Tourist & Student Visa Plan : ​Student F1 Visa

Student visa F1

The F1 Student visa would be your choice for entering the United States to pursue an academic course of study (rather than a vocational course of training). With the F1 visa, you can be a full-time student at an accredited college, university, seminary, conservatory, academic high school, elementary school or other academic institution, or else in an English language training program. Your chosen academic institution should have been approved by the US government to accept international students and your course of study must result in a degree, diploma or certificate.

In 2019, a total of 362,896 F1 Student visas were issued. There are currently 1,169,464 students in the United States on student visas, including F1

How is the F1 Student visa different from the J1 visa?

It is common for applicants to get confused between the F1 and the J1 visas, which sound superficially alike. The J1 visa is awarded to anyone who will be studying or working temporarily in the United States under the Exchange Visitor Program, which has 15 application categories, some of which are exclusively for foreign students who wish to study in the United States. This makes the F1 Student visa sound similar to the J1 visa. However, there are significant differences which can help you determine which of these two visas is better suited to your purposes.

An important question to help you decide this is: Who will be paying for your education? To be eligible for F1 status, your funding needs to come mainly from personal sources (such as your family or your own savings), outside sources or a combination of the two. The J1 visa, however, requires that a substantive portion of your funding is from an outside source such as a university or the government.

Another difference relates to off-campus work, where both F1 and J1 seem superficially similar because both allow part-time off-campus during the period of study. However, an F1 student may work full-time off-campus during a recess period. A J1 student would need the explicit permission of his or her Alternate Responsible Officer to work full-time during recess.

Yet another difference is that the F1 visa student has the additional choice of participating in Optional Practical Training (OPT) for up to 12 months. In this period, they may take part in an off-site program that is directly related to their study area. The working hours are the same as for employment, that is, part-time during session and full-time during recess.

How is the F1 Student visa different from the M1 visa?

Another popular student visa that has similarities with the F1 is called the M1 visa. Many applicants get confused between these two visas. The table below explains the key differences between the F1 and the M1 Student visas.

Who is eligible for a F1 Student visa?

You can apply for an F1 Student visa if —

— You have been accepted in an academic educational program or an English language-training program.

— The school that has accepted you is on the list of academic institutions approved by the Student and Exchange Visitors Program (SEVP) for accepting international students.

— You are enrolled as a full-time student at this institution.

— You are proficient in English or have enrolled in courses leading to English proficiency.

— You can demonstrate that you have sufficient funding for supporting yourself during the entire duration of your proposed course of study.

— You have a residence abroad and plan to return to it upon completing your US education.

How long can you stay in the US with an F1 Student visa​?

As an F1 visa student, you will be expected to complete your studies within the date provided on the I-20 form (Certificate of Eligibility for Non-immigrant Student Status) that you will receive from the academic institution that you were enrolled in. You may remain in the US up to 60 days beyond completion of your studies, unless you have been approved to stay and work for a period for Optional Practical Training (described below).

Can a student with an F1 visa work in the US​?

Yes, you may accept on-campus work subject to terms and conditions, but the F1 visa does not permit you to accept any work off-campus during your first academic year. From your second year, you are permitted to engage in three types of off-campus employment:

Curricular Practical Training (CPT) authorizes you, as an international student, to work in a paid internship position either full time (over 20 hours weekly) or part time (less than 20 hours weekly) while gaining work experience in their area of interest.

Optional Practical Training (OPT), which you can apply for while you are studying (pre-completion) or after graduating (post-completion), authorizes you to take up temporary employment for up to 12 months in a field that is directly related to your main study subject.

STEM OPT is relevant to you if your degree was in an area of science, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM). In this case, you may apply for a 24-month extension of your post-completion OPT.

How do you apply for a F1 Student visa?

1. Get admission into an SEVP-recognized academic institution. The first step in applying for the F1 visa is obvious — get admission into a school or college.  The institution you select, and which accepts you must, however, be approved by the Student Exchange and Visitor Program (SEVP). Fortunately, the list is long and it is highly unlikely that you will pick a school or college not included in the 390-page SEVP-approved list

2. Enrol yourself in the SEVIS database. Once an SEVP-approved academic institution has accepted you, they will enter your particulars in the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS).

3. Receive your I-20 form. Once your details has been entered in the SEVIS database, your school will provide you with a Form I-20, also known as the Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant Student Status. This form will include your SEVIS ID, your school’s address and other details about your study program. You will need the I-20 form at your visa interview.

4. Pay the I-901 SEVIS fee. As an F1 student, you will be asked to pay $350. You can pay online by credit card at https://fmjfee.com, unless your country of citizenship or birth is Cameroon, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria or Gambia. In these cases, you must pay by money order, Western Union Quick Pay or a certified check drawn on a US bank. You will be asked to show proof of this payment when you go for the visa interview, so print out your payment confirmation page.

