U.S. Immigration Explained Blog

F VISAS FOR STUDENTS AND THEIR FAMILY

F-1

The F-1 visa permits full-time study at an academic institution such as a university or private school.

To qualify for an F-1, you must:

Possess a foreign residence and have no intention of abandoning it;
Be a bona fide student that is qualified to engage in a full course of study;
Be temporarily entering for the purpose of pursuing a program of study at an established institution;
Conduct your studies only at the school for which you are approved; and
Not attend a public elementary or secondary school or any publicly funded adult educational programs unless your attendance is not longer than 12 months and you can prove that you have reimbursed the school for the education you received.

All applicants must meet the above requirements as well as the following list.

When applying for an F-1 visa, you must submit a SEVIS (Student and Exchange Visitor Information System) Form I-20 which is issued by the institution you will be attending. This form must be signed by both you, the applicant, and the issuing school. Along with the SEVIS Form I-20, you must pay a SEVIS fee (I-901). You can pay this fee at www.fmjfee.com.
In addition, you must be able to show that you have access to sufficient financial support to cover your expenses while in the United States.
Student visa applicants are required to be proficient in English or be pursuing a course of study to make them proficient in English.
You must intend to leave the United States once your studies are completed.
Finally, you must maintain a full program of study. This requirement has different criteria for the different types of institutions that a student may attend with an F-1 visa. For example, if you are planning to attend Yale University, you would have to maintain a course load of 12 hours per semester. However, if you wanted to attend a program at a school for the fine arts that is nonvocational, you would have to maintain 18 hours of classroom time or 22 hours if it is mostly lab work. Do note that with the F-1 you may take an on-line course; however, it can only be 1 class or 3 credits per term, and it may not be a language study program.

F-1 visa holders are allowed to transfer schools, but you will need to obtain a SEVIS I-20 from the institution you are transferring to and inform the school you are attending currently. In addition, F-1 visa holders are not required to apply for extensions on their visa so long as the student is maintaining his or her status and is making standard progress toward finishing his or her educational goal.

F-2

This visa is for the spouse and children of an F-1 visa holder. The F-1’s spouse and children may enter along with the F-1 by receiving an F-2 visa. Each family member must be provided a separate SEVIS I-20. Family members on an F-2 visa may not work or attend school except in the case of children which may attend elementary school thru 12th grade and persons who have changed their status from F-2 to an F-1.

Related Topics:

M-1 Visa (Full-time Study which Leads to a Particular Educational or Vocational Goal)
J Visa (Work or Train with an Approved Exchange Program)
H-3 Visa (Temporary Worker Coming to Receive Training or Instruction)
Maintaining Your Status