F1 Visa for International Students : Requirements, Fees, How to Apply

Pursue your American higher education dream with an F1 Visa. Open doors to universities, colleges, and language programs. The F1 Visa grants temporary stay for dedicated students like you. Secure yours with strong ties to home, financial proof, and academic records. Start early, follow the steps, and ace your interview. Welcome to the exciting world of US education.

Broaden your horizon, and make your dream to study at an American university a reality through an F1 Visa. This visa will provide you with excellent opportunities to study at academically renowned universities, colleges, and language programs. A study abroad aspirant receives temporary permission to stay in America to complete his/her studies. You can avail of this F1 Visa by providing your financial statements, educational qualifications, and strong purpose for returning to your home country.

What is F1 Student Visa in the USA?

Now, we will understand what is F1 visa is and what an F1 visa means for international students. An F1 Visa means that a student will be considered a non-immigrant, and will receive a visa that will allow him/her to study in the USA. This visa is mainly provided to students coming from all over the globe, coming to America to attend universities, schools, educational institutions, and colleges. This can be for secondary, higher secondary, as well as for university-level education. Once you receive an acceptance letter from your educational institute, you can request an F1 Visa, after you have your I-20 form. An F1 Visa is for a student visa in the USA.

F1 Visa Qualifications

All the candidates are required to fulfil all the requisite criteria while appearing for an F1 Visa Interview which will increase their chances of receiving acceptance for the same:

What you can do with an F1 Visa?

Change of visa status: If, in case the students find a job that requires a different type of visa, they can change the status of their visa. In this scenario, you need to follow the instructions of US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), your employer, or your sponsor/reviewer.

Extend the period of stay: Generally, the validity of an F1 Visa is for the period mentioned in the I-20 form or according to the duration of the course. However, if your visa does not allow you to stay for the complete duration of your course, then you have to apply for an extension of your student visa. The visa extension is given to F1 Visa holders on the pretext that they will be completing their course in the US and will also return to their home country once the course is over.

Access to US healthcare: As an F1 Visa holder, you can have access to healthcare facilities in the US. As medical assistance, and facilities are very expensive, the students are advised to take proper health insurance as asked by their educational institution.

Advantages of F1 Visa

There are several advantages to studying on an F1 visa in USA and they are as follows:

• There are no restrictions or limits to an F1 Visa like the H1-B visa. If you are successful in applying for your F1 Visa, and match all the requisite criteria, then you will receive the same.
• Candidates with F1 visas are allowed to do other activities as well, apart from staying there for educational purposes, such as going in and out of the USA, restriction-free, getting a bank account, or applying for a driver’s license.
• You can get yourself transferred to some other school, university, or college, if you receive a better opportunity, under your F1 visa.
• You can work professionally, following the guidelines, and rules under an F1 visa.

How to Get an F1 Visa?

It can take 15 days to two months to receive your F1 Visa, and this depends on the availability. The F1 visa processing time is high, thus start with your application as early as you can.  An important point to note is that the educational institute you are applying to needs to be SEVP-approved. You need to provide financial proof such as showing that you have tuition fees for one year, along with your living expenses, in your bank account. As your finances get approved, you will receive an I-20 form from the university. After that, you can go ahead with your F1 Visa application. An important point to consider is that the application will be different for a US Embassy and a US Consulate. Kindly be aware of this before applying.

How to Apply for an F1 Visa?

Be aware of the procedure mentioned below before going through your F1 visa application. After you receive the acceptance letter from your university, you will receive an I-20 form from them, and then you can proceed with your F1 Visa application. Candidates can apply for a student visa in the USA a year before the program’s start date. Make sure you begin early because the F1 Visa processing time is high. Do not delay till the eleventh hour. Begin from Day 1 of your 120 days, and complete your F1 Visa application. Please note that you will not be permitted to be in the USA with your student visa 30 days before the start of your academic course.

• The document that holds prime importance for your F1 Visa interview is your I-20 form. You will be receiving two forms from your institution. Candidates applying for F-1 and M-1 visas receive an I-20 form. Candidates applying for a J-1 visa get the DS-2019 Form. After receiving the form you require, you need to send your application to the American Embassy or Consulate. The embassy or consulate needs to be under the jurisdiction of your residence, as mentioned in your identification documents. Moreover, you will find a SEVIS ID, your SEVP-approved educational institute, and other details about your course on your form.
• Once you are done making the SEVIS fee payment of USD 350 (INR 28,990), you can move ahead, and apply for a DS-160 visa form with the receipt of your payment online.
• Get the confirmation of your application, and take it to your F1 Visa
• Make the payment for your F1 student visa. This payment can be done through an NEFT transaction, and at Axis Bank/Citi Bank authorized branches as well.
• Fix the appointment for your Biometric and Interview.
• You need to be physically there for a mandatory photograph, and fingerprint scanning for your biometric appointment.
• The Visa Officer will inquire regarding your reason for choosing the particular course, your university, your finances, and your plan to return to your home country. The Visa Officer will stamp the visa on your passport, after the interview, if he/she finds enough evidence, regarding your statements. If the officer keeps your passport after the interview, then your visa has been approved. Please find the guide that you can use as a reference for your F1 Visa Interview.

As you appear for your F1 Visa interview, you need to get the following documents as evidence to your application:

• Proof of the Transcripts, degrees, certificates, or diplomas from schools you attended.
• Standardized test scores as asked by your educational institution.
• Evidence for ties back home, and the funding proofs for the financial assistance for your study in the US.

