F-1 Student Visa/Status
Applying For an F-1 (Student) Visa in Your Home Country
Note: Canadian nationals, landed immigrants, or British subjects residing in Canada or Bermuda are not required to obtain a visa, unless they are entering the U.S. from outside the Western Hemisphere. However, the appropriate immigration document (Form I-20 for F-1) must be presented at the U.S. port of entry.
- You must be academically and financially admitted into a Regent University degree program before you can apply for an F-1 student visa.
- Once you are admitted, Regent University will send you a SEVIS Form I-20 (immigration document). This verifies that you have been accepted into a specific degree program for the expected length of your program, and that you have a certain amount of funds available for your education and living expenses. Read "Instructions to Students" on page 2, sign and complete item #11 on page 1. The SEVIS Form I-20 will be presented to the U.S. embassy or consulate when you apply for a student visa.
-
Make an appointment for an interview with the U.S. embassy or consulate in your area of residence. June, July, and
August are the busiest months at most consular sections, so it may be difficult to make an appointment during those
months. It is important to plan ahead so that you won’t have to make repeat visits. However, you should not apply more than 90 days before the registration date noted on line #5 of the SEVIS Form I-20 issued to you by the
OISS. (To locate U.S. embassies and consular offices worldwide, and for specific visa application instructions, visit
http://usembassy.state.gov/
.)
- Attend your interview. Be prepared with all the documents you could possibly need (see below).
Preparation for the Visa Interview
You must prove that you are eligible to enter the U.S. as a student to be considered for a student visa. This eligibility is based on a variety of factors, including but not limited to:
- Foreign residence and ties to a community
- Intention to return to the place of foreign residence
- Ability to financially support yourself (and family if included) while in the U.S.
At a minimum, you should take the following to your interview:
-
Form DS-156
,
DS-158
(Application for Nonimmigrant Visa), which can be obtained at the U.S. consulate or embassy. Some applicants
may need to complete DS-157
as well, so please contact the
Embassy for more details on your situation.
- The required fee in U.S. dollars or receipt showing payment of fee. (Fee information can be found at http://travel.state.gov/reciprocity/index.html.) Note: There is a fee for the visa application and another fee for issuing the visa if your application is approved. *The US DHS is currently deciding the SEVIS fee that will be imposed to student visa appicants. Once we have this information, it will be posted.
- A complete and accurate SEVIS Form I-20 issued by Regent University
- Information related to academic background, such as transcripts, diplomas, certificates, etc. (only two or three documents are appropriate rather than a thick packet)
- Proof of English competency, such as TOEFL scores or documentation verifying planned attendance at a language school
- Information verifying financial support, such as bank account statements (accounts should not be new); you must be prepared to show relationship with any sponsors who are providing financial support
- Proof of intention to return to your home country by including information such as bank accounts, property, employment, and ties to family members remaining in the home country
- An explanation of why you want to study at Regent University and then return to your home country
- Two passport-size photographs
Applying early and providing the requested documents will not guarantee that you will receive a visa. Because each student’s personal and academic situation is different, it is possible that two students applying for the same visa may be asked different questions and be required to submit different documents. It is a good idea to take more information than you think you might need to your interview.
Go to
http://www.travel.state.gov
for more information about what you’ll need to provide
at your interview.
If your visa application is approved, a visa stamp will be placed in your passport. A visa includes a visa number, location of issuing office, classification of visa, date, number of U.S. entries permitted to, expiration date, student's name, and the signature of the issuing officer.
A visa is the document that allows you to travel to the U.S. A visa does not guarantee that you will be allowed to enter the U.S. That decision is made by an immigration official at the U.S. port of entry. You will be required to present your SEVIS Form I-20 (student copy) as proof of your intention to attend Regent University. You will be given an entry document (I-94 card, which will be stamped with your date and port of entry, your immigration status (F-1 or F-2), and the dates your status will be valid. (Under normal circumstances, the I-94 card given to F-1 and F-2 visa holders will be stamped "D/S", meaning "Duration of Status." This verifies that you will remain in F-1 (or F-2) status for the duration of your degree program, as stated on your SEVIS Form I-20.)
For example, if you have a student visa that is valid for five years that will expire June 1, 2005, and you are admitted into the U.S. for the duration of your status (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 June 1, 2005 passes and your visa expires, you will remain in legal student status while you are in the U.S. 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 the U.S. and resume your studies. A student visa cannot be renewed or re-issued in the U.S.; it must be done at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate abroad.
If your visa application is denied, you will be given a written notice indicating reason for refusal and possible recourse action. If possible, you should do what is expected by the consular official. Please notify the OISS immediately.
F-2 Visa: Bringing Family Members to Live With You
Your spouse/children may be able to enter the U.S. with you on an F-2 visa. You will want to submit their application
for an F-2 visa at the same time you submit yours. Each dependent will receive his/her own SEVIS I-20. Regent University
will only include your spouse/children on the SEVIS Form I-20 if you have proven sufficient finances to support them
while you are a student.
Very Important! Under NO circumstances may an individual on an F-2
visa be allowed to work in the U.S. There are no exceptions.
Maintaining F-1 Status
Once admitted to the United States with F-1 status, you must meet the following obligations in order to remain in legal status. Click here for details.
