Applying for an F-1 Student Visa

Applying for an F-1 student visa to study at UWSP is a four-step process which begins with your application. This first step includes completing the UWSP application form and submitting it—along with all required documentation and fees—to the UWSP Foreign Student Office (FSO). Once your application file is complete, an admission decision will be made.

Upon admission to study at UWSP, the FSO will provide you with an admission letter and a FORM I-20. Your UWSP admission letter and I-20 are important documents: they tell both you and the U.S. Consular Officer who will review your visa application that you have satisfied UWSP’s admission requirements and been formally admitted to a program of study at UWSP.

Step two in the visa application process is to pay the $100 SEVIS fee. We strongly recommend you pay the $100 SEVIS fee online using a credit card. Be sure to print at least 3 copies of the online receipt to show to the Consulate during your interview and to keep with you when you travel.

To pay online have your passport, FORM I-20, and a credit card available. Make certain your computer is connected to a printer. Go to http://www.fmjfee.com/ and follow the “Proceed to I-901 Form and Payment” link in the center of the page. Another way to pay is through Western Union or by mail. More details about the fee, methods of paying it, processing times, and other frequently asked questions can be found at http://www.ice.gov/sevis/i901/index.htm

Step three is to schedule a visa interview at the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate. The U.S. Embassy/Consulate will not issue an F-1 student visa more than 120 days before the program start date indicated at item #5 on page one of the I-20. You may be able to schedule an appointment before that 120 day period, but you will not get the visa approved until you are within 120 days of your start date. You also need to be aware that you may not enter the United States more than 45 days before the start date on the I-20, so make your travel arrangements with that 45 day period in mind.

If you wish to learn where U.S. Embassies and Consulates are located, follow this link: http://usembassy.state.gov/

If you wish to know how long you may have to wait for an appointment at the Embassy/Consulate, check this website http://travel.state.gov/visa/tempvisitors_wait.php selecting the appropriate location from the drop-down list near the bottom of the page.

Step four is the visa interview. While documentation requirements vary by Embassy/Consulate, at a minimum you must present the following items at your visa interview:

1) Your FORM I-20
2) Your I-901 SEVIS fee receipt
3) A completed application Form DS-156, together with a Form DS-158
4) A passport valid for at least six months after your proposed date of entry into the United States
5) One (1) 2x2 photograph. See the required photo format explained in nonimmigrant photograph requirements
6) A MRV fee receipt to show payment of the visa application fee, a visa issuance applicable (Please consult the Visa Reciprocity Table and a separate SEVIS I-901 fee receipt. While all F visa applicants must pay the MRV fee, including dependents, only the F-1 principal applicants must pay the SEVIS fee.

All applicants should be prepared to provide:

  • Transcripts and diplomas from previous institutions attended;
  • Scores from standardized tests required by the educational institution such as the TOEFL, SAT, GRE, GMAT, etc.;
  • Financial evidence which shows that you or those sponsoring you have sufficient funds to cover your tuition and living expenses during the period of your intended study. For example, if you or your sponsor is a salaried employee, please bring income tax documents and original bank books and/or statements. If you or your sponsor own a business, please bring business registration, licenses, etc., and tax documents, as well as original bank books and/or statements.

F-1 student visa interviews are generally very brief. Avoid the temptation to prepare a monologue. U.S. Consular Officers around the world are adamant: visa seekers *must* listen carefully to the questions posed and respond to those questions candidly. Unfortunately, many visa seekers instead memorize a script and insist on presenting their scripts regardless of the questions the Consular Officer poses. Preparing a script is a natural temptation...but one we strongly caution against. Be yourself, listen to the questions, and respond honestly and directly. Be confident: you have much to gain and contribute as a student sojourner in the U.S.

Most F-1 student visa denials are based on a lack of proof that you will return to your home country when you complete your education in the United States. You must never suggest that you want to live in the U.S. permanently or that you want to work here for many years after you graduate. Emphasize all your family ties, property, future jobs and ways that you will use your U.S. degree when you return home. The second reason you might be denied a visa is proof that your financial support will be there for the entire period of study in the U.S. Your chance to work while an F-1 student will typically be limited to part-time campus jobs, so you must show a strong funding source that will continue for as many years as you are a student. The approval process may take several weeks due to security checks, so apply as early as possible and then travel in time to arrive at least one day in advance of the program start date listed on your FORM I-20.