Visa information for F-1 Students and J-1 Exchange Visitors

The visa stamp in your passport indicates you are qualified to apply for admission into the U.S. as an F-1 student or J-1 Exchange Visitor. Although your passport and I-20 or DS-2019 must remain valid while you are in the United States, your visa need not remain valid once you have used it to enter the U.S. However, if you travel overseas and your visa has expired and/or the number of entries has been used, or the visa stamp does not identify your current status, you will need to request a new visa at a U.S. consulate prior to your return. (Canadian citizens are not required to have a visa to enter the U.S.)

An exception to the rule requiring a valid, unexpired visa exists for students in F-1 and J-1 status who travel for fewer than 30 days solely to Canada or Mexico or islands in the Caribbean except Cuba. Your visa will be considered to be "extended" (and "converted" to the proper visa category if you had changed status while in the U.S.) to the date of reentry, eliminating the need to obtain a new visa at a U.S. consulate before that particular re-entry. This procedure is known as "automatic visa revalidation." Note that if you apply for a new visa while in Canada, Mexico and islands in the Caribbean, you will not be able to return to the U.S. unless the visa is granted. Also, citizens of Iraq, Iran, Syria, Libya, and North Korea are not eligible for automatic visa revalidation.

Apply for the visa in your home country, unless circumstances or travel plans make this impossible, and anticipate delays in visa issuance due to enhanced security reviews. U.S. consulates require in-person interviews for most visa applicants. You are encouraged to schedule the visa interview appointment as early as possible. The U.S. Department of State maintains an excellent website on the visa application process, and should be studied carefully. You can also find information about how long it will take to get your visa. Students applying for initial-entry F-1 and F-2 visas may be issued the visas up to 120 days before the academic program start date as noted on the I-20. J-1 and J-2 visitors may be issued visas at any time before the beginning of their programs.

At the consulate, include the following items:

• Visa application. Complete the form provided by the U.S. consulate in the country where the application will be submitted. You will be charged a fee for the visa application.
• Receipt confirming payment of the SEVIS fee, if applicable.
• Valid passport. Your passport must be valid for at least six months when seeking admission or readmission to the United States, and should remain valid throughout your stay in the U.S.
• Passport-size photos.
• I-20 or DS-2019 form. If you are applying for a visa to continue studies at the University of Washington, be sure that your ISS adviser has signed the travel validation section of the form within the past six months.
• Financial evidence detailing source and amount of funding. Consular and immigration officers exercise considerable discretion in determining whether financial support exists and is sufficient to cover your entire period of stay. Prepare documentation that is thorough, consistent, credible and varied.
• Academic transcripts, confirmation of enrollment, and proof of English language proficiency may also be requested.
• Evidence of continuing ties (such as family, career, or property) to your home country. Visa applicants are presumed to be "intending immigrants." Your visa will be denied unless you satisfy the consular officer that you will return home. Unfortunately, there is no single explanation, document, or letter than can guarantee visa issuance.
• Consular officers conduct quick interviews! Their initial impression of you is critical to your success. Keep your answers concise. Be honest in everything you write on your visa application and say during the interview. Anticipate that the interview will be conducted in English. Don't bring other people to speak on your behalf.
• Be able to explain the reasons you want to study in the U.S. and remember that your main reason for coming to the United States is to study, not to work!
• If your spouse and children are remaining behind in your home country, be prepared to explain how they will support themselves in your absence. If they are accompanying you to the U.S., what are the financial arrangements?
• If you are denied the visa, ask the officer for a list of documents he or she would suggest you bring the next time you apply, and try to get the reason you were denied in writing. Maintain a positive attitude! Do not engage the consular officer in an argument.

If you have been outside of the U.S. for more than five months and were not registered full time while abroad, your F-1 visa will be considered invalid, even if it has not yet expired. If you are returning to resume study, you must obtain a visa and pay the $100 SEVIS fee.