5. Find your nearest US Embassy or Consulate. You can find the address online or by checking the global list of US Embassies and Consulates. Make a note of the address. You will need it in the next step.

6. Apply for a Non-Immigrant Visa online through form DS-160: You can apply online for a Non-Immigrant Visa, called Form DS-160. To do this efficiently and successfully, keep the following at hand before going online —

– Your passport

– A visa photograph (to upload). Make sure the photograph conforms to US Immigration photo specifications

– Form I-20 which you received from the academic institution that accepted you

In addition, you may need to supply:

– A travel itinerary

– The dates of your last five visits to the US (if applicable) and/or evidence of your international travel history within the past five years

– A resume or CV

– The US Embassy or Consulate where you will apply for an interview

– Additional information depending on your purpose for travel

More information about filling out the DS-160 form is available online. Remember to print out the DS-160 application confirmation page after completing the form. You will need it at the interview.

7. Schedule your visa interview. Contact the US Embassy or Consulate nearest to you, preferably the one you named on the DS-160 form, and schedule your interview. Since different embassies have different waiting periods, check at the embassy’s website to find out how long you’ll have to wait.8.

8. Pay the visa application fee: In some countries, this fee is payable at the time of your interview, and in others it must be paid in advance. If the latter, be sure to print out the receipt for your payment and carry it with you to the interview. The fee is $160, irrespective of which country you are applying from.

9. Go for the visa interview. This final step is the most crucial and will determine whether you get the F1 visa. Keep in mind that one of the most common reasons for visa denial is incomplete, inaccurate, or fraudulent paperwork. If you’ve carried out all the previous steps diligently, this final step will be that much smoother.

What documents are required for a F1 visa interview?

The following is a minimum list of documents that you must have when you apply for a F1 visa —

• Passport with validity for at least six months beyond your intended period of stay
• Photograph. Some embassies may require a copy, especially if you were unable to upload an appropriate one while applying. A complete description of the format requirements is here.
• DS-160 confirmation page
• I-901 SEVIS fee confirmation page
• DS-160 visa application fee receipt: Required only if the fee was paid prior to your interview)
• Form I-20: Carry the original form, not a copy

Additional forms and documentation that you may be asked to provide include —

• Official transcripts from colleges and universities you’ve attended
• Diplomas/degrees from schools, colleges and universities you’ve attended
• Standardized test scores (if required by your US school)
• Proof of sufficient funds
• Proof of your intent to depart the US at the end of your program

This is not a comprehensive list. Supporting document requirements may vary from country to country and the interviewing officer may at his discretion call for additional papers.

Tips for a successful visa interview

Some commonsense tips for creating a good impression at your visa interview include —

– Wear a business suit or dress.

– Be specific and concise in your replies.

– Carry bank statements, proof of income and a bank officer’s confirmation of your average balance over the last few years.

– Provide details of your study plans

– Be calm, be polite, be professional

— Answer truthfully

You will be asked a range of questions at the visa interview. Most of them will focus on your reasons for selecting a particular school, college or university, or a particular subject. You may be asked what you plan to do after completing your studies.

Be sure to state clearly that you do not intend to remain in the US once you complete your program.

Certain online resources offer extensive lists of questions to expect at the F1 visa interview and strategies for responding to them.

How much does a F1 Student visa cost?

There can be up to three costs for getting a F1 Student visa —

DS-160 Non-Immigrant Visa Application processing fee: This is currently US$ 160 but may be subject to change. Check with the local US Embassy or Consulate for up-to-date fees.

SEVIS registration fee: This is $350 for F1 visa students. It must be paid to the academic institution that has accepted you and entered your details in the SEVIS database before issuing you your I-20 form.

Visa Issuance fee: In some countries, an additional Visa Issuance fee may be charged when the visa is issued. Check with the local US Embassy or Consulate for up-to-date fees.

Need more help?

If you still feel that you would like to have professional help in making your application or would like to consult a lawyer who specializes in immigration and visa matters, click here to see some of your options, including how to access our exclusive list of professional immigration lawyers.

If you have questions or would like clarifications, please send us an email and we’ll do our best to get back to you within 24 hours with an answer.

A non-immigrant student who had not been previously enrolled in a program of study in the USA as of March 9, 2020 and whose selected course of study will be conducted completely online will not be granted an F1 visa. If a nonimmigrant student had been enrolled in a course of study in the USA on March 9, 2020 but subsequently left the country, that student remains eligible for an F1 visa since the March 2020 guidance permitted a full online course of study from inside or outside the United States. The March 2020 guidance applies to nonimmigrant students who were actively enrolled at a U.S. school on March 9, 2020, and otherwise complying with the terms of their nonimmigrant status.