Student Visa

FAQ

On this page:

Overview

The United States welcomes foreign citizens who come to the United States to study. Before applying for a visa, all student visa applicants are required to be accepted and approved by their school or program. Once accepted, educational institutions will provide each applicant the necessary approval documentation to be submitted when applying for a student visa.

Visa Descriptions and Qualifications

F-1 Visa

This is the most common type of student visa. If you wish to engage in academic studies in the United States at an approved school, such as an accredited U.S. college or university, private secondary school, or approved English language program then you need an F-1 visa. You will also need an F-1 visa if your course of study is more than 18 hours a week.

M-1 Visa

If you plan engage in non-academic or vocational study or training at a U.S. institution then you need an M-1 visa.

More information about each of these visas and opportunities for studying in the United States can be found at the Education USA website.

U.S. Public Schools

U.S. law does not permit foreign students to attend public elementary school (kindergarten to 8th grade) or a publicly funded adult education program. Hence, F-1 visas cannot be issued for study at such schools.

An F-1 visa can be issued for attendance at a public secondary school (grades 9 to 12), but the student is limited to a maximum of 12 months at the school. The school must also indicate on the Form I-20 that the student has paid the unsubsidized cost of the education and the amount submitted by the student for that purpose.

For more information about F-1 legal requirements, visit the Department of State website.

Note: Holders of A, E, F-2, G, H-4, J-2, L-2, M-2 or other derivative nonimmigrant visas may enroll in public elementary and secondary schools.

Student Assistance, Finding a U.S. School

Students who hope to enroll in an American educational institution are encouraged to contact and visit  https://hk.usconsulate.gov/education-culture/study-usa/

When to Apply

Student (F and M) visas for new students can be issued up to 365 days in advance of the start date for a course of study.   We encourage student visa applicants to submit a visa application and schedule a visa interview as soon as they receive their Form I-20.

30-day rule: All recipients of an F or M student visa should be aware that Department of Homeland Security regulations require all initial or beginning students enter the US 30 days or less in advance of the program start/report date as shown on the Form I-20.  Visa holders traveling to the US before this date may be denied entry at the port of entry.  Please consider this date carefully when making your travel plans to the United States.  If your program start date specified on the I-20 is already past or you will be unable to meet that date, please request your school to change the program start date in the SEVIS system.

Please note that the 365-day and 30-day rules do not apply to continuing students.  Continuing students may apply for a new visa at any time, as long as they have been maintaining status in the United States and their SEVIS records are current.  Continuing students may also enter the U.S. at any time before their classes/programs start.

Application Items

To apply for an F or M visa, you must pay your application fee and submit the following:

  • A Nonimmigrant Visa Electronic Application (DS-160) Form. Visit the DS-160 web page for more information about the DS-160.
  • A passport valid for travel to the United States with a validity date at least six months beyond your intended period of stay in the United States (unless country-specific agreements provide exemptions). If more than one person is included in your passport, each person desiring a visa must submit an application.
  • One (1) 2"x2" (51x51mm) photograph taken within the last six months. This web page has information about the required photo format.
  • A receipt showing payment of your non-refundable nonimmigrant visa application processing fee, paid in local currency. This web page has more information about paying this fee. If a visa is issued, there may be an additional visa issuance reciprocity fee, depending on your nationality. The Department of State's website can help you find out if you must pay a visa issuance reciprocity fee and what the fee amount is.
  • An approved Form I-20 from your U.S. school or program.

We remind all students (F-1 or M-1) and exchange visitor (J-1) visa applicants that in addition to the visa application fee, they must also pay a SEVIS fee before their interview. Information about SEVIS fee can be found on the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s website. Additionally, they must bring financial documents showing sufficient funds for their first year of study.

In addition to these items, you must present an interview appointment letter confirming that you booked an appointment through this service. You may also bring whatever supporting documents you believe support the information provided to the consular officer.

 

How to Apply

Step 1

Complete the Nonimmigrant Visa Electronic Application (DS-160) form.

Step 2

Pay the visa application fee.

Step 3

Schedule your appointment on this web page. You need the following three pieces of information in order to schedule your appointment:

  • Your passport number.
  • The receipt number from your Visa Fee receipt. (Click here if you need help finding this number.)
  • The ten (10) digit barcode number from your DS-160 confirmation page.
Step 4

Visit the Consulate General on the date and time of your visa interview. You must bring a printed copy of your appointment letter, your DS-160 confirmation page, one photograph taken within the last six months, and your current and all old passports. Applications without all of these items will not be accepted.

