What Are the Requirements for an F-1 Student Visa?

Foreign individuals who wish to attend school in the United States can do so through a student visa. The F-1 student visa has various requirements and allows people to complete a degree or educational training in the U.S. If you wish to study in the United States contact a temporary visa immigration lawyer in New York City for legal advice.

What is a Student Visa?

The F-1 student visa allows individuals to legally enter and remain in the country as a full-time student at an accredited university, college, seminary, high school, elementary school, or conservatory. This non-immigrant visa is one of the most popular ways that students choose to study in the United States.

What Are the Requirements for an F-1 Student Visa?

While the F-1 student visa is desirable, certain criteria must be met before an individual can be considered eligible. The requirements are as follows.

• You must be enrolled in an academic educational program, language training program, or vocational program
• Your school must be approved by the Student and Exchange Visitors Program (SEVP)
• You must be enrolled as a full-time student
• You must be proficient in English or be enrolled in courses leading toward proficiency
• You must have sufficient funds available to support yourself during the course of your study
• You must maintain a residence abroad
• You must live outside of the United States when you apply

If you meet all of the above requirements you may be eligible to study in the United States through the F-1 visa.

How Do I Apply for a Student Visa?

The application process can be lengthy and time-consuming. The following are the standard steps required to apply for your visa.

1. The first step is to apply to the SEVP school of your choosing. You must receive admission documents from the approved institution as well as Form I-20, the Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant Student Status.
2. Apply for the F-1 student visa online through Form DS-160.
3. Pay the associated application fee.
4. Pay the SEVIS (Student and Exchange Visitor Information System) fee.
5. Schedule your mandatory interview appointment. You will then receive an interview appointment letter.
6. Prepare your file with all required documents.
7. Attend the student visa interview. The questions will largely center around your desire to attend school in the United States and your studies. The interviewer will likely try to get a sense of whether or not you intend to return to your home country after your visa is up.

After the interview, you will find out if you were approved or not. You may be approved for the entirety of the program you applied for but you may have only received a visa for a portion of the time. In this case, you must apply to extend your visa later on.

Reach out to an experienced immigration lawyer for more information and specialized assistance.