United States embassies and consulates may have different procedures and required documents. Be sure to consult your specific embassy or consulate location for details.
Generally, international students applying for an F-1 or J-1 student visa at a U.S. Embassy or U.S. Consulate will need to present the following:
Establishing Nonimmigrant Intent
During the visa interview, you must present evidence that you do not intend to abandon your home country. You must demonstrate that you have significant economic, professional, and personal ties or reasons to return home once your degree program is done. Strong ties are not strictly defined and can vary by country, region, and individual. Consular officers have discretion to decide whether the applicant has demonstrated sufficient nonimmigrant intent. It may be helpful to collect supporting documentation, which can include property ownership, investments, family and other social relationships, or offer of future employment. These items are not mandatory, nor do they guarantee that your visa will be approved. Instead, it is important to understand that each applicant is evaluated individually during their interview.
Visa officers understand that younger applicants, such as undergraduate students, may not have the same opportunities to establish formal ties. However, you should be prepared to speak about your intentions and goals, long-term plans, and reasons to return back to your home country. Unfortunately, there is no standard combination of documents or circumstances that will automatically satisfy nonimmigrant intent.
Under U.S. law, people who apply for nonimmigrant visas, such as F-1 or J-1 student visas, are viewed as “intending immigrants” (who want to live permanently in the U.S.) until they can convince the consular officer that they are not. You must, therefore, be able to show that you have reasons for returning to your “residence abroad” (usually in your home country) that are stronger than reasons for remaining in the United States and that you intend to depart the United States at the conclusion of your studies.
"Ties" to your home country are the things that connect you to your hometown, homeland, or current place of residence: job, family, owning a house or apartment, financial prospects that you own or will inherit, investments, etc. If you are a prospective student, the interviewing officer may ask about your specific plans or promise of future employment, family or other relationships, educational objectives, grades, long-range plans and career prospects in your home country. Each person's situation is different, of course, and there is no magic explanation or single document, certificate, or letter which can guarantee visa issuance. If you have applied for the U.S. Diversity (green card) Lottery, you may be asked if you intend to immigrate. If you applied for the lottery but do not intend to immigrate, be prepared to clarify that, for instance, by explaining that you applied for the lottery since it was available but not with a specific intent to immigrate. For further details about this topic, you can visit the State Department’s Foreign Affairs Manual [9 FAM 402.5-5(E)], which explains the basics of what consular officers will be looking for in the interview process.
The interview will generally be conducted in English and not in your native language. One suggestion is to practice English conversation with a native speaker before the interview, but do not prepare speeches! Expect to have an interactive conversation with the consular officer about your plans for studying in the United States and beyond, your goals, and your ties to your home country. If you are coming to the United States to study intensive English, be prepared to explain how English will be useful for you in your home country.
For further details about this topic, you can visit the State Department’s Foreign Affairs Manual [9 FAM 402.5-5(F)].
Because of the large number of applications they receive, all consular officers are under considerable time pressure to conduct a quick interview. They must make a decision, for the most part, on the impressions they form during the first minute of the interview. What you say first and the first impression you create are critical to your success. Keep your answers to the officer's questions short and to the point, responding precisely to the consular officer’s questions and statements. Do not have an argument with the officer. If you are denied a student visa, ask the officer for a list of documents he or she would suggest you bring to overcome the denial and try to get the reason you were denied in writing.
For more information about responding to a visa denial, visit the U.S. Department of State's webpage explaining visa denials.
Applicants from countries suffering economic problems or from countries where many students have remained in the United States long-term often have more difficulty getting visas. They are also more likely to be asked about job opportunities at home after their study in the United States. You should review your country’s specific requirements on the U.S. consulate’s website.
Several U.S. consulates around the globe have created YouTube videos which explain the visa process at their specific posts. Always check your specific U.S. embassy or consulate to see if a new YouTube video is available. A select list of consular YouTube videos is located at the end of this resource.
Also be sure to check the U.S. State Department's Visa Appointment and Processing Wait Times webpage, to find average visa appointment and processing wait times at the consulate where you will be applying for your visa.
Some students may experience delays in obtaining a visa because of “administrative processing.” This commonly occurs if your name is similar to another individual and the consulate needs to check with other government agencies about your status or background. It may also happen when your area of study is thought to be in a field of sensitive or critical technology, or your faculty advisor is working with sensitive research materials. Some consular officers may even require additional letters from program directors or academic advisers explaining the specific type of research the student will be involved in and what kind of access to sensitive technology the student will have. If you are unsure whether this applies to your situation, check with your specific U.S. embassy or consulate.
You may be asked to explain past visits and stays in the United States and/or any prior visa statuses held by you or your family members. Also, students who formerly held work visas or STEM/OPT statuses might also need to explain the reasons for additional study in the United States instead of working at home.
If you stayed beyond your authorized stay in the United States in the past, be prepared to explain what happened and if available, provide supporting documentation regarding the circumstances.
If you have close relatives who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents, it may be harder for you to demonstrate that you are not an intending immigrant. See point number 1 regarding Ties to Your Home Country and Residence Abroad.
If you are not a citizen or permanent resident of the country in which you currently live or the country where you plan to apply for a visa, you may also wish to explain your intent to return to that country upon completion of your studies in the U.S.
Documentation should accompany any arrests or convictions within the U.S. or abroad, including any arrests or convictions for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Always check with an experienced immigration attorney if you have any current or past legal issues.
A select list of videos available through U.S. Embassy websites.
This list was compiled 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.
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