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Student Visas Basic Requirements. Anne Smedinghoff Vice Consul United States Embassy Caracas, Venezuela. The United States: Destination for Students. More than 500,000 international students study in the U.S. every year. And many from Venezuela!.
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Student Visas Basic Requirements Anne Smedinghoff Vice Consul United States Embassy Caracas, Venezuela
The United States: Destination for Students • More than 500,000 international students study in the U.S. every year.
And many from Venezuela! • In 2010 we received almost 5,000 student visa applications. • The majority were approved.
Schedule June, July and August are the most common months for student visa interviews We can only print a student visa 120 days before the start of classes Students can enter the United States 30 days before the start of classes Note: These rules don’t apply for student visa renewals.
Requirements To qualify for a student visa you must: • Be accepted at an accredited institution (I-20/DS-2019) • Have sufficient economic resources to pay for your studies • Meet the minimum requirements for your course of study (including English language ability if necessary) • Intend to leave the United States after completing your studies
1. Be accepted by an accredited institution • The applicant has to demonstrate acceptance by an accredited institution with the I-20/DS-2019 form (given to the student by the institution) • The institution has to register the student in the SEVIS program, which gives each student a unique identification number (Example: N000123456) • The student must pay the SEVIS fee of $180/$200 and print the receipt (Form I-901) at: http://www.fmjfee.com
Have sufficient economic resources to pay for your studies All applicants have to prove during the interview that they can pay the costs of the first year of study (as listed on the I-20/DS-2019 form). They also have to demonstrate that they will be able to pay the costs for subsequent years of study. Where does the money come from? Savings, parents, relatives, scholarships…
3. Meet the minimum requirements for your course of study • You must meet the academic requirements of your program of study, just like any U.S. student who wants to attend the same institution. • If necessary, you must demonstrate sufficient fluency in English.
4. Intend to leave the United States after your course of study
The Interview The job of the Vice Consul is to determine if you: • Are a bona fide student; • Have sufficient economic resources to complete your studies; • Have sufficient ties to your home country to return there when you finish school.
DS-160 Formhttp://caracas.usembassy.gov/?c=735 • Consular Service Fee = $140 • Paid at Banco Provincial
Review of Documents Required documents for the interview include: • I-20 from the academic institution • I-901 receipt of SEVIS fee • DS-160 (Non-Immigrant Visa Application – only the confirmation sheet is needed)
Review of Fees • For a student visa: 1. $180 (J) / $200(F/M) – SEVIS payment 2. $140 for the Consular service 3. Cost of making the appointment: • $10 by Internet • $23 by telephone call .
Useful Websites • http://caracas.usembassy.gov – Information about all visa types, including student visas. • http://abidjan.usembassy.gov/american_universities.html - A list of major U.S. universities with links to each one’s requirement for international students. • www.exchanges.state.gov – The Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs promotes professional and personal ties between citizens and organizations in the US and abroad. • www.educationusa.state.gov– Information and services for international students in all stages of the process, and information about scholarships. • www.iie.org – Institute of International Education, a good general resource for international students. • www.ets.org – The organization that administers the TOEFL exam. • www.fmjfee.com – SEVIS fee payment.
http://caracas.usembassy.gov ¿Questions?