Get Your Admissions Documents From The Sevp Institution
After you apply and are accepted into the school you want to attend, they will have to complete some procedures so that you can apply for the F1 visa. The most important document you need to have is Form I-20, Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant Student Status. Without this form, you will not be able to apply for an F1 student visa and attend your interview.
Find Your Nearest Us Embassy Or Consulate
You must apply for your international student visa through your nearest US embassy or consulate . You can search for US embassies and consulates online through the US Department of State.
Be aware that US student visa processes may differ slightly depending on the embassy through which you apply. This means that at some embassies, you may need to submit additional documentation with your visa application. For more details on what you’ll need to submit, go to your embassys official website or contact your embassy directly.
The US Embassy in London.
F1 Student Visa Timelines
Students aspiring to study in the USA require F1 Student Visa, which is valid for a longer period of study. Once you have received admit from a US University, it is recommended to apply for your visa on time. Delay in the application may result in visa rejection, which is something nobody wants to face. The ideal time for applying to a Student Visa is anywhere between 4 months from college orientation.
NOTE: It is important to remember that you cannot file a visa application before 3 months of the course orientation to be held in your chosen US college/university. Therefore, the following procedure of F1 Student Visa filing covers the duration of these 4-5 months before your college orientation:
Each stage has its own importance and execution timeline. Let us understand the step-by-step process from applying to an F1 Student Visa to receiving an approved visa and flying to the USA.
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How To Prepare For The F1 Student Visa Interview
Attending the visa interview is the last step of the visa application process. The goal of the interview is to verify whether the information you provided in your application is true and whether you qualify for the visa. Before you attend the interview, you have to make sure to prepare the following documents:
- A copy of your valid passport
- A passport size photograph
- Your academic transcript from previously attended institutions
- Bank statements proving that you have enough finances to live and study in the US.
- Standardised test scores from exams testing your knowledge of English, for example from TOEFL or IELTS
- Proof that you intend to leave the US after you finish your studies.
During the interview, an immigration officer will review these documents and ask you questions about your academic goals in the US. They might ask you about your previous grades and your choice of university in the US.
You can also expect to be asked questions about how you intend to pay for your education in the US, and whether you intend to find employment alongside your studies. On top of that, you will have to demonstrate your willingness to return to your home country after your studies.
Attending a visa interview can be stressful. If you hire one of our immigration lawyers, they can help you prepare for it by giving you a detailed overview of how the appointment will look like and what questions you can expect to hear.
How To Apply For An F1 Visa

To application process for the F1 visa goes through the following steps:
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How To Apply For A Us Student Visa
After determining which type of US student visa you need to apply, you can begin with your US Student Visa application.
Irrespective of which category of student visa you apply for, you will need to undergo the following steps:
An international student needs to be enrolled in a US school before they can apply for a student visa. However, your school needs to be accredited by the Student and Exchange Visitor Program of the Government of the United States.
- Accreditation is critical to ensure that your diploma or degree is recognised by other colleges and universities, professional associations, government institutions and ministries and employers all over the world.
- You will be required to apply to each individual institution or university as the United States does not have a centralised university application system like many other countries.
- This means you will need to fulfil the admission requirements of each institution, which will include providing proof of funds.
- Only institutions approved by SEVP can accept and enrol international students. Once you have been accepted by an institution, you will be enrolled in the SEVIS system and issued a Form I-20 or a Form DS-2020.
- Students who are eligible for an F1 or M1 international student visa are issued a Form I-20, and international students eligible for a J1 student visa are issued a DS-2020
You will be required to provide the following personal details while filling our online application DS-160 form.
Who Is Eligible For The F1 Student Visa
For your F1 Student Visa application to be accepted, you have to meet the following criteria:
- Have been accepted as a student by a US institution approved by SEVP
- Have been enrolled as a full-time student
- Have a good command of English
- Have sufficient funds available to finance your studies and your stay in the US
- Have a valid passport.
