Introduction
Visa Process for US Universities:
Are you planning to apply for the top universities in the US for your graduation or post-graduation? After the academic eligibility has been met, the government eligibility needs to be met eventually to permit yourself for education in American Universities. The process of applying for Visa is a cumbersome process, often lengthy, hence it is always recommended to start your Visa process a bit early as well as be well prepared with the process of Visa.
Did You Know: The process of applying for the student US visa begins at the US Embassies which are located in India. You can visit the following places to start applying for the US visa:
- Chennai
- Hyderabad
- Kolkata
- New Delhi
- Mumbai.
USA Visa
Though there are different kinds of Visa which are available, if you are applying for the Student Visa, you would need to obtain an F-class US Visa, which ensures your eligibility for foreign education in the US.
Students who are looking forward to studying in the US often have to follow the mandate qualifying their government mandate, thus making the students eligible to pursue their education in the US. More than 6 million VISA applicants globally are received by the US embassies, thus the US offers different types of VISA for different purposes. Having an education VISA is an alibi about your security and adherence to the law of the US, this is mandatory.
The time for application for your US student VISA strictly depends more on when your session begins at your university. For the students who are applying for fall, it is recommended to apply for US visa/ American Visa keeping the following in mind:
- Days prior to which you should apply for US visa: 120 days before the date mentioned on your I20 form
- Number of days prior to which you are allowed to enter the US using the VISA - 30 days before the beginning of the course
To be eligible for applying for the process of student VISA, the following documents are needed, which will ensure a smooth process of the VISA application procedure:
| DOCUMENTS | DESCRIPTION |
|---|---|
| Passport | Validity of the passport should be at least 6 months after the last date when your university gets over. |
| I20 | The form shows the college application acceptance as well as the admission date. |
| Sources of Income and Fees Supporting documents | Documents regarding the expenses related to education and accommodation, the receipt of the SEVIS fee at any SEVP institute |
| MRV Fee | VISA application fee. |
| Academic documents | Previous academic documents till 10th grade, along with character certificates and migration certificate. |
| Certificate of proficiency | In this case, report card of the SAT test |
| Letter of recommendation | Minimum two letters of recommendations |
| Other documents | Documents like police verification certification, valuation certificate, sponsor’s income certificate and bank statements and a passport-style photograph that has been clicked within the last six months |
US Visa Application
Student USA VISA - What is the procedure for applying for US Visa
The first step for the US Visa Application begins with the DS 160 form, which needs to be filled up by the student. Encompassing all the important details, the DS 160 form must be filled up and presented before you begin your interview at the Embassy. Along with the DS 160 form, a bar code is provided, which ensures that you book the right slot for your interview. Certain important points which must be kept in mind while filling the DS 160 form include:
- You cannot be idle with the form open for more than 15 minutes, else the session might expire
- The embassy for embassy of the scheduled interview and actual interview might be different
- English language and characters are only accepted as the mode of entry for the DS 160 form
- The alpha-numeric bar code that will be generated after the DS 160 form in generated has to be kept in hardcopy which might be required during the appointment for the interview.
F1 Visa USA:
An F1 visa is a nonimmigrant visa for those wishing to study in the U.S. You must file an F1 visa application if you plan on entering the US to attend a university or college, high school, private elementary school, seminary, conservatory, language training program, or other academic institution. Select the type Non-Immigrant when applying for student VISA for US universities.
- After the DS 160 form is filled up properly, you need to pay for the form. On the next page with the list of VISA fees, you can select your type of VISA and pay the required amount in US dollars and local currency.
- In the subsequent steps, a proper clarification about the payment options needs to be done along with the proper profile creation. The receipt number must be kept with care which needs to be shown during the appointment
- After this step, log in to the portal using the same credentials which you got while paying for the VISA.
- On the top left corner, you can find the option to schedule two dates, one for the VISA application form where you need to be present in person for the biometric check. Another date which you need to select is for the purpose of the VISA interview process, which is the most important process and needs the most preparation, after the SAT exam.
- The unique number present on your passport
- The payment receipt for the VISA form
- Barcode digits which were present in your DS 160 form
On the date of the VAC, the following documents will be needed to be furnished:
-
a. An Indian Passport whose expiry is beyond six months after the ending of your course.
b. The hardcopy of your DS 160 form
c. Confirmation page for your appointment for the VAC
The interview for your candidature for the VISA application will be held on the next day at any of the embassies. The following documents must be with you for the same:
-
a. The hardcopy of the letter of appointment
b. Verified DS 160 form
c. Passports (both old and new)
d. Other documents, depending on the type of your VISA
US Visa
Though there are no limits on the number of times you can apply for the student VISA for US universities, what is important is knowing the reason for your student VISA rejection in the first place. Often; the following causes have been cited as the major causes:
- Lack of financial backing from your end or your sponsor’s end.
- Misleading documents
- Lack of proper skills of the English language
- Previous records of criminal activities
- Lack of goal, orientation, and clarity
- Showing signs of not willing to come back to the country.
| Section | Description |
|---|---|
| 214 (b) | Failure to convince about the lack of strong financial support Failure to convince about the plans to return to the home country |
| 221 (g) | Slight chances of reconsideration of the documents are there, provided the missing documents are provided. In case, the decision was due to an administrative cause, no further actions need to be taken from the student’s end. |
| 212(a) 6(c)(I) | When cases of misinformation have been provided along with malicious intentions for entering The States have been recognized. Re-application is debarred for the candidate. |
Well, there is nothing much you can do, once the trigger has been pressed. You need to wait for the results and hope for the best. For students VISA, it takes no more than 2 weeks to get the results for you VISA application interview. Till then, sit tight and enjoy!
Summary
To get the small summary of the steps needed to fill up for the VISA application, follow the summary image below:
GYQ (Grow Your Quotient):
-
1. More than 1.2 million students have applied for US VISA for US universities either for their graduation or post-graduation
2. More than 70% of all the students in different schools in the USA have their roots in Asia.
3. India ranks amongst the top 10 countries for the maximum number of US VISA applications for students.