the number of Indian students in The United States of
America has doubled. More and more Indian students prefer to study in the USA
for higher education because of the expansive range of subjects conducted in
universities of this country. Universities in the USA are open to all
international student applications that successfully complete the mentioned
prerequisites process. The USA student visa process is often the procedure
Indian students have trouble completing. Therefore, this article will conclude
everything that one needs to know about The United States of America student
visa process.
Before applying for a visa to study in the USA, students
must have their university/college acceptance letter. The international student
office reviews the financial documents and further sends out an I-20 form to
the student after reviewing the application and capability to study in the U.S.
In case of exchange students, the international office sends out a DS- 2019
form.
Note – Students must fill out the F1 visa form within 120
days of receiving the I-20 form.
Refer to the following table to find out the type of student
visa application you apply –
Types of Visa
Description
F-1 student visa
Students with an acceptance letter to study in an accredited
college in the USA for learning the English language based subjects
J Exchange visa
This visa is issued for students willing to participate in
the exchange study program in a high school or a university in the USA
M student visa
For non-academic or vocational study or training in the United States of America THE PROCEDURE โ
STEP 1 (I-20 form)
It is mandatory to patiently wait for the I-20 form (you
will receive this from the universityโs end) as it is not only a proof for
admission confirmation but also has important details that you will require
while applying for an F-1 student visa.
To apply for an F-1 student visa (DS โ 160 form) you will need the following mentioned details โ SEVIS ID
School/University name and address
Program start date and end date
School/University code
Estimated cost for 1 year
I-20 form consists of many more details, however, the
above-mentioned points are considered to be extremely important for F-1 student
visa application
STEP 2 (Process to fill DS โ 160 form)
Shortly after receiving your I-20 form you can proceed to fill out the DS-160 form, Hereโs an overview of the DS-160 form โ DS โ 160 form must be filled electronically/online
This form requires details of Passport, University, Fees,
Basic information of the applicant, documents details and I-20 form
At the beginning of the DS โ 160 form โ one must select the
Embassy/Consulate they are willing to visit for the F-1 visa interview.
Locations available for Embassy/Consulate student visa interview are New Delhi,
Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad, and Kolkata
Questions related to immigration, nationality, and education
are asked on DS โ 160 form. All the questions are in English
An alpha-numeric code is generated after completing the DS โ
160 form. Ensure to print out and also save a PDF format of the DS โ 160
receipt. The print-out is a mandatory requirement for visa interview
*To get detailed information visit the official website of
Homeland Security Department of USA
STEP 3
(F-1 visa interview application fee + Scheduling an appointment for OFC and Visa interview)
After successfully filling out the DS โ 160 form, proceed to
pay the F-1 visa interview fee.
The amount required for an F-1 visa interview is $160 i.e.
RS 11,132/- (as of June 2019)
The application fee can be paid through internet-banking or
mobile-banking services
The F-1 visa interview is scheduled for two days โ OFC
appointment and Visa Interview
*Note โ Students are advised to schedule their F-1 visa
interview at least 120 days before the university/college program is scheduled
to begin. It is understood that the Embassy/Consulate does not accept students
to complete their visa interview before 120 days.
STEP 4 (SEVIS I โ 901 form)
The SEVIS I โ 901 form fee is the last application step. The
I-901 form is a non-immigrant application form. It is applicable for types of
student visas i.e. F1, J exchange and M-1 visa. This form requires payment
depending on the type of visa.
The amount required to pay for F1 and M1 visas (I-901 form)
-$200 i.e. RS 13,949/- (as of June 2019)
The amount required to pay for J- exchange visa (I โ 901
form) – $180 i.e. RS 12,555/- (as of June 2019)
Finally, visit the Embassy/Consulate location you scheduled
to give youโre the United States of America student visa interview. The key to
nailing the visa interview is to stay confident and being as honest as
possible. You will be notified if your visa is approved or rejected immediately
after the interview. We are sure you will get through your final step to
studying in the United States.
Hereโs wishing you All the Best for your student visa!
