US Study Visa

First things first, to study in the US, you must first apply for it, and that too in a SEVP-approved school in the United States. SEVP (Student and Exchange Visitor Program) is a part of the National Security Investigations Division that assists the government with information about immigrants visiting the US for study purposes. The SEVP uses the SEVIS (Student and Exchange Visitor Information System) to track and monitor schools, investigate non-immigrants, and let them be a part of the US education system.

Once you get acceptance from a SEVP-approved institution, you will get a Form I-20 from their DSO (Designated School Official). This form is a crucial document with multiple uses:

• It allows you to pay the I-901 Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) fee which is demanded in the later part of the process.
• It allows you to enter the United States. A US Customs and Border Protection officer will ask you to present your Form I-20 at the entry. Remember, to not pack it in the suitcase.
• In case you are already in the United States, Form I-20 will allow you to change your status from F or M.
• The Form I-20 is basically a Certificate of Eligibility for Non-Immigrant Student Status and it allows students to leverage other benefits of being an F or M student like when applying for a driver’s license or getting a social security number.

The DS-160 Form is an Online Non-Immigrant Visa Application for temporary travel to the United States. It is submitted directly to the Department of State via the Internet. Consular officers make use of the information filled in the DS-160 form to process the visa application and verify the applicant’s eligibility for the student visa. Remember to print and save the DS-160 barcode page for future assistance.

US study visa applicants need to bear the SEVIS fee once per program. SEVIS is the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System. The fee goes to the US government’s Student and Exchange Visitor Program, which sustains SEVIS. The SEVIS fee is required when:

• When you’re applying for an IU program as a new student with an I-20.
• When you’re applying to change your non-immigrant status

Remember to save the SEVIS fee receipt as proof of payment.

After filing the DS-160 Form and paying the SEVIS fee, you will need to schedule an interview from the U.S. Embassy’s website and select the embassy near to you. Make sure you understand all the information, procedures, and instructions on how to schedule a visa interview. On the day of the interview, ensure that you come along with the following documents:

• Valid passport with a passport number
• Receipt of visa application fee
• DS-160 form confirmation page
• Form I-20
• E-mail address
• ID Proof
• Address Proof
• Financial Documentation
• Academic Transcripts and Standardized Test Scores
• Submit scores from tests like TOEFL, IELTS, SAT, GRE, or GMAT, as per your educational program’s requirements.
• Passport-sized photographs

When arriving for the US visa interview, ensure and expect the following:

• Stay on time otherwise your interview will be postponed to some other day which eventually means a delay in the entire non-immigrant visa application process.
• Come alone because the US Embassy or Consulate only lets the applicants admit to the premises. Exceptions include a parent to children less than 18, translators, or assistants. However, you need to inform the US Embassy or Consulate beforehand that you will be accompanied by someone.
• Since the goal of the US study visa interview is to assess your qualifications for the US Study visa, ensure that you come prepared for the questions related to your place of residence, English proficiency, academic background, and more.
• Ink-free, digital fingerprint scans will be a part of the process of application for a non-immigrant visa.

Unless and until your visa is issued, don’t make any final travel plans or buy flight tickets. It is a key to travel to a US port-of-entry and get a permit from a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) official.

On your arrival in the US, you’ll need to fill in a Customs Declaration Form (CF-6059) before you land. Other than this, you will need to fill in an Arrival/Departure I-94 form, online or paper form. In case, you are given a paper I-94 form, the date will be noted on the paper. On the contrary end, if you’re given an electronic I-94 form, the CBP officer will record information from the air carrier with which you’re traveling.