Documents Required for US Student Visa

What are the requirements for a student visa in the USA? The documents needed for a US student visa include a valid passport, educational documents, work-related documents, financial documents, etc. International students interested in obtaining an F1 visa in the USA are required to submit a range of documents as part of the US student visa interview process.

This Story also Contains

1. Documents Required for US Student Visa
2. Documents Required for Student Visa for USA
3. US Visa Types
4. Documents Required for US F1 Visa
5. Documents for M-1 Visa Application
6. 5-Year Student Visa USA Requirements
7. How to Apply for USA Student Visa?

The checklist for documents required for a US student visa for Indian students is very long, and it takes around three to four months to gather all the necessary documents. Therefore, students are advised to apply early to avoid last-minute rushes and mistakes. This article offers a deep understanding of the documents required for visas for students. Interested students planning to attend top world universities.

Documents Required for US Student Visa

Documents Required for Student Visa for USA

Mentioned below is a list of documents required for USA student visa that you can refer to.

• Passport: This is a crucial student visa USA requirement. In addition to being valid for travel to the United States, the passport must be valid for a minimum of six months beyond your intended duration of stay in the United States, unless you belong to a country that exempts the six-month rule. Students in the exempt category simply need to have a passport valid for their intended period of stay.

• Confirmation of Form DS-160: The DS-160 is an online non-immigrant application form for temporary travel to the United States and another integral element in the list of documents required for F-1 visa.

• USA Visa Application fee payment receipt: The cost of an F1 visa USA is divided into two categories: the SEVIS charge and the MRV fee. Students have to produce the payment receipt at the time of the interview as part of the list of documents required for visa for students.

• Photo: The photograph should fulfill the following requirements

  • Coloured photo.

  • Plain white or off-white background.

  • A neutral facial expression and both eyes open.

  • No glasses or headsets.

• Academic credentials: Submit academic transcripts, and scores of standardised tests like GRE, GMAT, IELTS, TOEFL, etc. to showcase the candidate's academic preparation.

• Financial support documents: The following documents serve the purpose.

  • Bank statements for the last three years.

  • Original pay/salary slips and letter of employment (if employed).

  • Tax Returns for the last 3 years (Form 16).

  • Statement from a certified Chartered Accountant.

  • Scholarship letter (If a student received it).

  • Education loan approval letter by the bank or concerned authority.

Related reading:

• Top Courses to Study in the USA

• Engineering in the USA

• Admission intakes in the USA

US Visa Types

The documents required for US student visa will be based on the type of student visa. Full-time academic students in the United States have two types of non-immigrant visas they can opt for:

• F-1 visa

• M-1 visa

US Student Visa Category for International Students

Documents Required for US F1 Visa

Here is the F1 visa documents checklist for students

• Valid passport
  Receipts of SEVIS and visa fee payment.

• Form I-20 sent by your college/university.

• Confirmation slip after submitting your DS-160.

• Appointment letter of visa interview.

• Passport-size photos as per specifications.

• Originals of your school and college transcripts.

• Scorecard of your English language proficiency tests such as IELTS or TOEFL.

• Bank statements of three years to prove that you have enough funds to pay tuition fees. and living expenses.

• Payslips and letter of employment (if employed).

• Tax Returns for the past 3 years (Form 16).

• Scholarship letter (If you have one).

• Loan approval letter by the bank or concerned authority if you have taken a student loan.

Documents for M-1 Visa Application

• Passport valid for at least six months.

• DS-160 confirmation page.

• Visa appointment letter.

• Receipts as proof of having paid the visa and SEVIS fee.

• Passport-size photos as per specifications.

• Copies of your school and college transcripts.

• Scorecard of your English language proficiency tests such as IELTS or TOEFL.

• Bank statements of three years prove that you have enough funds to pay tuition fees and living expenses.

• Tax Returns for the past 3 years (Form 16).

• Scholarship letter (If you have one).

• Loan approval letter by the bank or concerned authority if you have taken a student loan.

5-Year Student Visa USA Requirements

International students applying for a 5-year student visa must ensure that their passport is valid for the entire duration of their study and post-study stay in the country. In some instances, students are required to demonstrate their funding assistance for the 5 years of their stay in USA.

Student visa details of other countries

How to Apply for USA Student Visa?

Here is the step-by-step process on how to apply for a USA student visa:

Steps to Apply for USA Student Visa

Step 1: Complete the online visa application and print the application form.

Step 2: Upload your photo while filling out the online Form DS-160.

Step 3: Schedule a Biometric appointment and interview with a consular officer.

Step 4: In-person fingerprinting and photo-taking are required to obtain an American student visa.

Step 5: Pay a USA student visa cost of USD 185.

Step 6: Once the interview answers are convincing, interviewers will keep the passport to issue a visa stamp that will become the USA student visa.