The United States of America is students’ premium choice for higher education. Many of the world’s top-class institutions reside in the US that provides scope for cross-cultural understanding, innovation and research, real-world job experience and development of original thought. Moreover, numerous undergraduate, graduate and research programs belonging to diverse disciplines are available in the US. Therefore, studying at a renowned US university can be a path-breaking decision that can lead to opportunities to foster a successful career. In order to pursue your education in this country, the US Visa requirement needs to be fulfilled.
In this article, we will discuss the various aspects related to the US visa for Indian students.
Who needs a student visa?
In order to pursue your education in the United States, a student visa is required. Indian students need to apply for a student visa if they wish to pursue any of the following educational programs from a recognised institute in the US: -
- Private elementary school
- Primary and secondary schools
- High school exchange programs
- Language training program
- Seminary or conservatory schools
- Bachelors or Masters study and research
- Vocational or any other non-academic programs.
Types of student visa in the US-
The nature of your study and type of school determines which visa is suitable for you as there are three types of students visas in the United States namely: -
- F Student Visa: Required to study at an accredited U.S. university or to study English at an English language institute.
- J Exchange Visa: Required if you participate in any exchange programs at the high school or university level
- M Student Visa: Required for vocational, non-academic study or training in the US.
What are the documents needed?
Apart from documents supporting your financial and academic records, following are the documents needed that need to be uploaded with your visa application online. These documents should be carried for your visa interview as well, so it’s advisable to keep hard copies of the same with you.
- A printed copy of the DS-160 form
- Original or copy of the interview appointment letter
- Copy of the I-20 form sent by the college you’ve been accepted in
- Confirmation receipt of the visa fee payment
- Bank statements (personal, parent’s or guardian’s) showing credible assets to pay for the first year of your education program
- Original mark sheets of latest examination cleared, provincial certificates, certified copies of character certificates, recommendation letters and other essential documents
- Score sheets of exams such as GMAT, IELTS, TOEFL etc.
- Payslips
Procedure to apply for the student visa
- Once you have been accepted by a Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) school, the next step is to obtain a student visa. Follow the steps mentioned below to apply for a US visa for Indian students.
- Paying the I-901 SEVIS fee
The next step involves paying the I-901 SEVIS fee. By filing for an online form available on the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) SEVP website, you can successfully pay the I-901 SEVIS fee. After the payment is finished, do print out your confirmation page as it will be required during your visa interview.
- Filling the Form DS-160
Now you can make an appointment for a US student visa application from the nearest US embassy or consulate. Following this, you will be required to complete the DS-160 form online. Here, you will select the location from which you wish to apply, fill the required personal details and upload your recent photograph.After the form is complete, you’ll need to electronically sign the DS -160 by clicking on the ‘Sign Application’ button. Once the application is uploaded, you’ll get a confirmation page with a barcode number, barcode and your application ID number. Be sure to print out your confirmation page to be taken to your visa interview.
Payment of the visa fee-
The visa fee is also known as the Machine Readable Visa Fee or ‘MRV fee’. This is a non-transferrable, non-refundable fee. It can be paid online, directly at the approved bank or by your phone as well. The MRV fee receipt should be kept safely to be shown at the visa interview.
- Completion of the medical examination –
Visa applicants must complete medical check-ups with authorized physicians, as recommended by the US Embassy or Consulate, before their scheduled visa interview date. Please note that completion of the exam after the interview may delay your visa application.
- Scheduling the Visa interview-
Upon submission of the Form DS- 16, you need to contact the nearest US embassy or Consulate to schedule a visa interview. This can be done online, by phone or directly calling the office. Certain documents are necessary for this interview, so it’s better to check out embassy or consulate’s website to ensure that you have all the documents.
- Arrival of the US visa
You will be duly informed when your visa along with the passport will be returned to you, usually, they are delivered by courier. The status of the US Visa for Indian students can also be tracked online.
Things to keep in mid
When applying for a US visa for Indians, these are some crucial things to follow: -
- The SEVIS fee should be paid at least three days before submitting an application for a US student visa.
- Students must be vigilant in answering all the questions or filling details in the Form DS-160, Form I-20 or Form DS-2019. Any error in these details may lead to rescheduling of your visa appointment.
- The F-1 and M-1 student visas can be issued 120 days prior to you’re the start date of your college, but the entry in the US is not permissible 30 days before your start date. Whereas, the J-1 visas can be issued at any time., it is important that you inform the immigration department at the earliest.
- You should keep hard and soft copies of all your documents safely with you. In case of theft or loss, these will be extremely useful.
- Students must adhere to the working hours mentioned in their visas.
- Students should ensure not to overstay their ‘duration of status’ or “D/S” mentioned in their I-94 cards which are issued by the customs officials.
Reasons for rejection
Following are the reasons that can lead to US visa rejection
- You have provided inadequate proof of sufficient funds
- Intent to leave the US on completion of the education program was not provided.
- You failed to pass the medical examination.
- Discrepancies in your police clearance certificate.
- Filling incorrect or false information in your application form.
- If you apply for the student visa with little time left for your program to start, you can be declared ineligible for your student visa.
- Failing to turn up for the interview or not bringing all the required documents to the interview can terminate your application.
The United States of America is an excellent country to pursue higher education or research. Just be wary of the above information to obtain US visa for Indians to conveniently receive your student visa. If not for educational purposes, you should acquire a US tourist visa for Indians to explore the world’s greatest country!