Please note: visa applicants applying for F-1, M-1 and J-1, including under age 14 applying for F-1, M-1 and J-1 visas, are required to appear in person for an interview.

Supporting Documents

Supporting documents are only one of many factors a consular officer will consider in your interview. Consular officers look at each application individually and consider professional, social, cultural, and other factors during adjudication. Consular officers may look at your specific intentions, family situation, and your long-range plans and prospects within your country of residence. Each case is examined individually and is accorded every consideration under the law.

Caution: Do not present false documents. Fraud or misrepresentation can result in permanent visa ineligibility. For security reasons, sealed envelopes are not permitted into the Consulate General; consular officials are not permitted to open sealed envelopes. The Consulate General will not make your information available to anyone and will respect the confidentiality of your information.

You should bring the following documents to your interview:

  • Documents demonstrating strong financial, social, and family ties to your home country that will compel you to return to your country after your program of study in the United States ends.
  • Financial and any other documents you believe will support your application and which give credible evidence that you have enough readily-available funds to meet all expenses for the first year of study and that you have access to funds sufficient to cover all expenses while you remain in the United States. M-1 applicants must demonstrate the ability to pay all tuition and living costs for the entire period of their intended stay.
  • Photocopies of bank statements will not be accepted unless you can also show original copies of bank statements or original bank books.
  • If you are financially sponsored by another person, bring proof of your relationship to the sponsor (such as your birth certificate), the sponsor's most recent original tax forms and the sponsor's bank books and/or fixed deposit certificates.
  • Academic documents that show scholastic preparation. Useful documents include school transcripts (original copies are preferred) with grades, public examination certificates (A-levels, etc.), standardized test scores (SAT, TOEFL, etc.), and diplomas.

Dependents

Spouses and/or unmarried children under the age of 21 who wish to accompany or join the principal visa holder in the United States for the duration of his or her stay require derivative F or M visas. There is no derivative visa for the parents of F or M holders.

Family members who do not intend to reside in the United States with the principal visa holder, but wish to visit for vacations only, may be eligible to apply for visitor (B-2) visas.

Spouses and dependents may not work in the United States on a derivative F or M visa. If your spouse/child seeks employment, the spouse must obtain the appropriate work visa.

Supporting Documents for Dependents

Applicants with dependents must also provide:

  • Proof of the student's relationship to his or her spouse and/or child (e.g., marriage and birth certificates).
  • It is preferred that families apply for their visas at the same time, but if the spouse and/or child must apply separately at a later time, they should bring a copy of the student visa holder's passport and visa, along with all other required documents.

Other Information

Optional Practical Training (OPT)

F-1 visa holders may be eligible for up to 12 months of optional practical training following completion of all course requirements for graduation (not including thesis or equivalent), or after completion of all requirements. OPT is separate from a student's academic work, and time for OPT will not normally be reflected during the student's academic program or in the completed study date. Students applying for an F visa to do OPT may present an I-20 with an original end of study date that may have passed. However, these I-20s must be annotated by the designated school official to reflect approval of an OPT program that extends beyond the end of the regular period of study. In addition, the student must have proof that USCIS has approved their practical training program or that an application is pending, either in the form of an approved Employment Authorization Card or a Form I-797 indicating that s/he has a pending application for an OPT program.

Students within the United States.

A student (F-1 or M-1) may lose that status if they do not resume studies within five months of the date of transferring schools or programs, under immigration law. If a student loses status, unless USCIS reinstates the student's status, the student's F or M visa would also be invalid for future travel returning to the United States. For more information see the USCIS website, and instructions for Application for Extend/Change of Nonimmigrant Status Form I-539 to request reinstatement of status.

Students - Returning to the United States from Travel Abroad

Students returning to the United States to resume their studies after an authorized temporary absence will not need to renew their visa, if the visa is still valid. The U.S. Department of State’s policy is that a student does not need to apply for a new F-1 visa if the student’s current visa is still valid, regardless of length of time outside the United States.

If the student took an authorized temporary absence of less than five months, their SEVIS record can be corrected to Active status when they are ready to return and re-enroll in school. Returning their record to Active will allow that student to re-enter the United States using their previous SEVIS ID number.

However, if a student has been out of the United States for more than five consecutive months (and not on study abroad), they will need to obtain a new Form I-20, “Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant Student Status,” and pay the I-901 SEVIS Fee again.  Again, the student would only need to apply for a new visa if their original visa was no longer valid.

Please also note that a valid visa does not guarantee entrance into the United States. U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents at the U.S. port of entry ultimately make the decision to admit people into the country, not the Department of State. For more information about this process, please visit our Getting to the United States resource page.