Student Visa Info

This a short list of things to do and keep in mind when re-filing for a Visa

(1). There are four types of visas: Student Visa, Visitor’s Visa, Business & Worker’s Visa, Permanent Resident

(2). Once you are approved… Check your paperwork. There are important dates and whom you should contact. Failure to depart the U.S. will cause you to be out-of-status.

(3). Staying further than the period of time authorized by the Department of Homeland Security and being out-of-status in the United States is a violation of U.S. immigration laws, and may cause you to be ineligible for a visa in the future for return travel to the U.S.

(4). If you overstay on your non-immigrant authorized stay in the U.S., your visa will be automatically voided. In this situation, you are necessary to reapply for a new non-immigrant visa, generally in your country of nationality.

(5). Those visitors who wish to stay beyond the time indicated on their Form I-94 must contact the Department of Homeland Security’s Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services to request an application to extend status. There are new fees linked with this. The decision to grant or deny a request for extension of stay is made solely by the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services.

(6). you should be germane for your extension of stay with USCIS well in advance of its expiration. Remember to only send in copies of your documents - you should keep the original documents.

(7). Contact foreign consulates, US Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Passport Agency, and www.Travel.State.Gov for all specifics

(8). Contact official offices for more help

(9). Read your representative documents for important dates and whom to contact

(10). this is a meager tool to help you get started

(11). All your documents have important information that can not be ignored

Education loans are given for chase all types of education viz. general, professional, technical and vocational courses. All public sector banks and few private sector banks are providing education loan to meet student’s study fixed cost in India and abroad.

The system enables the students to meet the following costs for studies in India as well as abroad: admission fees, books & stationery, instruments requisite for the course, monthly fees, examination fees, insurance premium for policy on life of the borrowing student, caution deposit/ building fund/ refundable deposit supported by bills/ receipts, expenses like study tours/ project work/ thesis etc. required to total the course, boarding and lodging expenses, and travel expenses/ passage money including air fare for amalgamation the course abroad.

 Eligibility to secure education loan:

(1). should be an Indian National.

(2). Secured admission to Professional / Technical courses through Entrance Test / Selection process.

(3). Secured admission to foreign University / Institutions.

(4). Student should have secured pass marks in the qualifying Examination for admission to Graduation Courses.

An F1 visa is subject to international students who are presence an academic program or English Language Program at a US collge or university. F-1 students must maintain the minimum course load for full-time student status. They can remain in the US up to 60 days beyond the length of time it takes to total their academic program. In addition, an F1 student can stay for 12 months after securing a degree to work under the OPT (Optional Practical Training) program. F1 students are predictable to total their studies by the expiration date on their I-20 form (Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant Student Status) which is give by the US College or university that the student has been accepted to and will attend.

In sequence to meet the requirements, applicants need to satisfy several strict criteria:

(1). Must have sufficient financial support;

(2). Must have strong ties to home country (e.g. job offer letter upon completion of studies, assets, bank accounts, and family).

(3). It may be possible to convert this visa to a temporary work visa upon completion of applicant’s studies. Spouses and minor children obtain F-2 visa status and are not authorized to work in the U.S.

(4). Must have a foreign residence and must intend to return there upon completion of studies;

(5). Can only study at the academic institution through which the visa was granted;

In our Working in the USA section, we provide detailed guidance on the various employment opportunities for F1 students in the USA. Generally, immigration regulations are very strict with respect to working while carrying a student visa. F-1 status, which is the most common status for full-time international students, allows for part time, on-campus employment (fewer than 20 hours per week.) Jobs available on campus typically do not pay much, certainly not enough to finance a university education. Do not count on this kind of a job for anything more than a supplement to other funds.

An F-1 student is generally entitled up to one year of post-completion practical training. Authorization for this type of practical training may be granted for a maximum of 12 months and only starts once you have graduated or completed your course of study.

Please visit our Working in the USA section for complete information regarding OPT and other permitted employment for F1 students.

Speak to the international students department of your university to get the necessary forms to apply. They will inform you of the different practical training options available to you. Find out about your practical training options when you start to study so you can adequately prepare for the future.

Applying for an F1 Visa

Different universities have different admission policies. Your university will inform you what they need from you in order to determine that you are academically eligible. Amongst other requirements, you will need to show the school that you have enough money to support yourself while studying without having to work and you may have to show health insurance in order to cover any medical expenses should you need any medical assistance. Always protect yourself by keeping a copy of everything that you fill out and send off. Once the university has determined that your application is complete and you are academically eligible, they will issue an I-20 form to enable you to apply for your student visa.

Applicants for student visas should generally apply at the U.S. Embassy or Consulate with jurisdiction over their place of permanent residence. This will normally be your home country, the country in which you live. Although visa applicants may apply at any U.S. consular office abroad, it may be more difficult to qualify for the visa outside the country of permanent residence.

You will need the following when applying at the consulate for your student visa:

(1). A passport valid for travel to the United States and with a validity date at least six months beyond your intended period of stay in the United States. If more than one person is included in the passport, each person desiring a visa must make a use.

(2). One photograph 1 and 1/2 inches square (37×37mm) for each applicant, showing full face, without head covering, against a light background

(3). For the “F” applicant, a Form I-20A-B. For the “M” applicant, a Form I-20M-N. This form shows that you have been admitted into a US college, university or other institution.

