Applying for the Visa
To obtain a visa to come to the US to study as a student in a matriculate degree program, you must enter in either the F-1 or J-1 (student) category. Although you may enter the U.S. on a B-2 tourist visa, recent changes in immigration law require that you must leave the U.S. to obtain the appropriate visa for student status. You may only attend the institution that authorized the I-20 or DS-2019 form. For example, if you enter the U.S. on a Form I-20 issued by SUNY ESF, you may only matriculate at SUNY ESF. If you wish to attend another institution, you must leave the U.S. shortly after your arrival and re-enter using the proper document authorized by the other institution.
Applicants for student visas usually apply at the U.S. embassy of consulate that has jurisdiction in the home country or place of permanent residence. Visa applicants may apply at any U.S. consular office, but it may be more difficult to qualify for the visa outside the home country or permanent residence.
OBTAINING THE I-20 OR DS-2019
To apply for the visa, you are required to provide the U.S. consular officer in your home country either the form I-20 (for F-1 student status) or DS-2019 (for J-1 status). ESF will authorize the I-20 form when a student provides evidence that sufficient funds are available to meet all expenses for the duration of the degree program. For students who have been accepted to masters degree programs (M.S., M.F., M.P.S., or M.L.A.), three year’s of funding is required. For students who have been accepted to doctoral programs, funding is required for five or six years, depending on the number of graduate credits transferred. Students must provide evidence that they have adequate funds immediately available for the first year of study, and that adequate funds will be available for each subsequent year of study. This evidence should be provided on the FSA-4 Form, with supporting documents.
- Prospective graduate students must provide evidence of $18,000 per year for living expenses and cost of education.
- Prospective undergraduate students must provide evidence of $25,000 for living expenses and cost of education.
Students who receive a graduate assistantship through the State of New York or a research project assistantship through the Research Foundation of New York State for at least one academic year will receive the I-20.
Students who receive funding from a government or international agency will receive the DS-2019 form that is required to obtain the J-1 (scholar) visa. The DS-2019 is issued by the government or international agency.
INTERVIEW FOR VISA APPLICATION
Usually students are asked to provide an application fee and participate in a short interview, which must be scheduled in advance. At the time of the interview, you must also present:
- a valid passport for travel to the U.S. with validity date at least six month’s beyond the intended period of study.
- passport-size photographs
- a copy of the financial documents as evidence that you have sufficient funds to support your degree program. These documents may be banks statements, letters of appointment to an assistantship or fellowship, or documents of support from your government or another national agency. Any document that supports the information listed on the I-20 or DS-2019 should be available to present to the consular office.
If your application for a student visa is approved, the consular officer will place a visa sticker or stamp in your passport and return the I-20 or DS-2019 to you. Keep these documents in a safe place – they are required to allow you to enter and travel within the U.S. For more information about the process requirements of your home country, contact the Department of State.
When you arrive at a U.S. port of entry, you will be required to present either your Form I-20 or Form DS-2019, along with your passport and financial documents, to the immigration officer. The immigration officer will keep one copy of your form and stamp another copy and return it to you. The immigration officer will also issue a completed I-94 Arrival-Departure Record. The I-94 is an extremely important document, which indicates the date when your permission to remain in the U.S. expires. It must be kept in your passport. F-1 students will be returned page 3/4 of the I-20, called the I-20 ID copy. The I-20 ID copy is the permanent record of your permission to enter and remain in the U.S. and must be kept in your possession as long and you are a student. J-1 visa holders will receive the pink copy of the DS-2019.
(Source: http://www.oiss.yale.edu/students/applvisa.htm)
CANADIAN CITIZENS
Canadian citizens are not required to have a U.S. visa to enter the United States. However, Canadian citizens must present the I-20 (or DS-2019) form and proof of financial support at the U.S. port of entry. The INS inspector will stamp the I-20 (or DS-2019) and issue an I-94 card that identifies F-1 (or J-1) status. It is important to enter the U.S. in student status to be eligible for on-campus work permission, optional practical training, or travel.
Transfer Students
Students who attended U.S. institutions prior to SUNY ESF must complete an immigration status transfer process by either re-entering the U.S. on an I-20 or DS-2019 form authorized by SUNY ESF or by reporting to the Slutzker Center for International Services (SCIS) at 310 Walnut Ave., Syracuse, NY with appropriate immigration documents. Students must report to SCIS when they arrive in Syracuse with immigration documents and proof of previous full-time student status at the previous school (e.g. school transcript, letter for international student or academic adviser.) Failure to make these changes may result in the loss of the F-1 or J-1 student status.
RESOURCES
U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS)
U.S. Department of State
Foreign Embassies in the U.S.
Slutzker Center for International Services (SCIS)
National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES)