F1 Visa Documents Checklist India

One of the main points of the F1 Visa requirements is the documentation. A student is required to provide documents that act as proof of their personal details, educational qualifications, work experiences, and financial stability. The documents required for F1 visa application are as follows:

• Passport (current and valid)

• Photo the same as for student visa application 

• Printed copy of DS-160 and I-901 SEVIS payment receipt

• I-20

• School transcripts

• Official test scores same as university application:

  • SAT or ACT for UG admissions,
  • GRE or GMAT for PG admissions &
  • IELTS or TOEFL scores for both UG and PG admissions
• Bank statements or other financial documentation

Here, you can read all the required points for the F1 Visa interview.

F1 Visa Fee

The F1 visa fee is USD 185 which is 15,616 and is a one-time, non-refundable fee. The F1 fee is applicable for those applicants who are applying from outside of US territory. Additionally, with the F1 visa fee, there is also a SEVIS fee which is a separate fee and costs around USD 350. These are two different fees, but the SEVIS fee for F1 visa applicants is the same just like for other US student visa types - J1 or M1. 

F1 Visa Processing Times

The F1 Visa processing time is quite less in comparison to other visas. In the majority of cases, candidates come to know about the fate of their visa, immediately after the interview. If the visa is rejected, then the visa officer will hand over the documents mentioning the reason for denial. In certain cases, processing and knowing the result of the visa can take time, in that case, you have to be patient and wait for the result. Check out for more details at the US Student Visa Appointment in India.

Working on F1 Visa after Graduation

Students cannot work off-campus during the first year of their program with their F1 visa. They are allowed to work for 20 hours per week. However, during holidays and breaks, they can work up to 40 hours per week. Students are allowed to work for a commercial firm that provides services to the university/college, like a cafeteria or bookstore. Those who want to work outside the campus have two options:

• Curriculum Practical Training (CPT)
• Optional Practical Training (OPT)

So what is the difference between OPT and CPT? Check out the following sections:

Curriculum Practical Training (CPT): CPT allows students to work or intern as part of their academic curriculum, mandatory for the completion of their degree. Moreover, the internship must be related to their area of study and also be approved by their university or educational institution.

Optional Practical Training (OPT): The OPT is designed to allow international students to work in the US for a maximum of 12 months. The student can only work in their field of study and must get a job within 90 days after graduation. Those who are studying STEM subjects can get an OPT extension for another 24 months. One can only start working under OPT if the candidate and his/her university’s dedicated official, have filed for the Employment Authorization Document (EAD). You have to fill out form I-765. Also, if you are lucky, your employer will sponsor your H1-B Visa, after which you can also file for a Green Card. 

Dependents of F1 Visa Holders in the USA

Spouses and children under the age of 21 years, who wish to accompany the aspirant in the US, for the duration of the aspirant’s stay, require F2 or M2 visas. A spouse on F2 status cannot enrol for a full course of study but can take classes that are vocational or recreational like pursuing a hobby or interest, such as cooking or tennis. Children on F2 status are allowed to attend elementary, middle, or high school as full-time students. They may not enrol in a full-time course of study at a college or university. The spouses and children of students cannot accept employment at any time during the stay period on the F2 Visa.

F1 Visa Health Insurance Requirements

There are no specific requirements set by the US Department of State for an F1 Visa. Generally, the educational institutions themselves decide what kind of insurance students need to take. In case, the school has not asked for any specific requirements for health insurance, then the applicants themselves decide what kind of insurance they are required to take.

F1 Visa Rejection

In case your F1 Visa application is rejected, the visa officer will provide the section under which the visa was denied. You will come to know the reason for rejection immediately after completing the interview.

Reapply for F1 Visa

You can reapply for the F1 visa if you are rejected. If, in case, the visa is rejected under 221(g), the candidate needs to submit the visa application, along with the visa fee, again. Those who are denied visas under section 214(b) of the INA, then they can present evidence of significant changes in the application since the last application.

How to Maintain F1 Visa Status Upon Arrival in US?

To continue staying in the US, applicants will have to maintain their F1 visa status. Now how to maintain F1 visa status? The answer is simple, check out the pointers below and follow the advice with utmost care:

• Have a valid passport, before coming to the US, ensure that your passport is valid throughout your student visa US study period and does not expire in between. In case it does, renew it.
• Maintain regular attendance and avoid missing your classes. This will also help you keep your I-20 in place and updated and maintain your F1 visa status.
• Continue pursuing your full-time course and try and pass each semester and year to maintain your F1 visa status.
• Avoid taking up any off-campus part-time jobs in USA. In case, it is necessary, try and get authorization from the USCIS and/or your school's DSO.
• In case there is a change of address for accommodation, try and update the details at the university within 10 days.
• In case you feel you have a backlog and you are not able to complete your course within the stipulated timeline, request an extension of your F1 visa. This way your I-20 will be updated and you will be able to maintain your F1 visa status without being deported back. 

Thus, these are some of the expert tips which shall help international applicants in maintaining their F1 visa status.

Regaining F1 Visa Status

Applicants whose F1 visa is going to expire and they need to re-apply for it to get an extension to continue studying in the US, will have to file Form I-539. The Form I-539 is basically for extending the F1 visa duration and applicants have to pay a fee for the same. The fee for regaining F1 visa status through Form I-539 is as follows:

This is all about the F1 visa in the USA. Applicants who are applying for admission to US universities soon can get assistance with admission and application filing by signing up for our expert counsellors for free.