the US once you have completed your course of study. This is usually in the form of an air ticket out of the US to your home country.

You may also have to appear for a personal interview at the US embassy or consulate.

You can find out more about each type of visa on the US Government’s Department of State website.

When you arrive in the US, you must:

• Not enter the US more than 30 days before your study program begins
• Contact your designated school official when you first enter the US
• Contact your designated school official again, no later than the program start date listed on your Form I-20 
• Make sure your visa remains valid

 

Once you get your visa, there are a number of things you need to do to ensure it remains valid, including:

• Fulfilling the purpose for why the Department of State issued the visa
• Following the regulations associated with that purpose.

 

While studying in the US, you will need to observe the following rules:

• You must attend and pass all of your classes. If you are finding your studies too difficult, you should speak with your designated school official (DSO) immediately.
• If you think you will be unable to complete your program by the end date listed on your Form I-20, you must talk to your DSO about requesting a possible program extension
• You must take a full course of study each term. If you cannot study full-time, contact your DSO immediately.
• You cannot drop below a full course of study without consulting with your DSO.

How IDP can help

IDP offers a array of services designed to take the stress and confusion out of the process of applying for a student visa. Speak to your IDP counsellor today.