F-1 Visa Frequently Asked Questions

Applying for Your Student Visa

Your acceptance packet from UC Berkeley Extension contains important information about applying for your visa, paying your fees and beginning your program. Please read this information carefully. If you have any questions, contact International Student Administrative Services (ISAS).

Note: UC Berkeley Extension will be closed for holidays on Nov. 12, Nov. 22–23 and Dec. 24–31, 2012, and on Jan. 1, 2013. In addition, many United States consulates and embassies are also closed on these dates. Students should plan ahead to avoid delays when submitting applications, scheduling visa appointments or doing other business.

What is an F-1 student visa?

Students who are not U.S. citizens or permanent residents of the United States must obtain an F-1 student visa in order to attend UC Berkeley Extension. Non-U.S. citizens entering the country with a visitor visa (B-1, B-2) or under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) are not permitted to engage in full-time study.

If your status is other than F-1, please consult with International Student Administrative Services about your eligibility to study. For individuals interested in changing their status within the U.S., the change of status must be submitted to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (U.S. CIS) prior to the expiration of your current status (and prior to the termination of employment for H-1 visa holders). Please contact International Student Administrative Services as soon as possible for advice on your visa status. Note: A visa stamp in your passport cannot be obtained within the U.S.

What documents do I need to apply for an F-1 visa?

  1. A passport valid for at least six months
  2. Form I-20, included with your acceptance packet (Please review your I-20, then print your name, sign and date under item 11.)
  3. School admission letter
  4. Completed visa applications (DS-156, DS-158 and, if applicable, DS-157. In most countries, applications are now available online.)
  5. Two 2-inch x 2-inch photographs in the prescribed format (see the Bureau of Consular Affairs' Nonimmigrant Visa Photograph Requirements)
  6. A receipt for the visa application fee
  7. A receipt for the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) fee. If you paid the fee electronically and have not received an official receipt in the mail showing payment, the consulate will accept the temporary receipt printed from your computer. If you do not have a receipt, the consulate may be able to see your payment electronically if your payment was processed at least three business days before your interview.
  8. Financial evidence (original documents only) that shows you have sufficient funds to cover your tuition and living expenses during the period you intend to study.
  9. Any information that proves that you will return to your home country after finishing your studies in the U.S.  This may include proof of property, family or other ties to your community.

What is Form I-20?

Form I-20 is the certificate of eligibility issued by the school; it is included in your acceptance packet and has three pages: the student’s copy, the instruction page and the endorsement page. The student’s copy and the endorsement page have a bar code on the right hand side, and your SEVIS ID is printed above the bar code.

If you are entering the U.S. to attend a school for the first time, the Custom and Border Protection (CBP) official at the port of entry must stamp your I-20 in the upper right-hand corner. This stamp indicates that you have been inspected for admission into the U.S. and have been authorized to attend the school whose name appears on your I-20. You must attend the school that issued you the I-20. If you wish to transfer to another school, do so immediately.

Note: Each dependent who accompanies you to the U.S. must have an individual Form I-20 (indicated by the words "Dependent’s Copy" over the bar code and SEVIS ID).

What is SEVIS?

SEVIS is the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System. U.S. schools that have been approved by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to accept F-1 students are required to notify the DHS’ U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (U.S. ICE) to report the following information through SEVIS:

*Schools are required to report this information for all dependents in the U.S., as well.

U.S. schools are also required to notify SEVIS if:

Who pays the SEVIS fee?

Note: F-2 dependents do not have to pay the SEVIS fee.

When do I pay the SEVIS fee?

The fee must be paid at least three business days prior to applying for your visa or applying for admission at a U.S. port of entry for those exempt from the visa requirement. The fee must be paid prior to submission of a change-of-status petition or reinstatement application.

To pay by mail:

  1. Get SEVIS Form I-901—Fee Remittance for Certain F, J and M Nonimmigrants—or request the form by calling 1-800-870-3676 (inside the U.S.).
  2. Complete Form I-901. Be sure to write your name exactly as it appears on your I-20.
  3. Prepare a check, international money order or foreign draft (drawn on U.S. banks only) in the amount of $200 USD, made payable to The U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
  4. Mail the completed I-901 and payment to the address listed on the I-901.
  5. Form I-797 (confirmation letter receipt) should be mailed within three days of processing the fee. Make copies of this receipt letter, and keep it with your other important immigration documents.

To pay online:

  1. Get the SEVIS Form 1-901.
  2. Complete the form online, and supply the necessary Visa, MasterCard or American Express information. Be sure to write your name exactly as it appears on your I-20.
  3. Print a copy of the online receipt.
  4. Make copies of this receipt letter, and keep it with your other important immigration documents.

You must bring the receipt of fee payment with you to the interview. If you have lost the receipt, the Visa Officer should be able to view your payment history in the database.

If you are transferring schools, extending your program, applying for an F-2 dependent visa or have paid this fee and been denied a visa within the last 12 months, you do not need to pay the $200 SEVIS fee.

How do I prepare for the visa interview?

  1. Contact your local U.S. Consulate or Embassy to ask about how to get an F-1 international student visa. The U.S. Department of State has a list of Consulates and Embassies.
  2. Follow the U.S. Embassy/Consulate’s instructions to schedule an interview for your F-1 student visa. It is important to apply for your student visa as far in advance as possible. Many consulates recommend that appointments be made no more than 90 days from the intended date of travel, but some can make earlier arrangements for interviews.
  3. Complete the following forms:
    1. DS-156 Nonimmigrant Visa Application Form
    2. DS-158 Contact Information and Work History for Nonimmigrant Visa Applicant
    3. Males age 16–45 years must complete the DS-157 Supplemental Nonimmigrant Visa Application
  4. If your I-20 is marked for “initial” attendance (see No. 3 on your I-20), you will need to pay the $200 SEVIS fee.

If you are returning to continue your studies, renewing your visa or seeking more details on how to apply for a student visa, refer to the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Consular Affairs.

During your interview, remain calm and answer all the Visa Officer’s questions openly and honestly.

Consular officers do security checks for all visa applicants. They do special security clearances for some applicants as required by law. Students who study certain scientific and technical subjects are subject to additional checks. These clearances may take several weeks or longer. Please plan for the possibility of a delay in the issuance of a visa. Make your visa application well in advance of your intended travel.

If your F-1 visa application is denied, the SEVIS fee as well as the visa application fee will not be refunded. However, if you reapply for a new F-1 visa within 12 months of denial, you will not have to pay the SEVIS fee again.

Can I take courses at UC Berkeley Extension on a B-1 or B-2 tourist visa?

Visitors admitted to the United States on a B-1 or B-2 tourist visa are strictly prohibited from enrolling in a full-time program of study at UC Berkeley Extension. To enroll into a full-time program of study, you must either obtain an F-1 nonimmigrant visa from a consular officer abroad and seek readmission to the U.S. or apply to a UC Berkeley Extension International Program and request a change of status. Note that not all UC Berkeley Extension programs are available for full-time study. View more information about taking courses on a B-1 or B-2 tourist visa.

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