• Students are encouraged to apply for their visa early to provide ample time for visa processing. Students may apply for their visa as soon as they are prepared to do so.
• The consular officer may need to get special clearances depending on the course of study and nationality of the student. This can take some additional time. For more information on applicants who may have additional processing requirements see Special Processing Requirements.

• Form I-20A-B, Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant (F-1) Student Status-For Academic and Language Students or Form I-20M-N, Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant (M-1) Student Status for Vocational Students.
  
  You will need to submit a SEVIS generated Form, I-20, which was provided to you by your school.You and your school official must sign the I-20 form. All students, as well as their spouses and dependents must be registered in the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS), an Internet-based system that maintains accurate and current information on non-immigrant students and exchange visitors and their dependents (F/M-2 visa holders). Your school is responsible for entering your information for the I-20 student visa form into SEVIS. Students will also have to pay an SEVIS I-901 fee for each program of study. Questions regarding your exchange program should be directly to your program sponsor;
  
  
• A completed application, Nonimmigrant Visa Applicant, Form DS-156, together with a Form DS-158. Both forms must be completed and signed. Some applicants will also be required to complete and sign Form DS-157. A separate form is needed for children, even if they are included in a parent's passport. The DS-156 must be the March 2006 date, electronic "e-form application." Select Nonimmigrant Visa Application Form DS-156 to access the electronic version of the DS-156.
  
  
• An interview at the embassy consular section is required for almost all visa applicants. The waiting time for an interview appointment for applicants can vary, so early visa application is strongly encouraged. During the visa interview, an ink-free, digital fingerprint scan will be quickly taken, as well as a digital photo. Some applicants will need additional screening, and will be notified when they apply.
  
• A passport valid for travel to the United States and with a validity date at least six months beyond the applicant's intended period of stay in the United States.
  
• One (1) 2x2 photograph. See the required photo format explained in nonimmigrant photograph requirements
  
  
• A MRV fee receipt to show payment of the visa application fee, a visa issuance fee if applicable (Please consult the Visa Reciprocity Table
  
  
• and a separate SEVIS I-901 fee receipt.While all F visa applicants must pay the MRV fee, including dependents, only the F-1 principal applicants must pay the SEVIS fee.

• Transcripts and diplomas from previous institutions attended;
  
  
• scores from standardized tests required by the educational institution such as the TOEFL, SAT, GRE, GMAT, etc.;
  
  
• financial evidence that shows you or your parents who are sponsoring you have sufficient funds to cover your tuition and living expenses during the period of your intended study. For example, if you or your sponsor is a salaried employee, please bring income tax documents and original bank books and/or statements. If you or your sponsor own a business, please bring business registration, licenses, etc., and tax documents, as well as original bank books and/or statements.

• No assurances regarding the issuance of visas can be given in advance. Therefore final travel plans or the purchase of nonrefundable tickets should not be made until a visa has been issued.
  
  
• Unless previously canceled, a visa is valid until its expiration date. Therefore, if the traveler has a valid U.S. visa in an expired passport, do not remove the visa page from the expired passport. You may use it along with a new valid passport for travel and admission to the United States.

• You should carefully consider the dates of your authorized stay and make sure you are following the procedures under U.S. immigration laws. It is important that you depart the U.S. on or before the last day you are authorized to be in the U.S. on any given trip, based on the specified end date on your Arrival-Departure Record, Form I-94. Failure to depart the U.S. will cause you to be out-of-status.  Additional information on successfully maintaining your immigration status while a student or exchange visitor can be found on the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) website.
  
• Staying beyond the period of time authorized by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) 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.  Select Classes of Aliens Ineligible to Receive Visas to learn more.
  
• Staying unlawfully in the United States beyond the date Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials have authorized--even by one day--results in your visa being automatically voided, in accordance with INA 222(g). Under this provision of immigration law, if you overstay on your nonimmigrant authorized stay in the U.S., your visa will be automatically voided.  In this situation, you are required to reapply for a new nonimmigrant visa, generally in your country of nationality. 
  
