Introduction

You may have already been accepted by an American college or university and you may already be imagining what life will be like in an American college, but being accepted by an American college does not guarantee that you will receive a visa. You must also convince a consular official that you are a serious, legitimate student who wishes to demonstrate eligibility for a student visa.

Please remember that the most important key to getting approved for a student visa is the promise that you make to return to your home country after you complete your studies, but it is also very important to demonstrate that you are a serious and genuine student who has given a good deal of thought to such matters as the selection of a major and the selection of an American school. Prospective students who seem poorly informed or who seem to lack confidence are very often denied visas.

So. . .are you really prepared to go to the U.S. Embassy for a visa interview? Perhaps you are, but here is some advice compiled from scores of comments by students who were successful in obtaining F-1 Student Visas. We hope that this page will improve your chances of getting the visa that you need to join a U.S. college or university.

If you are a genuine student who sincerely intends to study in the U.S. and then return home, then you may be successful in obtaining a U.S. student visa. If the official conducting your interview suspects that you intend to abandon your home country and try to become a permanent resident of the U.S., then you very well may be denied a student visa. Also, if any of your papers are out of order, you will be seriously delayed in receiving a visa or perhaps denied a visa altogether.

So consider the information on this page very carefully. It is a sad thing to be denied a visa after you have spent so many months getting accepted by a U.S. college.

The I-20 and the Admissions Letter

When you go the U.S. Embassy for a visa interview, the two most important documents are (1) a valid form I-20 and (2) an admissions letter from the college which issued the I-20. These documents are issued by the International Student Advisor at the college you are hoping to join and you must read these documents carefully before you go to the embassy, especially page 2 of the I-20 -- "Instructions to Students." Also, if the I-20 and the admission letter are not correct and consistent with one another or if the I-20 has expired, then you will have to request new and corrected versions of these documents before going to your visa interview.

I have talked to many students who say that it is difficult in their countries to obtain the I-20 and admissions letter. Here are some tips on how many students have overcome these difficulties.

Students outside the U.S. obtain I-20's in the following ways: (1) Using ordinary mail, fax, or e-mail, contact the international advisor of a college you would like to attend and ask for an admissions packet; (2) visit a college while you are in the U.S. on a visitor's visa and get an interview with international student advisor; (3) have a friend or relative who lives in the U.S. visit the college on your behalf and have that friend or relative mail you an admission packet; and (4) if you know someone who is going to the U.S. as a student or as a visitor, ask that person to visit the international advisor at a college and obtain an admissions packet to mail to you.

The Supporting Documents

You should also be prepared to show copies of the documents you presented to the U.S. college in order to obtain the I-20 and admissions letter:

• Copies of your affidavit of financial support (or a certified check for your first year's school fees made out payable jointly to you and to the school)
  • supporting bank statements
  • other documents showing sponsor's ability to support you in America
• Copies of all your educational credentials
  • certified copies of marks slips, school leaving certificates, certificates of secondary education, or other proof of completion of twelve years of formal education
  • certified copies of any university level credentials such as diplomas, test results, transcripts, and the like
• Copy of your TOEFL score results
  • most schools require a score of 500 or higher on the old "paper and pencil" TOEFL
  • most schools require a score of 173 or higher on the new "computer" TOEFL

Additional Documentation

It is wise to be prepared with any available documents which can help establish that you are a legitimate student who plans to return home after completing study in the United States:

• evidence that you own or will inherit property in your home country
• evidence that you have a job waiting for you when you return home
• evidence that you have very close ties to your family, to your community, and to churches, clubs and other organizations
• testimonials from clergymen, government officials, teachers, and businessmen
• result slips for such American tests as SAT or ACT
• evidence that your previous education and work experience has prepared you for your intended field of study in the U.S.
• evidence of full or partial ownership of an established business in in your home country
• evidence of bank accounts in your home country

It is also wise to have with you any documents that describe the U.S. college you plan to join. It is very important that the consular official who conducts your visa interview is aware that your intended college is a recognized institution of higher learning; therefore, any information you have about the programs of study and the accreditation of your intended college can be of importance to the consular official. Also, some visa clerks will ask to see recent photos of the applicant for a visa.

It is not possible to list all the possible documents that can influence a visa clerk to grant your visa. Circumstances vary from country to country, from embassy to embassy, and from student to student. Just remember that there is no such thing as too much supporting documentation.

You may not be asked for any of these sorts of documents during the interview; however, it is a good idea to have them there with you if the visa clerk questions you sharply about whether you are a legitimate candidate for an American student visa.

What You Might Be Asked

The purpose of the visa interview is to give the consular official a chance to determine if you are a legitimate college student who will return to your home country when your American studies are completed. You should therefore be prepared to answer such questions as:

• How did you learn about the U.S. college?
• Exactly where is the college?
• How will you find a place to live in the U.S.?
• Why did you select your chosen major field of study?
• What is the highest degree you will attempt to earn in the U.S.?
• How will you apply your American degree to a career in your home country?
• Why do you feel the need to study in the U.S.?
• Are your financial resources able to support your sojourn in the U.S.?

You probably should try to think through your answers to such questions ahead of time; and, as you anticipate your responses to such questions, remember that the main purpose of the questions is to make sure you are a legitimate student who plans to return home when your studies are completed.

At some U.S. embassies you may be asked to show proof that you have prepaid your school fees for at least one year. Unfortunately, not all colleges permit prepayment of school fees. If you are requested to show proof of payment, then what I suggest is that you have a certified check made out jointly to the school and to you for the approximate amount of the first year's fees. Take that check with you to your visa interview. Also request the international student advisor at the school which issues you an I-20 also issue you a letter of explanation about the amount and method of payment of school fees.

Proper Dress and Decorum

Remember that you should dress and act like a genuine student when you go for your interview. You do not want to dress like the rock stars or actors you may have seen on American television or in American movies. You need to look like serious university students in your own country usually look.

Some international students feel that U.S. embassy officials have suspicious or even hostile attitudes towards visa-seekers. Try to remember that U.S. embassies are very "security conscious" since the 1998 bombings of the embassies in Kenya and Tanzania. When you go to a U.S. embassy, you may well have to pass through metal detectors manned by U.S. Marine embassy guards. You may even have to submit to a search of your person. The embassy staff members are very seriously concerned with maintaining the security of the embassy. So, when you visit the U.S. embassy for your visa interview, conduct yourself in a serious and businesslike manner and try not feel intimidated.

You should also speak in a clearly audible voice and should not stumble over your answers or hesitate as if you don't really know what you are talking about or as if your command of English is weak.

It is also important to have chosen a realistic course of study and to seem knowledgeable about the possibilities for employment in your major field when you return home. You are more likely to be approved for a visa if you can speak intelligently about how you will use you American degree in your home country.

Don't forget this important piece of advice! If you are a relatively young person, just a few months or years after finishing high school, it is a good idea to bring one of your parents or some other adult with you to the visa interview. Often the visa clerk will ask the adult for clarifying information that will help in making the decision to grant you a visa.

Sometimes it easier to get student visas than at other times. Different visa clerks at the various U.S. embassies have different attitudes and approaches toward issuing student visas. However, one thing is true all the time with all visa clerks at all U.S. embassies. You must be prepared.

When you were in school, you had to prepare yourself in order to score well on exams. If you did not prepare yourself to take an exam, you did not score well. And it is just the same with the visa interview. If you do not prepare for your visa interview, you probably will not be given a visa.