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The F-1 visa allows a student to temporarily live in the United States for a defined period of time while studying at a school, college, seminary, or conservatory.
For many students, the chance to study in the United States is the culmination of years of hard work and dedication. Unless the person is already a U.S. citizen or green card holder, all prospective students will have to apply for a visa to study in the United States. Because there are so many courses and places to study in the United States, the F-1 visa has a pretty broad application but also some very clear rules. The first is that you have to be coming to the United States with the intent to temporarily study. In other words, this is not an immigrant visa.
You must be studying at an academic institution, not training at a vocational school, as this will require an M-1 visa. Your academic institution must be approved by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) through the Student Exchange and Visitor Program (SEVP), meaning it needs to be accredited to be able to accept foreign students on F-1 visas.
You will be able to work, but because this is a non-immigrant visa, you will be restricted to where you can work and the type of work. Finally, although your spouse and children can come with you, they will not be able to work but your children can enroll in schools. They will be on F-2 visas and tied to your visa’s status.
After your SEVP-approved school accepts your enrollment, you will be added to the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS). SEVP uses SEVIS to track and monitor schools; exchange visitor programs; and F, M, and J nonimmigrants while they visit the United States and participate in the U.S. education system.
Once you have registered with SEVIS, you will need to pay the I-901 fee. This fee is currently $350 for most people, and funds the SEVP program.
Your SEVP-approved school will then issue you a Form I-20. This form is incredibly important as it confirms your acceptance at the school, and therefore your eligibility for the F-1 visa. Once this Form I-20 has been issued, you will be able to apply to a U.S. embassy or consulate for your F-1 visa.
The steps required will vary between different U.S. embassies or consulates, so make sure you check their websites for further information.
However, you must complete the Form DS-160, which is similar to the Form DS-260 for immigrant visas. The form is very detailed and can take some time to fill in, so make sure you set aside plenty of time to complete it.
Once you have completed the Form DS-160, you will need to schedule an interview at a U.S. embassy or consulate, unless you are under 13 years of age or over 80 years of age. The U.S. Department of State says you should schedule an appointment for your visa interview at the U.S. embassy or consulate in the country where you live. You may schedule your interview at another U.S. embassy or consulate, but be aware that it may be more difficult to qualify for a visa outside of the country where you live.
Prior to your interview, you will need to pay the $185 application fee and also, depending on your nationality, pay an issuance fee, as well. The visa issuance fee is only due after your interview, if your visa is approved. The next step will be an interview at the U.S. embassy or consulate.
Visa wait times can vary depending on the time of year and location. You can use the appointment wait time tool to see how long you will have to wait for an appointment at a specific U.S. embassy or consulate.
At this stage, it is important to note that F-1 visas for new students can only be issued up to 365 days (one year) in advance of the start date for a course of study. It used to be 120 days, but in February, 2023, the State Department extended the period. Note: For existing F-1 visas, this is not the case and visas can be issued any time, as long as the student is currently enrolled at a SEVP-approved school or institution and in SEVIS.
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