Part I visa application process and materials
I applied for an exchange program between American students and visitors.
As an international student, you should ensure that the institutions and courses you choose are recognized by the American government student and exchange visitor program. Certification is very important because it can ensure that your degree is recognized by other countries, specialized associations, employers and government departments in the world. Only institutions accredited by the student and exchange visitor program can enroll students in SEVIS and provide you with the necessary documents to apply for a student visa in the United States. Use government research on state websites to determine which certification bodies are available.
Unlike some countries, the United States does not have a centralized university application system. You need to apply to each institution you are interested in. You need to meet the enrollment requirements of various institutions, and generally you will be required to prove that you have sufficient sources of funds.
Once you are admitted to an institution, the school will recruit you on the SEVIS system. If you are eligible for an F or M visa, you will receive a document called I-20 form in SEVIS. If you are eligible to apply for a J visa, you will receive a DS-20 19 form.
The American Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) manages international students with F and M visas, while the the State Council (DoS) manages the exchange visitor program and international students with J visas. Both SEVP and DoS use student and exchange visitor information systems to track and monitor institutions, exchange visitor programs and international students.
Two. Pay students and exchange visitors information system fees.
You must pay the SEVIS fee at least 3 days before submitting your visa application for the United States. In order to pay this fee, you need to fill in the form online or in paper form. Both forms can be obtained through ICE)SEVP website of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Enter the required details carefully according to the I-20 or DS-20 19 form.
When filling out the form, the fee for I-90 1 is $200 for F/M visa and $80 for J visa/kloc-0. Holders of class J visas can be summer camp consultants, exchange students or work/travel during the summer vacation, but they need to pay an extra $35. The website explains the steps of different types of payment, including debit or credit cards, checks, international money orders and Western Union express payment. This fee has been paid. If necessary, you can confirm your payment on the website. A third party (such as your sponsor) can also pay this fee for you. If someone else paid the fee on your behalf, you should receive a receipt from a third party.
After completing the payment process, you can obtain and print the payment voucher from the website at any time. When you interview for an American student visa, you need this voucher to prove that you have paid the fee. You may also be asked to show this certificate to a customs official at the port of entry in the United States you choose to see if you have changed your non-immigrant status or if you are applying for other American immigration benefits.
Three. Complete the application for an American student visa.
Once you have received your SEVIS form and paid the SEVIS fee, you can make an appointment with the American consulate or embassy in your country to apply for an American student visa. No matter when your course starts, you'd better apply as early as possible, because the visa processing time will change. Your visa can be issued 120 days before you enter the United States.
(1) Online visa application:? DS- 160
In any case, you should fill in the online visa application form DS- 160. You need to choose the place where you want to apply and make sure that you have all the documents and information needed to complete the application. After selecting and answering the security questions, you will enter the form page. At the top, you'll find you? Application ID. If you need to quit the application or return to the application later, you need this ID to retrieve your own form.
(2) Personal information required to fill in the DS- 160 form includes:
Name and date of birth.
2. Address and telephone number
3. passport details
4. Travel plans and details of travel partners
5. Details of previous trip to the United States
6. Your contact information in the United States
7. Details of family, work and education.
8. Safety, background and medical health information
The ID of S and the address of the American school/course you plan to attend (printed on the I-20 or DS-20 19 form).
10. You also need to upload a recent photo that suits you, and the format should be set according to the photo requirements. If your photo upload fails, you need to bring a printed photo that meets the requirements when you go to the interview.
Once you have completed the visa application form, you need to click the "Sign Application" button at the end and sign DS- 160 by electronic signature. After successfully uploading your application, you will receive a confirmation page with barcode, barcode number and your application ID number. You need to print these and take them to the visa interview. There is no need to print the complete application process.
