US F-1 Student Visa

Application Process — Step by Step

1. 01

   Receive Form I-20 from US school

   home country

   Apply to and accept admission at a SEVIS-certified US institution. School issues Form I-20 listing programme dates, total expenses, and SEVIS ID number.

   Typical duration: Per institution admission processsource ↗

2. 02

   Pay SEVIS I-901 fee

   online

   Pay the USD 350 SEVIS fee at fmjfee.com before consular appointment.

   Typical duration: Same daysource ↗

3. 03

   Submit DS-160 + book consular appointment

   home country

   Complete DS-160 online visa application; pay MRV visa fee (USD 185); book interview at home-country US consulate.

   Typical duration: 1-12 weeks for appointmentsource ↗

4. 04

   Attend visa interview

   home country

   Demonstrate non-immigrant intent, programme genuineness, financial capacity, English proficiency. Interviews are typically brief (3-5 minutes).

   Typical duration: Same day decision

5. 05

   Travel to US within 30 days of programme start

   destination

   F-1 visa permits entry from up to 30 days before programme start date. Report to school's Designated School Official (DSO) on arrival.

   Typical duration: Same day

Documents Required

Realistic Costs

~ Some figures below are industry estimates rather than officially verified: lawyer_fee_high, translations, apostilles, health_insurance_first_year, relocation_misc, total_first_year_low, total_first_year_high, total_5_year_low, total_5_year_high.

Excludes tuition and living costs (which the F-1 is conditional on). Most students do not use immigration lawyers for F-1 — the school's DSO handles paperwork. Health insurance often included in tuition or required separately.

Realistic Timeline

• Consulate wait2–24 weeks
• Decision → arrival0 weeks
• Residence card issuance0 weeks
• Total to residence card4–28 weeks

Consulate-appointment wait varies dramatically by post — Mumbai, Hyderabad, Manila, and Lagos historically run multi-month delays. F-1 visa stamp is issued in passport; no residence card. SEVIS I-20 from the school is the controlling document while in the US.

Renewal

First renewal after

—

Subsequent cycle

months

Renewal fee

$0USDEURGBPCADAUDINRAEDTHBSGDBRLMXNZAR

Requirements

F-1 visa stamp validity is fixed at issuance (typically 5 years for many countries — reciprocity-based). Status in the US is maintained via continuous SEVIS enrolment, not via visa renewal. Visa stamp can expire while inside the US without effect; only required for re-entry. Renewal at consulate when next abroad.

Path to Permanent Residency — Details

Years required

Integration test

Not required

Path to Citizenship — Details

Years required

Language test

No

Civic test

Not required

Oath

Not required

Dual citizenship

Allowed

Tax Residency

Trigger

days/year of presence

Taxation scope

Territorial (in-country only)

Exit-tax country

No

Health Insurance

Mandatory

Yes

No co-pay required

No

Minimum coverage

$100,000USDEURGBPCADAUDINRAEDTHBSGDBRLMXNZAR

Examples: ISO Student Health Insurance, PSI Health Insurance, Aetna Student Health, Cigna Global Student

Banking Setup

Open account before arrival

Not typically possible before arrival

Family Specifics

Spouse work rights

F-2 spouse cannot work in the US

Child school enrolment

F-2 children attend K-12 schools; cannot enrol in full-time university (must convert to F-1)

Parent inclusion

Not eligible

Sibling inclusion

Not eligible

Gotchas — Things to Watch For

• ⚠F-1 visa is tied to a specific school; transferring requires SEVIS transfer with new I-20
• ⚠OPT is the major value-add: 12 months general + 24 STEM extension = up to 3 years of US work authorisation post-graduation, all without H-1B lottery exposure
• ⚠Maintaining status requires full-time enrolment; dropping below full-time without DSO authorisation triggers status loss
• ⚠Working off-campus without authorisation is a deportable offence with multi-year re-entry consequences

What This Visa Does NOT Allow

• ×Off-campus employment without specific authorisation (CPT, OPT, severe-economic-hardship EAD)
• ×Permanent residence — F-1 explicitly requires non-immigrant intent at the consular interview (though intent can change later via dual-intent doctrine for some categories)

Before You Arrive — Checklist

1. Accept admission from a SEVP-certified school and pay SEVIS I-901 fee
2. Receive Form I-20 from the school
3. Schedule and attend visa interview at US consulate; bring DS-160 confirmation, I-20, SEVIS fee receipt, financial documentation
4. Pay $185 MRV visa fee at consulate
5. Obtain F-1 visa stamp in passport

After You Arrive — Checklist

1. Enter the US no more than 30 days before programme start date
2. Report to Designated School Official (DSO) at the school within 30 days
3. Apply for SSN if planning to work on-campus or under CPT/OPT later
4. Apply for state-specific ID (DMV) if appropriate
5. Open US bank account using passport + I-20

Conversion Paths

Common Rejection Reasons

• •Failure to demonstrate non-immigrant intent (most common — applicant looks like they plan to stay in the US permanently)
• •Insufficient financial documentation to cover tuition + living expenses for the programme duration
• •Inadequate evidence of ties to home country (family, property, employment)
• •SEVIS I-20 inconsistencies with stated programme
• •Prior US visa overstay or immigration violation

Recent Legislative Changes

• 2024-09-01

  USCIS clarified that STEM OPT is available to graduates of designated STEM CIP-code programmes; updated STEM CIP code list publicly maintained.source ↗

Frequently Asked Questions