The procedure for applying for a US student visa is said to be a relatively complicated process and easy to confuse students' families when deciding to send their children to study abroad in this country. So is it difficult to apply for a visa when studying in the US, is the preparation time long, how much does it cost and what are the steps,... Let's answer the above questions with IDP through this article!

1. Types of U.S. student visas

Before starting the process preparation steps, you need to find out how many types of U.S. student visas are available.

In order for your visa application to be approved, the first thing to do is to understand the type of U.S. student visa

1.1. US Student Visa F

The "F" visa is arguably the most common of the U.S. student visas. Any international student who wants to attend a high school, foreign language school, college or university in the U.S. is eligible for this type of visa, as long as the school is approved by the U.S. government to allow international students to participate. There are 3 types of F visas that international students need to know, namely:

  • US F1 Student Visa:

Students applying for a full-time course in the U.S. will be granted this type of visa. With an F1 U.S. student visa, you can work a minimum of 20 hours of overtime in a week, as long as you have permission from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). In addition, this visa also allows international students the opportunity to choose whether or not to participate in an internship program 1 year after graduation.

  • US F2 Student Visa:

This is a visa for people who have a dependent relationship with the person who is granted an F1 visa. Dependency here means that the spouse or biological child is unmarried and under the age of 21. This type of visa allows same-sex couples as well.

  • US F3 Student Visa:

This is a sponsored visa for students from countries such as Canada and Mexico (over 21 years old) whose parents are immigrating, also known as US citizens.

1.2. US student visa type M

After the F visa, the M visa is also classified as popular for international students in the US. But this is a visa for students who are participating in research courses, non-academic training courses, or students who go to vocational training. Similar to the US student visa type F, the M visa has 3 types as follows:

  • M1 U.S. Student Visa:

International students enrolled in vocational courses, non-academic training courses, or research courses will be granted this type of visa. The validity period of the M1 visa is less than 1 year and does not allow the recipient of this visa to work overtime.

  • M2 U.S. Student Visa:

This is a visa reserved for people who have a dependent relationship with the person who is granted an M1 visa. As long as you are in a relationship with a spouse or a biological child under the age of 21 who is not married, you will be granted a visa under this category. M1 visas are also applied to same-sex couples.

  • M3 U.S. Student Visa:

Students who live in other countries such as Canada and Mexico but are enrolled in a non-academic apprenticeship or research program in the U.S. will be considered for this visa.

1.3. US student visa type J

The J-class U.S. student visa is for international students studying on a cultural exchange program sponsored by a private or government organization. This type of visa is ranked among the least common types of student visas in the United States. Each cultural exchange program will have its own criteria and international students who want to be granted this type of visa must meet all those criteria. The maximum duration for a J visa is only 1 or more than 2 semesters. The 2 subtypes of J visas are:

  • US J1 Student Visa:

The target is international students studying cultural exchange in the US. During the study process, if international students want to change their study program or want to register for permanent residence in the United States, they must accept to return to their home country when their visa expires and stay for at least 2 years to complete new procedures.

  • J2 US Student Visa:

This type of visa is reserved for people who are dependent on the J1 visa holder (unmarried spouse or biological child under the age of 21). The J2 visa is similar to F2 and M2, which are applied to same-sex couples.

2. Conditions for issuing a US student visa

First, you need to have an I-20: This is a form of letter confirming that you have successfully registered for a study program from a school or training institution in the US. In this confirmation letter, there will be key information such as the visa category that the student is classified into, general information, the duration of the course with the content of the study program, tuition fees and financial information that your family has prepared in advance.

Next is the financial requirements: In the application for admission, it is impossible not to have information confirming the family's finances. To put it more simply, it is the amount of money that your family can pay you during your studies, along with your income level and the main sponsor's valuable asset statistics.

Verification of financial status is a prerequisite for the applicant to agree to allow you to study in the U.S.

Finally, a clear and detailed study plan: To make a good impression in the admission application, you need to clearly state your study plan throughout the study program. The clearer and more detailed the plan, the more you show that you have clear learning goals and know how to pursue them.

Contact IDP

3. Documents to be prepared to apply for a US student visa

Preparing your application for a visa is an extremely important and decisive step for whether you are eligible to study in the U.S. or not. Therefore, you should also pay attention to finding out information about procedures as well as how to arrange documents reasonably, in order to increase the rate of being approved as high as possible.

3.1. Documents Required by the U.S. Consulate

The 8 types of documents to prepare include:

  • Original passport: valid for more than 6 months; there are at least 2 blank pages.

