THE INTERNATIONAL STUDENT

VISAS.

Visa Interview Questions?

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT VISAS.  

There are new strict rules for international students applying for American student visas and for international students already in American universities and colleges. The Immigration and Naturalization Service 'INS'  now requires all schools to report personal information on all its international students using the Student Exchange Visitor Information System 'SEVIS'. This system goes into effect January 30, 2003.

All international students will have information about their address, funding, and registration status reported to the INS using the SEVIS system.

New Students

The fact that a university or college has accepted you for study does not automatically give you entry into the United States. You still must first obtain a student visa. 

When an educational institution accepts you, it issues an I-20 form to you which is essential to acquiring a student visa. 

With this I-20, you can apply for a visa at a United States embassy or consulate in your country or the INS in the United States. A visa has two dates on it: the date of issue and the expiration date. You may use the visa any time between these two dates. 

Students should be aware that a visa does not guarantee entry into the United States. The INS has authority to deny admission.

What Schools To Apply To

You must apply to study at an INS-approved school in the United States. When you contact a school that you are interested in, the school will tell you if it accepts international students. Not every school accepts International students.

KINDS OF VISAS.

You must obtain a passport in your country for admission into the United States. You must also obtain a student visa. A Student visa applicant should have successfully completed a course of study normally required for university enrollment. The type of academic program you want to pursue in the United States will determine the type of visa you will need.

The major visa classifications are: the F-1 non immigrant student visa, the J-1 non immigrant Exchange Visitor visa, the M-1 non immigrant vocational studies visa, the B-2 Prospective Student visa, the B-2 Study Incidental to visit visa.

The F-1 visa is for students pursuing academic or language studies and is granted to most foreign students who have been accepted into an academic institution in the United States. 

To obtain an F-1 visa from a U.S. consular officer, you must have a form I-20A-B, Certificate of Eligibility for Non immigrant (F-1) Student Status from your U.S. college or university.

You must also have a passport valid for at least six months into the future and show that you enough have financial resources to cover the cost of tuition and living while you study in the United States.

A bank statement or other proof showing that you have sufficient funds to meet at least your first year expenses at college, and/or an affidavit from a relative or other individual who is supporting you financially, or a letter from a government or private agency that is providing funds to support you. 

You will also show that you will maintain a residence outside the U.S. to which you intend to return upon completion of your study. You must review these requirements before applying for an F-1 visa to avoid being denied a visa.

The J-1 visa is issued to students entering the U.S. on an international exchange program. It authorizes a non immigrant to live in the U.S. temporarily for the specific purpose of educational and cultural exchange. 

The exchange must take place in conjunction with full time studies at an accredited college or university in either a degree or nondegree program. If the U.S. school requires a J-1 visa, it will send you a Form IAP- 66, Certificate of Eligibility for Exchange Visitor (J-1) Status, rather than a Form I-20A-B. 

You must take the Form IAP-66, together with required financial documentation to the U.S. consulate in your country to apply for a J-1 visa. 

To qualify for a J-1 visa you will show that you possess a properly completed Form IAP-66.

You must also show that you have a passport valid for at least six months into the future, that you have the financial means to cover the cost of tuition and living while you study in the U.S., that you will maintain a residence outside of the United States to which you intend to return upon completion of your study.

The J-1 student's activities are coordinated by the U.S. Information Agency (USIA) through  an exchange visitor sponsor. Some Exchange Visitor Program sponsors are: the Fulbright scholar, the U.S. Information Agency (USIA), the U.S. Department of State, International agencies and organizations, nonprofit associations and foundations.

The J visa category has a major disadvantage for some students:

If the program is funded in whole or in part by the student's government or the U.S. government, the student may be subject to a requirement that he or she return to his or her home country for two years before being permitted to return permanently to the United States or to return temporarily to work in the H or L nonimmigrant categories.

The M-1 visa authorizes a student to live in the U.S. temporarily for the specific purpose of full time studies at a vocational institution. 

To qualify for an M-1 visa you will show:  

that you have a passport valid for at least six months into the future, that you possess a properly completed I-20 M/N eligibility form, that you intend to pursue a full course of study at the school that issued the I-20, that you have the financial means to cover the cost of tuition and living expenses while you study in the U.S. and that you will maintain a residence outside the United States to which you intend to return upon completion of your study.

Computer schools and pilot schools are two examples of the types of vocational institutions M-1 students can attend. 

The authorized stay in the United States with an M-1 visa is generally limited to one year.

An M-1 student cannot change status while in the United States. If you are thinking about academic studies after the completion of a vocational program of study, your only alternative is to leave the United States and then reenter with an F-1 student visa.

The B-2 visa is usually valid for a ninety day stay in the U.S. as a non immigrant. Before the end of this period, you are expected to apply to the INS to change your status to that of an F-1 student. 

The B-2 visa is intended for students who wish to engage in a program of study of short duration for which an I-20 is not required, or if you wish to come to the United States before the beginning of school to visit relatives or improve your English, or may need to take an examination or schedule an interview at a school as part of the admissions process.

To qualify for a B-2 Prospective Student visa or B-2 Study Incidental to Visit you will need to show:

That you have a passport valid for at least six months into the future, that you are in possession of documentation demonstrating your admission or consideration for admission from a school, that you will maintain a residence outside of the United States to which you intend to return upon completion of your study, that you have the financial means to cover the cost of tuition and living while you study in the United States. 

If your application is successful, you will be issued a B-2 visa that also includes a Prospective Student notation or Study Incidental to Visit; I-20 not required. Embassies and consulates do not issue B-2 Prospective Students visas as easily as F-1 visas and require more documentation explaining why the visa applicant is not seeking an F-1 visa. You should be prepared to say why you are not seeking an F-1 visa directly.

If you are already in the United States either as a tourist (B-2 status) or for business reasons (B-1 status), and decide to enroll in a university,  you can no longer make the application to INS to change your tourist status into student status. You must depart the United States and apply for a student visa at the U.S. embassy in your country or place of permanent residence.

The changes in the INS student visa policy come in an effort to alleviate concern over the possibility of terrorists extending their stay in the United States by changing their visa status to that of a student. 

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