• For nonimmigrants in the U.S. who have an Arrival-Departure Record, Form I-94 with the CBP admitting officer endorsement of Duration of Status or D/S, but who are no longer performing the same function in the U.S. that they were originally admitted to perform (e.g. you are no longer working for the same employer or you are no longer attending the same school), a DHS or an immigration judge makes a finding of status violation, resulting in the termination of the period of authorized stay.

• F-1 student - An additional 60 days, to prepare for departure from the U.S. or to transfer to another school.
  
• M-1 student - An additional 30 days to depart the U.S. (Fixed time period, in total not to exceed one year). The 30 days to prepare for departure is permitted as long as the student maintained a full course of study and maintained status. An M student may receive extensions up to three years for the total program.
  
• As an example regarding duration of status, if you have a visa that is valid for five years that will expire on January 1, 2001, and you are admitted into the U.S. for the duration of your studies (often abbreviated in your passport or on your I-94 card as "D/S"), you may stay in the U.S. as long as you are a full time student. Even if January 1, 2001 passes and your visa expires while in America, you will still be in legal student status. However, if you depart the U.S. with an expired visa, you will need to obtain a new one before being able to return to America and resume your studies. A student visa cannot be renewed or re-issued in the United States; it must be done at an Embassy or Consulate abroad.

6-Steps to Obtaining a U.S. Visa

1. If you have access to the Internet, visit www.UnitedStatesVisas.gov. This Web site has been created to help you find the information about current visa policy and procedures quickly and easily, based on your own situation and circumstance. Whether you are a student, a sponsor, a tourist, or a business traveler, this Web site can serve as a useful first stop on your journey. There are many different types of visas, and this site can help you determine which kind you need and how to obtain it. If you do not have access to the Internet, contact the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate for further information
    
2. Make an appointment to visit the U.S. Embassy or Consulate. Visa application procedures vary somewhat among Embassies and Consulates, depending on local needs. In most countries, you will need to make an appointment. This can be done by telephone, mail, over the Internet, or in person, depending on circumstances in your country. Wait times for appointments may be longer than in the past. Schedule your appointment as soon as you know you need to travel to the U.S. Be sure to ask what fees are required and how they can be paid. Application fees are non-refundable and must be paid before your appointment. 
    
3. Get all your documentation ready. You will need: A valid passport; Appropriate applications which can be obtained through an Embassy or Consulate or at www.UnitedStatesVisas.gov; Documents to support the application detailing employment, reason for travel and financial status; Proof of payment of fees. Remember, as in the past, the consular officer may require additional information or application forms. 
   
   If you are a student applying for a visa to study in the U.S., talk to the U.S. academic institution or exchange program sponsoring you to obtain all the forms you will need to present with your application. 
    
4. Submit your application, passport, and supporting documents to the U.S. Embassy or Consulate. Your application will then be reviewed by the consular officer and, in many cases, by officials in Washington, D.C. For most applicants, the visa is issued within a few weeks. There is no guarantee of obtaining a visa. 
    
5. In some cases, additional reviews will be required. Your information is submitted and checked in the world's foremost security database, which includes comprehensive information drawn from both U.S. and foreign law enforcement agencies worldwide. If your name or a close variation indicates security concerns, the process will be delayed. Additional steps will vary from
   requests for additional interviews and information to official registration and fingerprinting. This may add at least 4–6 weeks to the processing time.
   
   Registration upon arrival in the United States is mandatory in many cases but registration can be required in any case regardless of country of origin. See www.UnitedStatesVisas.gov for the most current information about who is affected by this requirement. 
    
6.  A visa allows you to travel from your country to a port of entry in the U.S. In many cases, that port of entry will be the airport where you land. On the airplane you will be asked to complete a short arrival/departure form.