In this section, we will review matters associated with being an international student with an F-1 student visa in the U.S. There are 5 topics discussed below:
(A) documents
(B) getting your visa
(C) arriving in the U.S.
(D) travel abroad and re-entry
(E) maintaining legal immigration status.
It is important to know that since September 11, 2001, many changes have occurred in U.S. immigration law and enforcement. The former "Immigration and Naturalization Service" (INS) moved into the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Services and benefits are now housed in U.S. CIS (U.S. Citizen and Immigration Services), while the electronic tracking system "SEVIS" (Student and Exchange Visitor Information System) is housed in U.S. ICE (U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement).
SEVIS is a computerized U.S. federal government system that maintains and manages data about foreign students and exchange visitors during their stay in the United States. For more than 50 years, U.S. educational institutions have been required to maintain such information about foreign students studying at their facilities. In the past, this was a decentralized, inefficient, and paper-driven system. SEVIS, for the first time, automates and centralizes this data. SEVIS allows for real-time access to this information and helps students comply with the terms of their visas.
First, you will need to obtain (1) a passport from your country of citizenship. Next, you'll use (2) the SEVIS I-20 that has been mailed to you by Allegheny College to obtain (3) a F-1 visa at the appropriate U.S. Consulate in your home country. Please make sure you have the latest information on visa applications (see section B(4) below).
(1) Passport
Passports provide proof of citizenship and are issued by the appropriate government
ministry in a person's home country; passports enable people to travel internationally and to re-enter their home country. In place of passports, some people hold a certificate of identity. For students, it is best that passports have an expiration date at least six months after the amount of time required to complete the course of study in the United States (this time period is also known as the "duration of status" in the United States). However, students whose passports will expire before their course of study is complete in the U.S. will have to renew their passport either in their home country or at the embassy of their home country in Washington, D.C. This should be done several months before the passport expires.
(2) SEVIS Form I-20 (for F1 visas)
The I-20 is the form that certifies your eligibility to apply for an F-1 visa and to obtain F-1 student status.
You will be issued an I-20 by Allegheny College's International Office. As soon as you receive your I-20, verify that the following information on your I-20 is valid and correct:
a. the spelling of your name: make sure that it is in the same form and spelling as on your passport;
b. the date and country of birth, degree program, reporting date, completion date,
financial information. If the reporting date is passed, the I-20 has expired and cannot be used;
c. the college "PDSO", i.e., "Principal Designated School Official", has signed the I-20 (at Allegheny, it is Jenny Kawata, Director, International Office)
The I-20 is one of documents necessary to obtain the F-1 visa stamp at the U.S. Consulate, and to enter the U.S. You will also need it to leave and re-enter the U.S., as well as to prove your legal status in the country. When your application to obtain an F-1 visa has been approved by the U.S. Consulate, the I-20 will be placed in a sealed envelope by the consular officials and returned to you. When you arrive at the U.S. port-of-entry, the envelope will be opened and the I-20 will be processed (see below). Item #5 of the I-20 indicates the date by which F-1 students are required to enter the U.S.; make sure you enter the U.S. by that date!
(3) U.S. Visa Stamp
In order to enter the United States, self-sponsored international students who have been accepted for full-time study in academic or language programs are required to apply for and obtain an F-1 non-immigrant visa at a U.S. consulate/embassy in their home country. The F-1 visa is stamped or otherwise affixed in your passport (see more information on obtaining the visa below). The visa DOES NOT determine how long you are allowed to stay in the U.S.; the F-1 visa indicates only the time period during which you are allowed to enter the U.S. as an F-1 student. It is the I-20 that provides the basis for your length of stay, and the I-94 that confirms your status once you enter the U.S. (for more information about the I-94, see section "C. Arriving in the U.S" below).
(1) Contact the U.S. Consulate under whose jurisdiction you fall to make sure you have the appropriate documents for your visa application, and that you are clear on application procedures.
