Basic Steps to Apply for a Student Visa to the U.S

The F-1 category for a U.S. student visa is the proper designation for those individuals applying for a student visa to attend various academic or language institutes including a college, university, seminary, conservatory, academic or high school. People coming to the United States to pursue full-time academic or vocational studies are non-immigrants admitted to the country for a specific purpose.

Those in this situation are usually admitted in one of two non-immigrant categories. The F-1 and the M-1 for vocational students. If you plan to study in the U.S. as an exchange visitor, you should refer to the Department of State and Bureau of Consumer Affairs websites for details on the student visa forms. The reference site is www.uscis.gov/graphics/howdoi/academic.htm

If you plan to attend a public high school in grades 9-12 you have to provide evidence that you have reimbursed the local high school district in advance for the unsubsidized cost of your education. Attendance at a U.S. public high school cannot exceed twelve months. F-1 students are not allowed to attend public elementary schools or publicly funded adult education programs.

How to Apply

The first step in applying for student visa is to investigate a U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services-approved school in the United States. If the school accepts you as a student you will be given a student visa application form, USCIS Form I-20 A-B/ID (Certificate Eligibility for Nonimmigrant [F-1] Student Status-for Academic and Language Students)

If you need an international student visa you need to take the USCIS Form I-20 to the closest U.S. consulate or embassy to obtain one. The I-20 form you take to the U.S. consulate must be from the school you plan to attend. At the consulate office you have to prove you have the financial resources for your education and have arranged for a temporary residence in the U.S.

When You Arrive

When foreign students arrive in the U.S., they receive Form 1-94 (Arrival-Departure Record), which includes an admission number to the country. The immigration inspector sends the first two pages of the form to the school as a record of legal entry. The student keeps pages three and four as proof that they are allowed to study in the U.S. with an F1 student visa.

If you require a replacement copy of your forms you should see the appropriate official at your school. Your Form I-94 proves you legally entered the country and you should keep it in a safe place.

If you are already in the U.S. and want to change your non-immigrant status to "student," you have to first apply to study at a USCIS-approved school and follow all the same steps in the process.

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