Non-Immigrant Visas

Study or Training Visas

To study in the US in an academic or vocational institution, applicants must first be certified as potential US students before submitting their applications for visas. The required document is form I-20. It is issued by a school or institution that has been approved by US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and sent directly to the prospective student.

Furthermore, the student applicant must be registered by the school in the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS). The student submits the form with a completed visa application (standard form DS-156) to the Embassy for consideration.

The spouse and unmarried children (under age 21) of students can apply for visas on the basis of the principal applicant's student status. Each person must submit a completed visa application and passport and each person must pay a separate processing fee. If family members are applying separately, they must present evidence (such as form I-20, page 4, properly endorsed) that the principal applicant has student status. Applicants may also be requested to present marriage and birth certificates to confirm their relationship to the student.

Students and their dependents may work only in certain situations. For example, on-campus employment provided by the school is generally allowed although employment may not exceed twenty hours a week while school is in session. Students may be allowed to work full-time during vacations and when the school is not in session. Spouses and children generally cannot work at all. When in doubt, check with the school's international student advisor. Keep in mind that students are expected to have the financial means --whether from scholarships, other income or a combination-- to complete a full course of study without working in the US.

All applicants must have sufficient scholastic preparation and knowledge of English (unless pursuing an English language training program) to undertake a full course of study. If English skills are inadequate, the school must show that it is equipped to offer, and has accepted the student expressly for, a full course of study in the student's language or that special arrangements have been made to tutor the student in English. The consular officer must be satisfied that an applicant will be able, with the assistance of such tutoring, to undertake a full course of study in the US.

Types of Student Visas

Academic Student (F-visa)

This category applies to applicants who have been accepted by an approved college, university, seminary, conservatory, high school, middle school, elementary school, or other academic institution, or in a language training program in the United States. The applicant's acceptance is evidenced by a completed certificate of eligibility (form I-20) signed by the applicant and the designated school official.

Effective November 30, 1996, new legal provisions prevent consular officers from issuing F-visas to applicants going to study at public elementary schools or publicly-funded adult education programs, regardless of their ability to pay. Students who apply for F-visas to attend public secondary schools (grades 7 through 12) must show proof of having paid the full, unsubsidized per capita cost of their education. Students are limited to no more than 12 months of public high school in F-status. Foreign students can no longer use the US residence of their relatives for the purpose of attending public high schools. These provisions do not apply to students attending private schools. The provisions also do not affect the dependents of other categories of visas holders visiting the US, such as E, H, L, or J visas.

The school authority must have actually collected the student's reimbursement before a visa can be issued. As proof, the form I-20 must be endorsed to indicate that payment was made. Alternatively, school officials should provide the applicant a notarized statement on school district letterhead, signed by the school superintendent or designee authorized to sign I-20s, which states that reimbursement has been made.

Vocational Visa (M-visa)

This category allows applicants to attend established vocational or other recognized non-academic institutions. For example, students attending culinary schools use this category. The approved institution indicates its acceptance of the applicant through a completed certificate of eligibility (form I-20M). The certificate must be signed by the applicant and the designated school official.

Brochure: Student Programs in the U.S. (Czech, pdf file, 800kB)