(2) Below is the URL for the general listing of U.S. embassies and consulates on-line: www.usembassy.state.gov/
(3) The U.S. Department of State is now charging $200 SEVIS fee for persons applying for F and M visas with I-20 or $180 SEVIS fee for persons applying for with DS-2019 forms. Applicants whose I-20 or DS-2019 was issued before September 1, 2004 to begin a new program or issued for a continuation of an on-going program are not subject to the fee regardless of when they apply for their visa. Persons sponsored by the U.S. Federal Government are also exempt from payment of the fee.
Under the Instructions on how to pay the SEVIS Fee section it should read as follows:
You will need to fill in a Form I-901 with information from your Form I-20 and pay the required fee. This form can be found at www.fmjfee.com
For most people, the SEVIS I-901 fee is $200. You have the option of paying an additional $35 to have your receipt sent by expedited delivery (courier service) rather than by mail.
Completing the form online will help ensure that you provide all the information in the correct format. This helps speed processing.
There are a few payment options:
1. You can pay your fee by credit or debit card when you submit your form online. Always print a receipt. You will also receive a receipt by mail.
2. You can pay by international money order or check drawn on a financial institution in the United States and payable in United States currency.
If you fill in the Form I-901 online and choose the option to pay by check or money order, you will be able to print a payment coupon. There is a control number on the top of the coupon. Write the control number, your name and your SEVIS ID number on your check or money order and attach the coupon.
(4) This is a list of documents that you MAY need for your visa application (check the US Consulate website for current instructions relevant to your country):
(5) In order to issue your visa, the Consular Officer must be satisfied on three counts:
First, are you a bona fide student? The Officer will ask about your educational background and plans in order to assess how likely it is that you go the particular college you have been accepted to, and how likely it is that you will remain in school until graduation. Be prepared to discuss your reasons for studying at Allegheny, your anticipated major, and your career plans. Bring school transcripts, national examination results, and SAT or TOEFL scores (if these tests were required by your college), and anything else that demonstrates your academic commitment.
Second, is your sponsor financially capable? The U.S. government needs assurances
that you won't drop out of school or take a job illegally.
Your chances are improved if your parents are sponsoring your education. If anyone other than your parents is sponsoring you, you should explain your special relationship with this person, justifying a commitment of thousands of dollars to your education. Having family that lives in the U.S. sponsor you might be detrimental to obtaining a visa.
Provide solid evidence of your sponsor's finances, especially sources and amounts of income. This assures the Consular Officer that adequate funds will be available throughout your four-year college program. If your sponsor's income is from several different sources (such as salary, contracts, consulting fees, a farm, rental property, and investments), have the sponsor write a letter that lists and documents each source of income.
Third, are your ties to home so strong that you will not want to remain permanently in the United States? Under U.S. law, all applicants for nonimmigrant visas are viewed as intending immigrants until they can convince the consular officer that they are not. You must be able to show that your reasons for returning home are stronger than those for remaining in the United States.
The law states that you must demonstrate sufficient economic, family, and social ties to your place of residence to ensure that your stay in the United States will be temporary.
Economic ties include your family's economic position, property you may own or stand to inherit and your own economic potential when you come home with a U.S. education. The Consular Officer will be impressed to see evidence of your career planning and your knowledge of the local employment scene.
For family and social ties, the Consular Officer may ask how many close family members live in your home country, compared to those living in the States? What community or school activities have you participated in that demonstrate a sincere connection to your town or country? What leadership, sports, and other roles have distinguished you as a person who wants to come home and contribute your part?
