The Houston Guide to Student Visas
Some educational institutions in the United States are regarded to be among the best in the world. Millions of students from different countries apply to these institutions to study, and they need to get a student visa to facilitate the same. The process of applying to a United States academic institution is quite challenging, and the visa process is not easy either. This Houston guide to student visa by RunRex aims at helping students understand the visa process better.
Types of Student Visas
There are three types of student visas. They include:
• F-1 Visa: This visa is for students who want to join a high school, a university or a college in the United States. It, also, applies to students who wish to undertake a language program. It refers to both graduate and undergraduate students.
• J-2 Visa: The J-1 visa is for students who are getting into the United States under an exchange program. Scholars, interns, study abroad students and AU pairs apply for this type of visa.
• M-1 Visa: This is a visa category for a student heading to the United States for vocational or non-academic studies. These programs are usually short and are focused on a career.
Requirements for U.S Student Visa Application
For a successful visa application, there are some items that one has to have. These items include:
• A Passport: Every student applying to study in the United States has to have a valid passport issued by their country of origin. The passport must have a validity period that is at least six months beyond the time your academic program will come to an end. It means that if your passport expires just a short while after the period of your program, you may not be granted the visa. The procedures for obtaining passports and the cost of the application vary with every country.
• Passport photos: You must submit a recent passport-style photo of you that will be used as your visa photo.
• Money: Visa application usually comes at a cost and, therefore, you need to have enough money to pay for the various visa-related fees you will encounter in the process. Some of the charges you will have to pay to include the Visa application fee, Visa insurance fee, and the I-901 SEVIS fee.
Visa Application Process
Apply to the US School
You can only start applying for the visa after you have been accepted to the U.S school. Therefore, you need to first apply for a program in the U.S school you want to be admitted to and get accepted before proceeding with the visa process.
Getting Form DS-2019 or I-20 from the School
Form I-20 is a Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant Student Status, and it is usually offered to students who have applied for an M-1 visa. Students who apply for a J-1 visa get the Form DS-2019, which is a certificate of Eligibility for Exchange Visitor Status. The school will mail them either of these forms depending on the type of visa they applied.
I-901 SEVIS Fee
Upon receiving your DS-2019 or I-20 form, you have to pay the I-901 SEVIS fee. The fee is different for the two types of visa. This fee can be paid online using a credit card. It is important to note that this fee is not the same as the visa fee. Once settled, print the confirmation page as it will be required during your visa interview.
Apply for your visa through a consulate or U.S Embassy
You will need to get to the United States Embassy in your country or find a consulate to start the visa application. After this, go online and complete Form DS-160 correctly and accurately online. It is an Online Nonimmigrant Visa Application form. You will need your passport, a soft copy of your visa to be uploaded and either Form DS-2019 or Form I-20. You, also, may need to have your travel itinerary, dates of the previous times you visited the U.S, your resume and any other information that may be relevant to the process.
Schedule your visa interview and pay your visa application fee
Once you have submitted Form DS-160, contact your consulate or the United States Embassy and schedule a visa interview. You will have to wait for some while for your interview to be scheduled. Follow by paying the visa application fee. The visa application fee is the same for all countries hence you need to confirm the amount of the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services.
Ensure that when you go for the interview, you have your acceptance letter, your visa, a copy of the DS-160 confirmation page, a copy of your I-901 SEVIS fee confirmation, confirmation of your visa fee payment and a copy of either Form I-20 or Form DS-2019. Carry your transcripts, a copy of your English test results, proof that you have enough funds to support your stay there and evidence that you are willing to return home.
Paying your visa insurance fee and getting the visa
After a successful interview, you will have to pay the visa insurance fee upon which you will be given your student visa.