You have entered a university in the United States and received a long-awaited visa, and now you are going to go to study. At this stage, many students relax and think that the long-awaited ticket to study is in their “pocket”. Very often, it all ends with the fact that students, poorly prepared for the trip, do not take into account some very important nuances: obtaining a visa does not guarantee to pass the passport control at the border, for this, you need to prepare in advance, prepare all the necessary documents that may be needed and will be needed. As a student, I was lucky enough to study in the USA, but it was very challenging, so I preferred to write my paper with the help of qualified writers.
I have prepared this information specifically for those students who will go to study in the United States for the first time. This guide will help students of universities, colleges, and language programs and belongs to the category of an F-1 student visa.visit here mis portal webmail
DOCUMENTS THAT NEED TO BE PREPARED BEFORE DEPARTURE
Recommendations for students who are crossing the border for the first time
After you have received the long-awaited passport with a visa, you will need to collect all the necessary documents to travel to the United States. Prepare an envelope for travel and put it there:
- Your passport with a valid visa (check the information on the visa: date of birth, dates of entry and exit, the spelling of the first and last name, visa category. Any mistake made in the visa may cause suspicion at the border).
* Original Form I-20
* A copy of the payment of the I-901 SEVIS fee fee
* Confirmation of enrollment from the educational institution
- Confirmation of the reservation of accommodation
If you do not have the I-20 form or for some reason, you have lost it, be sure to contact the International Office to restore this document as quickly as possible.
If you studied in the States and are returning to study after the holidays, you need to take care of the following documents:
* Original Form I-20 with the signature of an authorized person at the admissions office (page 3 of Form I-20)
- Without a signature on the form, you may not be allowed to pass at the border. The signature confirms that you have already started studying at the university.
We always recommend that students visit the International Office of the university or school before leaving, and clarify all the information, check the documents, make sure that they can leave and enter back into the country.
Important information for students of the F-1 visa category traveling to study in the United States
IMPORTANT! At the passport control, you must clarify to the officer whether you are a student who crosses the border for the first time or repeatedly: I am the FIRST TIME or RETURNING F-1 student.
At passport control, you will be asked to fill out additional documents – I-94 card (a card that indicates the dates of entry into the United States and the date of departure, which is determined by the officer based on the documents you provided about enrollment from the university), make sure that you enter the correct information, especially about the spelling of your first and last name.
WHAT TO DO AFTER CROSSING THE BORDER
On the first day of studying at the university, you must come to the International Office (department for work with foreign students) to be registered in the SEVIS system. Even if you decide not to start studying at the program, you need to register with the international department, as this may lead to a violation of the visa regime and further problems at the border when crossing again.
IMPORTANT! Before leaving, make sure that you have the contact information of the international department of the educational institution where you will be studying. There are cases when you may be asked to contact a representative of an educational institution at the border to clarify additional information.
DEPARTURE FOR THE HOLIDAYS
If you are going to leave the United States for a vacation, make sure that you have the following documents:
* Passport with a valid visa
* Original Form I-20 signed by an authorized person in the International Department
- I-94 card (a card that shows the dates of entry into the United States and the date of departure. Make sure that you do not violate the rules of departure)
To obtain a student visa at the US Embassy, a student must provide an official document-Form I-20 or Certificate of Eligibility. This document is issued by the educational institution, and before registration, the student needs to know the features of the Certificate of Eligibility and the conditions for obtaining it.
WHAT IS THE FORM I-20 \ CERTIFICATE OF ELIGIBILITY?
The I-20 is an official document that has several purposes and is issued by a state-registered educational institution in the United States of America. With this document, a university, college, or language school in the United States confirms that the student was enrolled in the educational program based on the provided educational documents and financial guarantees (confirmation that the student can pay for the education). The official name of the I-20 form is the Certificate of Eligibility since this certificate gives the student the right to apply to the US Embassy in their country for an F-1 visa. Please note that the I-20 form is not enough to obtain student status in the States.
HOW IS THE I-20 ISSUED?
After the educational institution has completed the process of enrolling a student in the program, data about the student is entered into a special system called SEVIS (Student and Exchange Visitor Information System). The information about the student is processed by the SEVIS system, as a result, an official I-20 form is issued. An authorized person at the educational institution (Designated School Official or DSO) prints and signs the form, and sends the original to the student.
WHAT SHOULD I DO NEXT?
After you have received the original I-20, check the spelling of the first and last name, the dates of the program, the cost, the educational institution. Any information that is specified incorrectly may affect the decision to issue a visa. If the information in the document is incorrect, contact a representative of the university. visit here tamilmv
WHERE TO USE THE I-20 FORM
I-20 is required to pay the SEVIS fee, this payment is mandatory for all students. Today, the SEVIS fee for students ranges from 180 to 200 US dollars and is valid for 12 months.
I-20 must be provided at the embassy. For the embassy, you need to prepare the original and a photocopy. The photocopy remains with the visa officer, you take the original with you.
IMPORTANT! You always need to have an I-20 with you when traveling, without this document you may not be allowed to enter the United States.
VALIDITY DATE I-20
The document specifies the start date and the end date of the course. Please note that universities indicate the duration of the program a little longer than expected, which means that they assume that you must complete the course of study in a certain period. Before the end of the course, even if the I-20 has not ended, you need to approach the international department to continue the course or change the type of visa.