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To conquer the dream of studying in US, the first step that every international student needs to take is to apply for a visa. Among the U.S. student visas, F-1, J-1, and M-1, the F-1 visa is considered the most popular. So what is a US F1 visa? What are the conditions for applying for a US F-1 visa? What are the steps to apply for an F-1 visa? Let's find out more with IDP in this article!
The U.S. F-1 visa is a visa for international students participating in full-time study programs in the U.S., including elementary, high school, college, university, or English language learning (ELS) programs. This is the most common type of U.S. student visa, administered by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and issued through the sponsorship of U.S. schools.
In addition, if international students are accompanied by a spouse or child, they will be issued an F-2 visa, which allows their family to accompany them throughout their studies in the United States. Note that the F-1 visa for international students is completely different from the F1 visa, which is for U.S. citizens who sponsor a single child over the age of 21.
When applying for an F-1 visa to study in the United States, students and students need to meet a number of conditions and prove at the visa interview to increase their chances of getting a visa. Here are the conditions for applying for a visa:
You must be enrolled in an academic program, language training, or vocational program.
The school you choose must be approved by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP).
You need to be enrolled full-time at your chosen institution.
You must be fluent in English or take courses to improve your English proficiency.
You need to prove that you have enough financial resources to support yourself during your studies in the United States.
You must prove that you do not intend to stay in the U.S. after graduation. The purpose of coming to the United States is only to study and has no other purpose.
To apply for an F-1 U.S. student visa, you need to take the following important steps:
Apply for I-20
Fill out and complete the DS-160 form
Payment of visa fees
Schedule an F-1 visa interview
Pay SEVIS fees
Attend the interview
U.S. international students on an F-1 visa are not allowed to work off-campus during their first year of study but can accept on-campus employment for a limited period of time. After the first year, students can work off-campus. However, any off-campus work must be related to the field of study and approved by the school and immigration authorities.
Three types of jobs that students can do off-campus:
Curricular Practical Training (CPT):
This is a compulsory internship related to the discipline and is approved by the officer in charge
(OPT):
Allows students to work in the U.S. before or after graduation for up to 12 months
STEM Optional Practical Training:
Allows students to work in the U.S. 36 months before or after graduation.
When preparing to study in the US, in addition to tuition and living expenses, you also need to pay attention to the cost of F1 visa birth. Here are the costs that you have to pay to get a visa:
The F-1 visa application fee is about $160.
The SEVIS I-901 fee is $350.
To maintain legal student status, you need to comply with immigration regulations and can refer to the details on the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) website. Failure to leave the U.S. on time may result in loss of residency status and affect your ability to apply for a visa in the future, as your visa will be automatically invalidated.
In conclusion, the F1 visa is an important visa that helps international students have the opportunity to study in the US. However, to maintain legal status and avoid legal troubles, students need to pay attention to the regulations on the length of stay and visa extensions when necessary.
If you want to know more details about the conditions and steps to apply for an F-1 visa to study in the US, don't hesitate to contact the IDP hotline 19006955 for detailed advice. IDP is always ready to listen and accompany you throughout your study abroad journey, financial advice, visas, complete application preparation , and complete the necessary procedures.
In addition to assisting with obtaining an F-1 visa, IDP also provides a comprehensive service from school selection, hunting assistance scholarships to study in the USA, Register for IELTS, to the Student Services (such as finding a house, finding a guardian, transferring money internationally, etc.).
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