Iv. Payment of visa application fee
The visa application fee is also called machine-readable visa fee, or "MRV fee". Pay attention to the payment instructions on the website of the embassy or consulate in the host country, because the operation methods will be different. In short, there are three ways to pay the non-refundable and non-transferable visa application fee:
1. I will pay at the designated bank.
2. Pay by phone (you will receive an expense confirmation number).
3. Pay online (you need to print the receipt.
Don't worry if you encounter "visa fees based on the principle of reciprocity" during the research-this does not apply to visa applicants of F 1, F2, M 1, M2, J 1 and J2 types.
During the visa interview, you will be asked to provide a machine-readable visa fee receipt. Some J visa applicants do not need to pay the application fee if they participate in USAID projects or educational and cultural exchange projects funded by the federal government, and the project numbers begin with G- 1, G-2, G-3 or G-7.
Arrange and attend visa interviews for American students.
The last step in obtaining an American student visa is to arrange and attend a visa interview. You can make an appointment online or call the nearest American embassy or consulate to make an appointment. In both cases, you should complete the MRV payment first, because you may need to provide your MRV fee number.
The visa application procedure is not complete until you interview the consular officer. If you need to arrange the interview in an American embassy or consulate different from the place where you apply for a visa, don't worry. The barcode on your DS- 160 can be used to retrieve your information at any American embassy or consulate. However, note that it will be difficult to get a visa if you apply in other places where you live now. The waiting time of visa interview will vary according to the location, season and visa category.
(1) Documents required for visa interview:
1. Your passport is valid for at least 6 months during your stay in the United States. If there is more than one person on your passport, everyone who needs a visa must submit an application separately. You also need to bring all your existing passports and previous passports.
2. Sign the student and exchange visitor information system Form I-20 or Form DS-20 19 (including spouse/child's personal form).
3. Form DS-7002 (only applicable to J- 1 interns and internship visa applicants).
4 students and exchange visitors information system fee receipt.
-160 application confirmation page, barcode and application ID number.
6. Machine-readable visa payment confirmation receipt
7. Copy of appointment letter for visa interview
8. 1-2 photos that meet the requirements of photo format. It should be printed on paper with good photo quality.
(2) In order to make the best preparation and ensure foolproof, you should also be prepared to provide the following documents:
1.？ Transcripts and diplomas of previously studied institutions.
2.？ Standard test transcripts required by educational institutions, such as TOEFL, law school entrance examination, American postgraduate entrance examination, postgraduate management entrance examination, etc.
3.？ Proof of financial ability shows that you or your guarantor (that is, parents or government guarantor) have enough funds to pay for your tuition, travel and living expenses during your stay in the United States.
You can also bring a separate written list of your previous employers and schools for your reference.
(3) Any derivative visa applicant needs to bring:
1. Copy of marriage relationship and/or birth certificate proving the relationship between the two parties.
2. A copy of the visa (such as F- 1, M- 1, J- 1) of the principal applicant, or an official document from the US Citizenship and Immigration Bureau certifying the identity of the principal applicant.
3. A copy of the personal data page of the main applicant's passport.
The second part is to attend a visa interview.
It is important to attend the visa interview on time-late applicants may be asked to reschedule the interview. In most cases, only applicants who have made an appointment are allowed to enter the American embassy or consulate. Exceptions include parents of children under 18, translators and assistants for the disabled-you need to contact the embassy or consulate of your choice and tell them the names of the parents, translators and assistants who will accompany you.
Pay attention to answering all questions accurately and completely, because if you make any mistakes, you will have to reschedule your visa interview. When you are confused when filling out the application form, you can find the answer to your question on the website address.
The purpose of the visa interview is for the consular officer to confirm whether you are eligible for an American student visa and what kind of visa is suitable for you. Be prepared to answer questions about your motherland, your English level, your academic background, the American courses you have been admitted to, and proof of your financial resources. When your study is over, you may also be asked to explain what your plan is. Write-free and digital fingerprint scanning will also be part of the application process. This is usually done in your visa interview.