(4). You will need to show that you have enough money to support yourself.

(5). You will have to pay a non-refundable application fee. This means that if your visa does not get approved, you will not get your money back.

(6). An application Form DS-156, completed and signed. These forms are free at all U.S. consular offices.

(7). A DS-157 form for all males aged 16-45.

To check the progress on an request, if you have not heard within the current 5-10 working days processing time, please track your application through the VFS website. You will have been given these details and a location number when you submitted your application. If after 10 working days your application is still listed as being at the High Commission then please emails us. We should pressure that candidate should only email after 10 working days have beyond. The only email address What happens next?Once a visa officer has assessed your application, they will choose to:Issue your visa refuse your visa or invite you for an interview. This process is the same whether you are applying for a settlement visa or a non-settlement visa. If an interview is required you will be contact by a member of UK visas staff in Pretoria and you will be given a date and time for your interview.

Where are interviews held?

At the British High Commission in Pretoria

What to take to the interview

Take the interview letter and any original documents (as well as photocopies of these) which you did not send with your application.

After the interview

At the end of the interview, we will tell you whether your visa will be issued, or whether your application has been refused. If we issue the visa You will receive your passport and visa back soon after your interview.

If we refuse the visa

Your passport and other documents will be handed over to you at the British High Commission after the interview or they will be returned to you by VFS with reasons for refusal clearly provided. General informationWe cannot refund visa fees once you have paid them.

You have been accepted at the college of your choice. You are thinking about the courses you’ll take, the people you’ll meet, and the exciting things you’ll do … and then your heart sinks when you hear your friends explain the complexity of getting a student visa. Suddenly, you’re scared: what if, after filling out forms and dreaming about your future, you can’t get a visa? Well relax; you can get a visa. But there are two things you should do to increase your chances of a favorable decision: first, have all the required certification; second, be prepared.

The visa process step by step

Step 1: You must have a valid I-20, which your college will send you after you have been admitted and after you have certified your available finances. When it arrives, check the following:

1 Is your name spelled correctly and in the same form as it appears in your passport?

2 Is the other information correct - date and country of birth, degree program, reporting date, completion date, financial information?

3 Is it signed by a college official?

4 Has the reporting date (”student must report no later than”) passed? (the I-20 expires and cannot be used after the reporting date).

Step 2: If your I-20 is valid, you’re prepared to apply for the visa. In order to issue your visa, the Consular Officer must be satisfied on three counts:

First, are you a bona fide student? The officer will ask about your educational background and strategy in order assess how likely you are to enroll and remain in college until graduation. Be prepared to discuss the reasons you chose a particular college, your anticipated major, and your career plans. Bring school transcripts, national examination results, and SAT or TOEFL scores (if these tests were required by your college) and anything else that demonstrates your academic commitment.

Second, is your sponsor financially capable? Visa requirements differ from country to country, but generally host governments want assurance that you won’t drop out of school or take a job illegally. How can you show that your support is able to finance your education?

Your chances are enhanced if your parents are sponsoring your education. If anyone other than your parents is sponsoring you, you should explain your special relationship with this person, who may be committing tens of thousands of dollars to your education.

Provide solid evidence of your sponsor’s finances. This assures the Consular Officer that adequate funds will be available throughout your four-year college program. If your sponsor’s income is from several different sources (such as salary, contracts or consulting fees, a farm, rental property, investments), have the sponsor write a letter listing and documenting each source of income.

Third, are your ties to home so burly that you will not want to remain lastingly in the host country? Laws generally state that you must demonstrate sufficient economic, family, and social ties to your place of residence to make sure that your stay in the Americas will be temporary.

Economic ties: These include your family’s economic position, property you may own or stand to inherit, and your own economic potential when you come home with a U.S. education. The Consular Officer will be impressed to see evidence of your career planning and your knowledge of the local employment scene.

Family and social ties: How many close family members live in your home country, compared to those living in the States? What community or school behavior have you participated in that display a sincere connection to your town or country? What leadership, sports, and other roles have distinguished you as a person who wants to come home and contribute your part?

And if you’re refused a visa?

If your application is refused, the Consular Officer is required to give you an explanation in writing. You do have the right to apply a second time, but if you reapply, make sure to prepare much more carefully. The Consular Officer will want to see fresh evidence sufficient to overcome the reasons for the first denial.

If you have given careful thought to your educational goals and if you have reasonable career plans, you’ll find the visa interview an opportunity to prove you’re ready to take the next big step in your education and in your life: college in the Americas.

The information above outlines important steps for you to follow before you go for your visa interview. However, there is additional preparation you should undertake.

When applying for a student visa, it is important to demonstrate an academic plan that you have thought about and can articulate. The visa officer usually gets at this issue by asking you why you chose a particular university and why you chose X program at that university. They are not questioning the validity of the University or the program; they are trying to determine how clear you are with your academic plans and goals.

Before going for a visa interview, its quite important to gather information about the programs, courses and other details offered on the University website and have enough information about the University…recently a student during a visa interview was asked, “What do you want to study at A University? “The student said, “Computer Science, software development.” The visa officer asked if A University had software development. The student was not sure. Did the student receive the visa? You should be able to eloquent academic reasons for choosing the University and that specific program at the University.