Student Visa (F-1 Visa & M Visa)

The US immigration laws provide two categories of student study in the US. The “F-1” visa to the US is reserved for nonimmigrant's wishing to pursue academic studies and/or language training programs. The “M” visa to the US is reserved for those wishing to pursue nonacademic or vocational studies.

Basic Requirements:

• The student must be enrolled in an “academic” educational program - Enrollment in a college, university, seminary, conservatory, or language raining program qualifies as “academic.”
• The school must be approved by the US Immigration and Naturalization Services (USCIS) - In order to obtain visa to US as a student, the foreign national must first be admitted to a school approved by the Attorney General to issue certificates of eligibility (SEVIS I-20) to foreign students. The BCIS requires that a school not issue a form I-20 unless a student has made written application to the school for admission, and has been accepted in the school.
• The student must be enrolled as a full-time student - As a general rule, if a student is enrolled to take the usual number of courses needed to complete the requirements for a degree in the usual time, he or she is enrolled in a “full course of study.”
• The student must be proficient in English, unless enrolled in an English language program - The school must be assured of the student’s proficiency in English. Thus, the student usually needs to take an English language examination as part of the application process.
• The student must have sufficient funds available for self-support during the entire proposed course of study - The student also needs to present financial data demonstrating his or her ability to meet academic and living expenses for at least the first twelve-month period of the student’s education.
• The student must maintain a residence abroad.

For your convenience we have provided links to the US Immigration and Naturalization Services (USCIS) website so that you may read more on obtaining an academic student visa to the USA. Click here!

For your convenience we have provided links to the US Immigration and Naturalization Services (USCIS) website so that you may read more on obtaining a vocational student visa to the USA. Click here!