Documents required for USA Student Visa

F1 visa is the most common type of USA student visa. This is for all international students who wish to engage in academic studies in USA at an accredited college or university. Students who plan to engage in non-academic or vocational study or training at US institutions should apply for an M-1 visa.

Only an international student who is accepted and approved by a US university or college is eligible for an F1 visa. Once accepted, the educational institution will provide you the necessary approval documentation that needs to be submitted along with the USA student visa application.

Here is the list of documents that you need to apply for an F1 visa:

A Valid Passport

You must have a passport that is valid for at least six months beyond your period of stay in the US.

Form DS-160

Complete and submit your non-immigrant visa application, also known as Form DS-160 online, prior to making an appointment for an interview at the Embassy or Consulate. You must carry the confirmation page of this online submitted form with CEAC bar code for your visa interview.

Visa Fees Receipt

You are required to make the application fee payment online and submit the receipt before your interview.

I-20 and Letter of Admission

Both pages of the bar-coded Form-I20 obtained from your college or university, signed by you and a college official is mandatory for the visa application.

Visa Appointment Letter

Take a copy of your visa appointment letter which you will get by applying for a visa appointment on the web.

Financial Documents

To establish your financial resources, you must show the proof of liquid assets sufficient to pay for your entire first year of education and living expenses. Proof of readily available funds to cover the remaining years of studies in US is also a necessity.

Some of the documents that can establish your financial resources include:

• Financial aid from the university in the form of a scholarship, or fellowship, assistantship (TA/GA/RA), grant or loan.
• Financial aid from the student’s home government in case of a government sponsored educational program
• Financial aid from private organizations
• Your personal resources
• Funds from close family members
• Bonds and bank balances

Education Documents

Original mark sheets and certificates of Bachelor degree, and high school diploma (SSC, Intermediate/+2) from the previous institutions attended.

Relevant test scores such as TOEFL, SAT, GRE, GMAT or LSAT (if the university does not require the test results, you should get a letter from the university stating the same)

Work Experience Letter

You would need documents to prove your work experience, if you have been employed in the past.

Having all necessary documents in-hand will boost your chances of getting a USA student visa.