  • Confirmation of completion of the DS-160 application (English form submitted online for visa application, applicable to US visa applicants for non-immigrant purposes such as Tourism (B1, B2), Study Abroad (F, M, J),...).

  • 1 5×5 size white background photo clipped in the left corner of the DS-160 confirmation sheet, requires polite dress, clear ears, no glasses, and a maximum of 6 months apart.

  • The original letter of admission (I-20) sent by the U.S. school includes the signature of the issuer and the signature of the international student.

  • Appointment confirmation (After paying the fee and making an appointment on the Embassy website).

  • SEVIS security fee receipt (the U.S. Department of Defense Security and Defense's system for tracking and monitoring, which can access accurate information about the student's behavior and living in the U.S.).

3.2. Personal documents and education level

You need to have all the following 9 types of documents:

  • Original birth certificate.

  • Household registration book.

  • Passport of one parent.

  • Transcripts or transcripts of all levels of education as of the time of application.

  • Diploma at all previous levels.

  • Certificate of student (for those who are attending school)

  • English Certificate

  • Certificates of merit, medals, other certificates (school/district/city level competitions or extracurricular activities of the school).

  • Special Certificates (SAT/ ACT, GMAT/GRE,...).

3.3. Application for a US student visa proving financial proof

  • Passbook/ Bank account balance confirmation.

  • Certificate of land use rights (houses).

  • Business registration documents (if the sponsor is the business owner), Labor Contract/ Letter of Appointment (if the sponsor is an employee).

  • Tax documents (business tax or personal income tax, as the case may be).

  • Capital contribution contracts, economic contracts (house/land lease, product purchase and sale,...),...

  • Payslip or statement of account for the last 3-6 months of the financial sponsor.

  • Ownership papers of vehicles, boats and ships,...

  • Documents of other financial sources (can be shown on the paper).

You can refer to more details aboutWhat are the procedures and documents for studying in the United States?to prepare as best as possible right in Vietnam!

4. Steps to apply for a US student visa

The time to apply for a U.S. student visa usually falls between 3 and 5 months before the date of admission. Make sure you read carefully and understand the following basic steps to obtain a visa:

4.1. Step 1: Apply to receive I - 20 from schools in the US

After determining the school you will attend, you need to find a reputable center for assistance with the school's I-20 application form. After obtaining an I-20, you are eligible for an F-1 or M-1 visa. Each school and study program has different application forms and requirements, the documents that are usually required will be school records, degrees and certificates related to English...

4.2. Step 2: Pay the SEVIS fee

SEVIS is a system that uses the internet to store information on students studying abroad who are not immigrants in F or M categories and exchange students. You should note that the payment period for this fee is at least three days before applying for a visa. Once completed, you should print out the payment confirmation in case you are required to present a confirmation document.

4.3. Step 3: Complete the application form for the US Student Visa DS-160

The DS-160 form only needs to be filled out online. What you need to do is to reconfirm the necessary information such as school (SEVIS ID and school address), personal information (name, date of birth, passport, phone number, address in Vietnam and contact address in the US, medical information, family, etc ..) to fill out the form.

4.4. Step 4: Pay the US student visa application fee

The next step is equally important, which is to pay the fee for applying for a US student visa (MRV fee – machine visa reading fee). This form of fee payment is also quite simple, but you should still read the payment instructions on the official websites of the embassy carefully to understand the information and in case of any changes. After payment, you will also need to keep the receipt to submit when you enter the visa interview.

4.5. Step 5: Complete the dossier with all the necessary documents

This is a step that requires very careful preparation of documents, so after completing the dossier, you should check it carefully again. This helps you avoid missing documents or be able to promptly supplement a certain type of required paperwork.

Free Visa Consultation

4.6. Step 6: Arrange and participate in an interview at the U.S. Consulate

Once you have prepared everything, you can proceed to make an appointment to participate in the visa interview. The registration form includes 2 ways: online registration or calling the nearest consulate or embassy. The waiting time for visa interview appointments is not the same, depending on the location, time and type of visa you are participating in.

See more:U.S. student visa interview experience

5. How long does it take to apply for a U.S. student visa?

Normally, the time to receive your visa from the time you send your application will fall within 5 to 9 days. The time for the Consular Officer to review your application will be about 2 days. Then, if the application passes the approval round, it will take about 3 to 7 days depending on your visa address. However, in cases where there is a lack of documents, it is necessary to supplement them, the time will be longer than usual.

