Student Visas

A student visa is a non-immigrant visa that allows a foreign individual to study and be educated in a country different from their country of origin. Since student visas are one of the most popular visas to request, record numbers of foreign students are studying in American schools. The student visa is considered to be a non-immigrant visa because it is obtained by individuals who wish to come to the United States for a specific purpose and for a specific period of time. There are three different types of student visas.

How to Find a Student Visa
Where to Apply for a Student VisaThe Application Process for a Student Visa
An important factor to recall when applying for a student visa is that one should not apply until they are accepted at an accredited American school. This accreditation must come from United States Citizenship and Immigration Services. If accepted, an applicant must first handle the task of getting Form I-20 completed. This form is a document that spells out the fact the school has accepted the individual, and will be completed jointly between the two parties. The signatures of both parties must be present on the document to legalize it. The school uses this form to keep track of all students who posses student visas, both for security reasons as well as organizational purposes.

Once this form is properly filled out, two more forms must be filled out, both non-immigrant visa forms. These forms should both be brought into the embassy and or consulate when the individual is required to go on their necessary interview. The interview should be scheduled early enough so that the applicant is not pressed for time in obtaining their student visa. Bringing in the documents, along with previous scholarly transcripts, a current passport, standardized test scores, and proof of ability to pay for both tuition and living expenses is necessary. After the interview, an individual is digitally fingerprinted. Their application is reviewed by a consult and approved or denied. A student visa can legally only be issued 120 days or less in advance of the day that the individuals school begins the registration process. If the applicant files for the student visa before this 120-day deadline, then the actual application will be held until the time comes to be able to legally process it.

Necessary Forms for a Student Visawork visaSpecial Considerations for a Student Visa

Necessary Requirements for a Student Visa
There are many requirements for obtaining a student visa. Besides all the necessary paper work, it is necessary to have a both a background check and a fingerprint screening. Due to this, a clean criminal background is imperative to obtaining a student visa. Students are also required to have proof of adequate funds to cover tuition as well as living expenses.