Destination USA: Types of student visa and steps to apply

Once international students receive offers from the institutions to which they’ve applied, they go through the U.S. student visa application process.

Hyderabad: Hello readers! In last week’s column, we concluded Step 3 from our series on EducationUSA’s “5 Steps to U.S. Study” So far, we have discussed “Step 1: Research Your options” “Step 2: Finance Your Studies” and “Step 3: Complete Your Application” and this week we will be moving on to “Step 4: Apply for Your Student Visa.”

Once international students receive offers from the institutions to which they’ve applied, they go through the U.S. student visa application process. To study in the U.S. as an international student, a student must seek one of three kinds of visas:

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• F-1 Visa (Student Visa): This is the most common for international U.S. university students. F-1 visas are for those who wish to study at an accredited U.S. higher education institution.

• J-1 Visa (Exchange Visitor Visa): For those participating in a visitor or cultural exchange program in the U.S.

• M-1 Visa (Student Visa): For those who will be engaged in non-academic or vocational studies/training at a U.S. institution.

For more information on visa types, visit: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us- visas/study.html.
After accepting their U.S. admissions offer from their chosen graduate school, the applicant will receive an I-20 from the institution. The applicant will then have to follow these steps:
Step 1: Pay SEVIS Fee online at www.www.fmjfee.com.
Step 2: Complete the DS-160 form (https://ceac.state.gov/genniv/) after selecting the region/country and create a user profile account (http://www.ustraveldocs.com/)
Step 3: Pay the visa application fees via your profile account (http://www.ustraveldocs.com/). This can be done via NEFT, mobile phone, or cash at Axis Bank or Citibank.
Step 4: Schedule an appointment for biometrics collection at the Visa Application Center (VAC)
Step 5: Schedule for a visa interview at the U.S. Embassy or Consulate.

Be sure to complete all required forms using the accurate information of the applicant. For more information on the visa application process, see EducationUSA’s fact sheet: https://www.usief.org.in/images/pdfs/Student-Visas-Factsheet-Indian-Students-April- 2022-Final.pdf

For more information…

• If students have specific questions they may write to support-india@ustraveldocs.com

• Follow The U.S. Embassy India’s Twitter and Facebook
(https://twitter.com/usandindia?lang=en and https://www.facebook.com/India.usembassy/) for updates.

• Appointment availability can be found at our website: https://www.ustraveldocs.com/in/en. • Visa FAQs: https://in.usembassy.gov/visas/top-10-frequently-asked-questions/.

Next week, we will discuss other aspects of visa appointments and related processes!