Other Points to Remember When Applying for a Nonimmigrant Visa
i. ENGLISH. Anticipate that the interview will be conducted in English and not in your native language. If you are coming to the United States solely to study intensive English, be prepared to explain how English will be useful for you in your home country.
ii. SPEAK FOR YOURSELF. Do not bring parents or family members with you to the
interview. A negative impression is created if you are not prepared to speak on your own behalf.
iii. KNOW THE PROGRAM AND HOW IT SUITS YOUR CAREER PLANS when you return home.
iv. BE CONCISE. Because of the volume of applications received, all consular officers are under considerable time pressure to conduct a quick and efficient interview. They must make a decision, for the most part, on the impressions they form during the first minute or two of the interview. Consequently, what you say first and the initial impression you create are critical to your success. Keep your answers to the officer's questions short and to the point.
v. SUPPLEMENTAL DOCUMENTATION. It should be clear at a glance to the consular
officer what written documents you are presenting and what they signify. Lengthy written explanations cannot be quickly read or evaluated. Remember that you will have 2-3 minutes of interview time, if you are lucky.
vi. NOT ALL COUNTRIES ARE EQUAL. Applicants from countries suffering economic
problems or from countries where many students have remained in the United States
as immigrants will have more difficulty getting visas. Statistically, applicants from those countries are more likely to be intending immigrants. They are also more likely to be asked about job opportunities at home after their study in the United States.
vii. EMPLOYMENT. Your main purpose of coming to the United States should be to study, not for the chance to work before or after graduation. While many students do work off campus during their studies, such employment is incidental to their main purpose of completing their U.S. education. You must be able to clearly articulate your plan to return home at the end of your program.
viii. MAINTAIN A POSITIVE ATTITUDE. Do not engage the consular officer in an argument.
If you are denied a student visa, ask the officer for a list of documents he or she would suggest you bring in order to overcome the refusal. If your application is refused, the Consular Officer is required to give you an explanation in writing. You do have the right to apply a second time, but if you reapply, make sure to prepare much more carefully. The Consular Officer will want to see fresh evidence sufficient to overcome the reasons for the first denial.
If you have given careful thought to your educational goals and if you have reasonable career plans, you will find the visa interview an opportunity to prove you are ready to take the next big step in your education and your life: university in the United States.
(C) ARRIVING IN THE U.S.
(1) I-94 Form I-94 (arrival and departure record) is usually distributed on the airplane prior to landing at the airport; however, it may be issued electronically once you reach immigration inspection at the port-of-entry (POE). When you pass through the immigration check station, the agent will stamp the date of entry on your I-94, and make a notation of "F-1 D/S" (D/S = duration of status) on the card, indicating that you have been lawfully admitted as an F-1 student and that you may stay in the U.S. until you have completed your academic program. Check to make sure that the immigration officer stamps/lists "F-1 D/S" on your I-94. If a specific date is noted on this form instead of D/S, please contact the Allegheny International Office as soon as you arrive to campus.
The I-94 number is also your "admission number".
(2) I-20. The Immigration inspector will also make the same notations (admission number, F-1 stamp, D/S) on your I-20 that are made on the I-94.
The I-20 should not be collected by the immigration inspector; you should retain the original. However, on occasion, the inspector will keep the original, give you a copy and then send the original to Allegheny International Office; we'll pass it on to you.
(3) Temporary Admission with Form I-515
Sometimes a student arrives at the U.S. port-of-entry only to find that there is a signature missing on one of their immigration documents, or that something else might be incorrect. If the immigration inspector can see that this student arrived "in good faith," that is, the error is not intentional, the inspector might issue a form I-515 and admit the student to the U.S. for 30 days. The student must take the form I-515 to the International Student Advisor at Allegheny immediately so that the error can be corrected as soon as possible and the student's admission status is corrected. This is a different case than when students who did not acquire the appropriate visa or do not have their I-20. Immigration officials will not consider these students as arriving in good faith.
(D) TRAVEL ABROAD AND RE-ENTRY
When you leave the U.S., you will surrender your I-94 to the immigration inspector. The next time you return, you'll be issued a new I-94, and you will use the same admission number as previously issued.
In order to re-enter the U.S., you must have a valid passport; a current, validated I-20; and a valid F-1 visa.
The validating signature on the third page of your I-20 is officially valid for one year, but it is STRONGLY recommended that you have your I-20 validated each semester. F-1 students needing a new signature/form should bring their I-20s to the International Office at least one week PRIOR to departure.