You also have to be able to prove that you have a non-immigrant intent, which means that you are willing to leave the US once your study finishes. To demonstrate that you have to provide evidence of strong ties to your home country. As a student, you might not have a job, a house, or children in your country of residence so an immigration officer will look at aspects such as your family situation and your long-term plans in your home country.
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Schedule Your F1 Visa Interview
After filing the DS-160 form and paying the fees, you will need to schedule your interview. The interview is a mandatory step before you get your student visa. Try to schedule it as early as possible, since there might be delays due to the heavy workload of the US Embassy. When you schedule it, you will receive an interview appointment letter which you will need later on in the application process.
Types Of Educational Visas
Your course of study, the school you plan to attend, or the exchange program you will be with will determine the type of student visa you will need.
The most common student visas are F-1 and M-1 visas.
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F-1 visa classification is for a full-time international student pursuing academic studies.
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M-1 visa classification is for a full-time international student pursuing vocational studies.
Learn more about studying in the U.S.
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How To Apply For The F1 Student Visa
To apply for the F1 Student Visa, you have to first get accepted by a USCIS-accredited institution. Once a university or college approves your application and gives you permission to participate in their courses, your I-120A-B Form will be issued. It is a document that records information about your study programmes start and end dates, the programmes fees, your funding sources, and other personal information.
Your chosen university provides the information included in the I-120A-B Form based on what you submitted in your application. When you receive the Form, make sure that all the information is correct. If there are any mistakes, you might not be granted entry to the US.
The next step is to pay your F1 Student Visa fees of around $510. Make sure you keep the receipt as you will need to bring it to your visa interview.
After you have settled the visa fee, you can complete the DS-160 Form, Non-immigrant Visa Application and submit it to USCIS. Then you can schedule and later attend your visa interview at the nearest US Embassy or Consulate.
After successfully completing the visa interview, you will receive your F1 Student Visa and you will be able to start preparing for the journey to the US.
Only Three Steps To Achieve Your Dreams
Applying to LADO will take a maximum of three business days. To get your visa, please plan your trip one or two months in advance.
1 Prepare your documents
Do you have a sponsor?
For more information .
Complete your application
Note: If you want LADO to send the I-20 to your country, shipping fees will apply.
If the visa application is rejected, LADO will refund the entire deposit amount please note, the $100 registration fee is non-refundable
Get your Visa
Once you receive the I-20:
Notes:
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Processing Time For Your Student Visa
Your student visa application is generally approved or denied during your visa interview. If your student visa is approved, you will get your passport along with your US student visa within 7 to 10 working days. However, most interviewers will not inform you about the approval or rejection of your application, and you will need to wait till you receive your passport..
Note: Do not forget to carry your passport, your I-20 form and all the other documents you carried with you during your US student visa interview. You might need these documents at immigration as well.
Visa Center In Washington

For our mail service –
EU Citizens are required to provide a copy of their health insurance policy card, along with their policy documents that is valid in the Russian Federation for the visa period, except for countries covered by bilateral agreements. If you are not EU citizens, then please ask visa center operators whether you require medical insurance. Your policy must include information about clinics covered in Russia.
NON-US CITIZENS must provide a copy of their legal status in the US:
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Types Of Us Student Visa
In order to study in the USA, an international student must get a US student visa. The USA is home to most of the top universities in the world to which a number of international students apply every year. The whole procedure of getting admission to a US university may be daunting but once the success is attained, the extensive experience offered by the US education system pushes students towards achieving heights. This process also includes obtaining a US student visa, for which an international student should first get their Letter of Acceptance from the university. Once accepted, the university will provide the applicant with the required documents.
Student visas to new students can be granted up to 120 days before the start date of the program. After approval of the visa, students can travel to the US within 30 days from the start date mentioned on Form I-20.