Usually your application for a U.S. student visa will be approved by the Consular Officer within about 2 business days

The process of preparing a set of documents will usually take about 4 to 10 weeks. In which, 3 days to 6 weeks is the timeline for you to successfully apply for a confirmation letter I - 20. In the meantime, it will take you about 2 to 4 weeks to prepare your financial documents. Finally, when everything is ready, you need to spend about 2 to 4 weeks practicing for the visa interview with the U.S. Consulate.

6. Some interview experience at the U.S. Consulate

Many of you ask whether it is difficult to apply for a US student visa, the most difficult for many students is the interview for a US student visa - a rather stressful thing. So, it is very important to seek the necessary information about the interview experience from the predecessors, helping you to be more confident when entering the interview. You can refer to the Youtube channel of the predecessors for more information.

6.1. Double-check all documents in the US visa application

Before entering the interview, you need to double-check the documents in your visa application. Because if you are missing any of the documents, you will have to cancel the appointment and reschedule another interview to supplement the documents. This is very time-consuming and can affect both the outcome of the interview, as well as your admission time.

6.2. Prepare for common interview questions in advance

Searching and preparing for frequently asked questions in advance helps you have a more confident mindset, and reduces the case of being surprised by familiar questions, which can be completely searched on Google. There are 3 frequently asked questions during a visa interview as follows:

1 - Why did you choose the US as your study abroad destination? You can answer because the United States is an extremely advanced country and has made outstanding advances in technology, science, and education,... You admire that development and want to learn these things, return to your homeland to apply what you have learned, and contribute to the development of the country.

Careful preparation of possible questions helps you a lot during the interview process

2 - Why did you choose this university? To this question, each person will have their own answers. You should point out a few outstanding advantages of the school and the major you are studying. In addition, a school with many international students is also a reason for most students to choose.

3 – What are your plans after graduation? Regarding the plan after graduation, you should answer clearly, the clearer it is, the better the impression will be made. You can say that you want to stay in the U.S. to work for 1 to 2 years to gain experience, but then go back to Vietnam to work.

6.3. Respond quickly and concisely to correct personal information

In general, the purpose of the visa interview is to check whether the information in the application is accurate or not as well as to consider the attitude and status of the international student. Therefore, you need to understand the information provided in the dossier. When asked about these parts, you should give the shortest and most accurate answer to create trust and credibility for the interview panel.

6.4. Prepare for psychological comfort

Going into the interview with a relaxed mindset will help you limit the problems caused by stress. Instead, you can fully express your communication skills and confidence in your answers.

Therefore, before the interview date, you should not try to cram or put too much pressure on yourself. Take time to rest and relax after a series of hard days of preparing your application as well as reviewing for the interview.

In the interview, the more confident you are, the better the impression you will make on the person opposite you. However, confidence is different from trying to express yourself more than necessary. You can view the interview as a casual conversation, answer any questions confidently, and if possible, present it as a story to engage the interviewer.

The interview, of course, will be entirely in English. However, if there is an answer that is too difficult to express in English, don't hesitate to ask the interviewer if you can explain it in Vietnamese. If your reasons are reasonable, people will not hesitate to let you use your native language to answer a few questions.

7. Notes for international students when coming and studying in the US

There are a few notes for international students when coming to study and live in the US as follows, you should take note of these things because these are very necessary.

When you arrive in the US, you need to note:

  • No entry into the U.S. is allowed 30 days earlier than the start date of your program of study

  • Contact the staff appointed by the school when you enter the U.S. for the first time

  • Contact the school-appointed staff member again, no later than the program start date listed on the I-20 form

  • Make sure your visa is still valid

  • Fulfilling the purpose of why the US Department of State has issued a visa

  • Compliance with regulations related to that purpose

During your time studying in the U.S., you need to comply with the following regulations:

  • You must attend and pass all subjects. If you find it too difficult to study, you should speak to your school-appointed staff member (DSO) immediately

  • If you think you will not be able to complete the program by the end date listed on Form I-20, you will need to talk to the DSO to request an extension of the program

  • You must take a full course each semester. If you are unable to study full-time, contact your DSO immediately

  • You cannot drop out of a full course without consulting the DSO.

Reading this far, you must have grasped the procedure for applying for U.S. student visa already. Next, you should look for a reliable place to assist you in preparing the necessary baggage. An IDP is just what you need right now. IDP Education Vietnam has always held a leading position in providing study abroad consulting and educational development services in Vietnam. Hurry up Contact IDP for free study abroad advice in the US or hotline 1900 6955 to be consulted and supported by our professional team right away!

Related article:

Register Now