F1 visa is a non-immigrant US student visa essential for international students to carry if looking forward to Study in the US. Getting entry through this visa would require you to complete the whole course duration. An F-1 visa can be issued only by the US Embassies and USA consulates outside the country. However, if the student wants to stay or make changes to the applicant, one must visit legitimate agencies in the USA.
Now, if you (F-1 Visa candidate) are traveling the country with your spouse or children, you need to get F-2 Visa for them. Also, F-2 Visa holders have no permission to join any form of work or trade. However, the children may join public education schools.
One must start filling out the F-1 visa application as early as possible as it is a long process and requires great effort. As you get your acceptance letter from the university and the I-20 form, start collecting the documents mandatory for the F-1 Visa application.
Before getting an idea of the documents required for an F-1 visa, let us gather more information about the process. One can register with SEVP (Student and Exchange Visitor Program) once you receive an acceptance letter from the preferred US university. To receive I- 20, the student needs to show documents certifying that you have adequate funds for your entire stay span. As there are limited fair job opportunities, it is crucial to provide a supporting document. The I-20 document also serves as a medium to schedule your meeting with the local US Embassy or Consulate. Each student needs to attest to the funds and pay the security if demanded by the university. Once registered with the SEVP, it is time to pay the one-time application fee (SEVIS).
F-1 Visa Document requirements
Remember your application/appointment letter is the only document required at the time of the F-1 visa interview. Yet you should be carrying all documents mentioned below just in case the interviewer demands to check it out. Also, it is always good to be on the safe side because you cannot afford to take a chance. Moreover, all these documents need to be properly filed and easily accessible. Also, keep your original passport handy as that too has to be submitted immediately.
Set 1: Personal Information
- Passport – Your recent passport, as well as all others if you have had any
- Visa Interview Appointment Letter
- DS 160 Confirmation Slip with the noticeable bar code
- MRV Fee Receipt
- SEVIS Fee Receipt
- Photographs – Passport size number depending on the specified directions
Set 2: Educational Documents
- Certificates and mark-sheets – All academic records related to Class 10th and 12th
- Scorecard (GRE/GMAT/SAT)
- Scorecard (IELTS/TOEFL/PTE)
- Attach your Bachelor’s Degree or Provisional Degree Certificate or course completion certificate/mark-sheet for all the years. Also, the consolidated mark sheet (if applicable)
Set 3: Work-related Documents (if applicable)
- Letter of joining
- Salary Slips of the last six months
- Relieving Letter
Set 4: Financial Documents
- Approval Letter of a loan (in case applicable)
- Saving Bank Account Statement (last three years updated)
- Fixed Deposit Certificates (past three years certified)
- Tax Returns for the past three years
- Property Documents (household, commercial, ancestral, and/or farmland)
Now with all the required documents in hand, it is time to plan for the visa interview. Moreover, keep in mind to carry all your documents and receipts properly filed and easily accessible as well as reach prior to the scheduled time.