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F and M Visas
The Immigration and Nationality Act provides two nonimmigrant visa categories for persons wishing to study in the United States. The "F" visa is for academic studies, and the "M" visa is for nonacademic or vocational studies. In order to qualify for a student visa, an alien must meet the following requirements:
DOCUMENTATION
To apply for a student visa for academic or language study, an alien must
have been accepted for the purpose of pursuing a full course of study in an
academic institution approved by the Attorney General. The student must present
to the consular officer a Form I-20A-B, "Certificate of Eligibility for
Nonimmigrant (F-1) Student Status for Academic and Language Students," properly
completed and signed by the alien and the designated school official. To apply
for a student visa for vocational studies, an alien must have been accepted
for the purpose of pursuing a full course of study in a nonacademic institution
approved by the Attorney General. The student must present a form I-20M-N, "Certificate
of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant (M-1) Student Status -For vocational Students," properly
completed and signed by the alien and the designated school official. All applicants
must also submit a completed Non-immigrant Visa Application Form DS-156, DS-158
and DS-157 (when applicable).
FINANCIAL RESOURCES
The F-1 student visa applicant must present documentary evidence that sufficient funds are, or will be available from a specifically identified and reliable financial source to defray all living and school expenses during the entire period of anticipated study in the United States. Specifically, the applicant must present credible documentary evidence that he or she has enough readily available funds for each subsequent year of study. The M-1 student visa applicant must have evidence that sufficient funds are immediately available to pay all tuition and living costs for the entire period of intended stay.
SCHOLASTIC PREPARATION
The student visa applicant must have successfully completed a course of study normally required for enrollment at the level of study contemplated. The student, unless coming to participate exclusively in an English language training program, must either be sufficiently proficient in English to pursue the intended course of study, or the school must have made special arrangements for English language courses, or teaching the course in the student’s native language.
RESIDENCE ABROAD
Student visa applicants must establish to the satisfaction of the consular officer that they have a residence in a foreign country which they have no intention of abandoning, and that they will depart the United States upon termination of their student status.
FAMILY MEMBERS
A spouse or child of a student may also be classified for a nonimmigrant visa to accompany or follow the principal applicant. Family members must meet all visa eligibility requirements, including evidence that they will have sufficient funds for their support, and that they will depart the United States upon termination of the student program.
STUDENT EMPLOYMENT
An F-1 student may not accept off-campus employment at any time during the first year of study. Under certain circumstances, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services may grant permission to accept off-campus employment after one year. F-1 students may accept on-campus employment from the school without Immigration Service permission, even during the first year. Except for temporary employment for practical training, an M-1 student may not accept employment. Spouses and children of students may not accept employment at any time.
SEVIS REQUIREMENTS
The Department of Homeland Security collects a Congressionally mandated fee for the SEVIS program that must be paid before applying for an F, M, or J visa.
Effective October, 27, 2008 the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) increased the SEVIS fees.
Academic Institutions and Program Sponsor are required to enter data from I-20 form into the SEVIS System before the issuance of a visa is permitted. It is the responsibility of the applicant to make sure that such requirement is met by the Academic Institutions and Program Sponsor. The same procedure applies to family members obtaining a visa to accompany the principal applicant, although they are exempt from paying the SEVIS fee.
For more information on this fee, please see the attached notice.
WHEN DO I NEED TO APPLY?
Applicants should note that Embassies and Consulates are able to issue your
student visa 120 days or less, in advance of the course of study registration
date. If you apply for your visa more than 120 days prior to your
start date or reporting date as provided on the Form I-20, the Embassy or Consulate
will hold your application until it is able to issue the visa. Consular officials
will use that extra time to accomplish any of the necessary special clearances
or other processes that may be required.
TO PROCESS YOUR STUDENT VISA YOU MUST PRESENT THE FOLLOWING DOCUMENTATION
- BNL receipt of payment of the non-refundable Machine Readable Visa application fee.
- The completed visa application form DS-156, DS-158, and DS-157 (when applicable).
- A passport valid for travel to the United States. If more than one person is included in the passport, each individual desiring a visa must make a separate application;
- One passport size photo for each visa applicant, including infants (see the "Photo Requirements" webpage).
- For an F-1 Visa: Original FORM I-20A-B, "Certificate of Eligibility of Non-immigrant (F-1) Student Status for Academic and Language Students", issued by the school in the U.S.A.
For an M-1 Visa: Original FORM I-20M-N, "Certificate of Eligibility for Non-immigrant (M-1) Student Status for Vocational Students", issued by the school in the U.S.A.
NOTE: You must present all of the pages of the I-20 form, signed with the name and date in the appropriate spaces.
- The SEVIS receipt.
- Financial documentation that demonstrates the economic means to finance the entire course of study and stay in the U.S.A. Examples of such documentation are:
1) Letter from bank attesting that the person has the economic means to finance the amount indicated on the I-20 Form.
2) A bank statement declaring that the person has at least the amount indicated on the I-20 Form.
3) A customs declaration from the sponsoring organization.
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