Exception: Students traveling to Canada, Mexico, or adjacent islands (excluding Cuba) are not expected to surrender their I-94 cards if they plan to re-enter the U.S. within the 30-day time frame. Students may re-enter the country after a trip of 30 days or fewer, provided they have the above- mentioned documents and their I-94.
Once within the borders of the U.S., if your F-1 visa has expired, and you plan to go to Canada, Mexico or one of the Caribbean islands (other than Cuba), it will not be necessary to apply for a new visa to re-enter the U.S. It is always advisable that an international student talks to the International Student Advisor before traveling outside the U.S.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: terms to know and processes to remember
FULL COURSE OF STUDY: If you cannot be enrolled full-time (12 credits for undergraduates), you must receive authorization/permission from the Principal Designated School Official in the IO in advance. You and your academic advisor must complete the IO/Dean of Students form, "Request for Authorization to Drop Below Full-Time Enrollment," and submit it to the IO prior to registering for less than full-time or prior to dropping below full-time.
Remember that your "full-load" at Allegheny is 16 credits per semester; that is, in order to graduate in 4 years, you need to complete an average of 16 credits per semester, even though "full-time" for federal requirements is 12 credits/semester.
EMPLOYMENT: You are NOT allowed to work in the United States without authorization. F-1 students are allowed to work on campus up to 20 hours per week when school is in session. However, Allegheny's financial aid package usually provides only 10-15 hours of work.
CHANGE OF ADDRESS: IMPORTANT!! You must report any change of address or residence and/or any change of name directly to the International Office on Form AR-11 within 10 days of the change. The IO will then electronically notify USICE of the change, via SEVIS, within 21 days, as required by the new regulations.
PASSPORT: You must maintain a valid passport at all times, unless exempt from passport requirements.
TRANSFER TO ANOTHER SCHOOL: You must notify the International Office of your intent to transfer, obtain a Form I-20 from the new institution, and report to the Designated School Official at the new school within 15 days of the program start date listed on the Form I-20.
PROGRAM EXTENSION: You must apply for an extension of your program of study prior to the expiration date on your Form I-20 if you cannot complete your program by that date. F-1 students must make an appointment with the Director of the IO to begin the extension process 30-60 days prior to the expiration date of the Form I-20, so the extension can be completed prior to the expiration date on the document.
TRAVEL: You must notify the IO prior to traveling outside the U.S. so that your I-20 can be endorsed for travel or a new form can be issued, if required. Students must allow at least 1 week PRIOR to the travel date in order for the form to be endorsed or a new one to be issued. Due to SEVIS operations, we cannot guarantee that forms that are submitted less than one week prior to travel can be endorsed or new ones issued.
DEPENDENTS: You must notify the IO of any accompanying dependents in F-2 status and provide biographical information (e.g., full name, address, country of birth) and immigration information (e.g., passport information, visa information) regarding those dependents using the IO "Dependent Information Form." The IO is required to report information to USICE regarding your dependents.
IMPORTANT NOTE: This information is not exhaustive and is subject to change without notice. International students and scholars should contact the International Office at 814/332.4891 to arrange an appointment to discuss any questions or concerns related to your legal status in the United States.
Legal immigration status can be jeopardized if proper procedures are not followed, so it is always best to consult with the International Student Advisor in matters of immigration before taking any action.
We would like to thank Mary Lee Carter, President, International Student/Scholar Resources, Phoenix, AZ, (mcarter01@cox.net) for advice and comments for this handout.
Portions of the section on visa application were produced by NAFSA: Association of International Educators. NAFSA would like to credit Gerald A. Wunsch , Esq., 1997, then a member of the Consular Issues Working Group, and a former U.S. Consular Officer in Mexico, Suriname, and the Netherlands and Martha Wailes of Indiana University for their contributions to this document. NAFSA also appreciates the input of the U.S. Department of State.