Anyone looking forward to studying in the US should also have a clear understanding of which student visa they need to apply for. Here are the three US non-immigrant visas for students:
F-1 Visa – One of the most common US student visas or academic visas is the F-1 Visa. International students applying for an academic program o English language program in the US should apply for an F-1 visa.
The F-1 visa is issued to the students or researchers who have applied to US universities, private elementary schools, high schools, etc. Rules pertaining to an F-1 visa include:
International Student Visa Options
F-1 Visa
The F-1 visa also known as the Academic Student visa is for individuals who plan to study at an academic institution or a language training program. To qualify, the program in which you are enrolled must culminate in the receipt of a degree, diploma, or certificate and the school must be authorized by the US government to accept international students.
M-1 Visa
An M-1 Visa or Vocational Visa is for international students who are enrolled in vocational and non-academic studies in the US. This includes cooking classes, language programs, flight school, cosmetology or mechanical education, and other programs that come under vocational study.
How to Apply
Its vital to apply far enough in advance to your schools start date, so that you receive your visa in time to begin your studies. While your visa may be issued up to 120 days prior to the start of the academic year, as a new student you will not be permitted to enter the US more than 30 days prior to your start date. Continuing students may enter at any time, as long as their visa is valid.
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Usa Student Visa Application Procedure
It is mandatory that you schedule an appointment for a USA student visa interview, in the country where you live, at the U.S Embassy or Consulate. Applying as soon as possible will be beneficial, as the waiting time may vary depending on the country, visa category and season.
F and M Student Visa for USA can be issued 120 days prior to the start date for a course of study. However, you will be able to enter the country only 30 days before the start date.
Things To Check Before Applying For A Usa Student Visa
Before an international student can apply for an M or F visa to study in the USA, he or she must first obtain admission to a SEVP-approved higher education institution . The institution must also have the US or national accreditation as listed in the Department of Education and the US Council for Higher Education. Once secured space is protected, the student will not be enrolled in the SEVIS information system which will require a SEVIS 1-901 fee. SEVIS costs $ 200 for M and F USA student visa applicants. Upon payment, the applicants company will provide a Form 1-20 or DS 2022 which will be required to apply for an F or M student visa at a US embassy or is a consulate in your city.
To complete this form correctly, make sure you have the following:
Your passport
Form I-20 or DS-2022
In addition, you can offer:
Travel arrangements
The date of your last five visits to the US and/or proof of your travel history in the last five years.
CV or resume
Additional information based on your intentions for the trip
In this application, you will also choose the US diplomatic agency for which you want to interview for your visa.
Keep in mind that you must fill out an entire form in English unless you have been asked to enter your full name in your home language. Language translation is on the form for those who have difficulty understanding the English instructions. The DS-160 FAQ page is for further questions on how to fill out this form,
Pay for your Visa application
Your passport
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Do Canadian Citizens Need A Visa For Usa
Canadian citizens do not need a visa to enter the US for nonimmigrant purposes, except in the following cases:
- Treaty traders and investors
- Foreign citizen fiancé , as well as the fiancés children
- A U.S. citizens foreign citizen spouse traveling to reside in the U.S. while awaiting final completion of the process of immigration , as well as the spouses children
- Spouses of lawful permanent residents , as well as the spouses children who are traveling to reside in the U.S. while awaiting final completion of the process of immigration
- Non-immigrants traveling to the United States for work , including
- Canadian government officials , if entering the US for temporary or permanent assignment
- Officials and employees of international organizations , if entering the US for temporary or permanent assignment and
- NATO officials, representatives, and employees, only if they are being assigned to the US .
Canadian and Bermudian citizens are the only nationals in the world that can enter the US for non-immigrant purposes without an ESTA. Therefore, Canadian passport holders do not need ESTA.
However, the case is different for foreigners residing in Canada. There are 40 world countries that fall under the US Visa Waiver program. If you are a national of one of them, residing in Canada, you will need an ESTA to enter the United States.
To determine if you can visit the US without a visa, use this tool:
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