Congratulations on receiving your admission at your dream university in USA! Your months-long hard work and persistence have finally yielded results in the form of the most awaited university admit and I-20 form. Now it is time to move towards the second half of your study abroad journey post receiving I-20.
Now you must have the clarification on how to move forward and get the visa processing approved. Getting a visa for MS in USA is not quite as difficult as it seems. You just need to follow some simple steps once you have the I-20 form. This blog will help you with the application process for the DS-160 form to your visa interview.
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Overview of I-20 Form
An I-20 form is a multi-purpose document to study for a full-time degree at a US university. This is issued by recognised US government-approved educational institutions indicating student's admittance in the program. It also shows sufficient financial resources required to stay in the country.
Apart from being a study document, the i-20 form is officially considered a "Certificate of Eligibility" as it assists the students in applying for the F-1 student visa to the US embassy.
Student & Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP)
SEVIS is an electronic system that supervises applicants with F -1 and M-1 visas. It operates with US public agencies to ensure that every visa student follows the government's guidelines and regulations. Most of the courses are certified by the SEVIS programs in USA.
The purpose of SEVP is to maintain students' financial testimonials and documents in the government database. This may include your proof of financial resources, account statement, and other relevant information.
When to Apply for F-1 Student Visa?
I-20 Form Structure For International Students
The i-20 form for international students is of two types based on the type of US visa. These are offered to F1 and M1 Visa students. F1 Visa is generally for students pursuing academic and language courses, whereas M1 Visa is for vocational courses. The structure of the I-20 forms further has three pages which contains
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Who Can Sponsor a US Student Visa?
Availability of I-20 Form
The I-20 form is generally provided by the university you have taken admission to. The university mostly sends it along with your acceptance letter. So, in case you want to change any information in the form, you need first to inform your designated school officials. However, before getting the I-20 form, you need to complete some prerequisites at the university given below:
- Your Bank Certifications
- Sponsored certificates
- Proof of financial resources
- Loan sanction letters
- Account statement
- Scholarship letters
Financial Planning for US Student Visa
Reasons to Modify I-20 Form For International Students
If you have applied for several universities and have been accepted to a majority of them. In that case, the university will grant you extra time to choose one. As only one I-20 form is required to apply for the student visa.
Here are some of the modifications or updates you can make to your I-20 form:
- Change in personal information
- Visa status update
- Change in university or program you are pursuing
- Program start or end date
- OPT and CPT
When to Get I-20 Form?
After successfully submitting the documents at the university, it will typically take one to two weeks to process your I-20 form. However, you can also check the status of your form using the tracking number sent by the university. The SEVIS number is also given in your form.
Application Process After I-20 Form
Once you receive the I-20 form, the next step is to apply for visa processing. Here we have listed the procedure you can follow after the I-20 form:
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Fill out DS-160 Form
DS-160 is basically an online non-immigrant visa application important to submit to a visa consular officer. This may contain all your personal and academic details and experience required by the visa officer during the interview. Ensure that the details you provide are true to the best of your knowledge.
All the details filled in the application must be aligned with your passport. Also, you need to have your SEVIS number printed on your I-20 form. The next step for you is to fill out your application and save the form for further use.
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SEVIS Payment
SEVIS fees are the required amount you must pay before your visa interview confirmation. The fee required is around 200 USD for international students. You can pay it via your credit card, unlike the scheduling fee. You must have the following documents while paying the fees.
- Your SEVIS ID
- Birth Country
- Date of Birth
- Citizenship
- School code (specified on I-20 form)
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Visa Appointment Scheduled
The most significant part of visa processing is the visa interview. But before appearing in front of the visa officer, you must go through an OFC or Offsite Facilitation Centre appointment. You have to visit the OFC centre to provide your biometrics and photographs. It must be done before the visa interview.
You can book both of your visa appointments and OFC by paying 160 USD in the application. The following documents are required at the OFC centre:
- DS-160 Confirmation
- I-20 Form
- Copy of Passport
- Visa Appointment letter
- Fees Receipt
Difference between J1 and F1 Visa
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Financial Proof
You also need to prove you are sufficient to study in the US along with your expenses in the states. You must show your visa officer certain documents to avoid rejection. This may include your full-time one-year tuition fees, and the living expenses to study in USA.
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Prepare For Visa Interview
The visa application is an important aspect of determining your application. Make sure you can present yourself confidently as it creates a big impact in determining your visa confirmation. Also, you must remember to contain all the essential documents at your interview.
Scholarships for Indian Students in USA!
So that was all about steps to follow after receiving your I-20 form, its time to make the next moves towards studying in USA. For further guidance and assistance in your study abroad journey, do get in touch with our Yocket Professionals.