After the interview, the consular officer will tell you whether your application needs further administrative processing, which may mean that you have to wait for a while to get a visa. The waiting time varies from country to country. It will also inform you how and when to return your passport and visa to you (usually picked up or delivered by courier). In some countries, the courier company will send you an email with an inquiry number. You can use this and the inquiry number to track the transportation of your passport.
F- 1 and? The M- 1 visa is issued 120 days before the start of school, but it cannot enter the United States earlier than 30 days before the start of school. J- 1 visas can be issued at any time. If you want to enter the United States 30 days before the start of your study, you must obtain a tourist visa or a tourist visa. The 30-day time limit does not apply to students who return to the United States to continue their studies-they can enter the United States at any time as long as they have a valid visa.
The third part is to use your visa
Because there is no guarantee that you will get a visa, you will not make a final travel plan or buy a plane ticket before you get a visa. Note that a valid visa does not guarantee your entry into the United States: it only allows you to go to the entry port of the United States and ask for permission to enter the United States. Entry permits are approved by officials of the Customs and Border Protection Bureau (CBP) of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The documents you need to bring include:
1.？ passport
2.？ Student and exchange visitor information system? I-20 or what? DS-20 19 Form
3.？ Proof of economic source
4.？ Student identification (such as recent tuition receipts and transcripts)
5.？ The name and contact information of the person in charge of the designated school, including the 24-hour emergency contact number of your target school.
6.？ If you are an exchange student: a letter from your country indicating that you intend to return to your country.
Every time you enter the United States, you must bring your I-20 or DS-20 19 form-if you are on vacation outside the United States, you need to provide the student and exchange visitor information system form when you enter the United States again. )
The fourth part arrived in the United States
If you arrive in the United States by plane, you need to fill out the customs declaration form (CF-6059) before getting off the plane. If you can't read the form, you can ask the flight attendant for help. You also need to fill in this Arrival and Departure Record Form (I-94), online or in paper form. Your American student visa is valid for the period indicated on the visa. The customs and border protection officer will record another date or "D/S" on your I-94 form. This is the date when you must leave America. Even if your visa expires during your stay, you can stay until this date. However, if you leave the United States with an expired visa, you need to apply for a new visa when you return to Gome to continue your studies. Student visas cannot be renewed or reissued in the United States, but they must be in American embassies and consulates abroad.
If you get a paper I-94 form, the date will be written on the paper. If you get the electronic version of I-94, the officials of Customs and Border Protection will provide a permission mark on your passport to prove that your electronic version of I-94 is valid, and will write "D/S" on the permission mark.
If you get the paper I-94 form, be sure to put it safely in your passport, because when you leave the United States, you need to return this form to the customs and border protection officials. If you get the electronic I-94 form, the customs official will record your departure according to the manifest information provided by your airline or shipping company.
As shown in the SEVIS I-20 or DS-20 19 form, you should report to the office of international students who are responsible for helping your school within 30 days before the start of the course. These offices can be international service offices, international education offices, international project offices or similar institutions. The person in charge of the designated school (DSO) will verify your enrollment intention by reporting to the student and exchange visitor information system that you have arrived in the United States. This must be completed within 30 days, otherwise your records on the student and exchange visitor information system will automatically terminate, and then you may be considered to have lost your legal status in the United States.
The person in charge of the designated school will also give you insurance advice. Because there is no social medical security system in the United States, it is almost certain that you need to provide private medical insurance to cover your medical needs when you register in the target colleges in the United States.
Part V Leaving the United States
F- 1 visa holders can stay in the United States for 60 days after the course, but M- 1 and J- 1 visa holders can only stay for 30 days after the course. This is called a "grace period" and allows applicants time to prepare to leave the United States.
All students must leave before their I-94 form or the date indicated. If you don't leave the United States, you will lose your legal status. Losing your legal status in the United States is a violation of immigration laws and may make you ineligible for a visa in the future. If you want to postpone, you need to get permission from the US Citizenship and Immigration Service. If you are still a student, you can renew your visa at any time, as long as you have obtained the student status and it is recorded in the current student and exchange visitor information system.