Applying for Your F-1 or J-1 Visa Stamp

Once you have received your Form I-20 or Form DS-2019, you must pay the SEVIS I-901 fee as part of your student visa application process. The SEVIS I-901 fee is required of all F-1 and J-1 student applicants to the United States.

To pay the SEVIS I-901 fee, you will need your SEVIS ID number (this number starts with "N00...").

• If you have been issued the Form I-20, your SEVIS ID number can be found at the top left of your Form I-20
• If you have been issued the Form DS-2019, your SEVIS ID number can be found at the top right of your DS-2019

Pay the SEVIS I-901 Fee

Once you have received your Form I-20 or Form DS-2019, and before you can schedule a visa interview at your local U.S. consulate or embassy, you must first complete the Form DS-160, Online Nonimmigrant Visa Electronic Application. In order to fill out this form, you will need:

• Your passport
• Your SEVIS ID number (this number starts with "N00...")
  • If you have been issued the Form I-20, your SEVIS ID number can be found at the top left of your Form I-20
  • If you have been issued the Form DS-2019, your SEVIS ID number can be found at the top right of your DS-2019
• Your travel itinerary. If you have not yet decided what days you will arrive and depart the US, you can just put the dates of your program, which are listed on your Form I-20 or Form DS-2019. (If the consular officer asks you about your dates of travel during your visa interview, you can let them know that you are waiting to purchase flight tickets until after you have received your visa stamp.)
• Dates of your last five visits or trips to the United States, if you have previously traveled to the United States. You may also be asked for your international travel history for the past five years.
• Résumé or Curriculum Vitae - You may be required to provide information about your current and previous education and work history.
• A recent headshot. Please review the U.S. Department of State photo requirements here.

If you have questions about filling out the Form DS-160, please review these Frequently Asked Questions.

Upon submission of the Form DS-160, make sure to keep a copy of the confirmation page, the page with the barcode. If you have printing capabilities, it is recommended that you print two copies--one for you, and the other to take with you to the U.S. consulate or embassy when you go for your interview.

Once you have submitted the Form DS-160 and received the confirmation page, visit the website of your local US consulate or embassy to schedule your visa appointment.

Please note that some consulates/embassies require two visa appointments scheduled just a few days apart from each other. In these cases, the first date is usually to collect your documents and your biometric data, and the second date will be when you have your interview with the consular officer. Alternatively, some consulates/embassies do all of this on one single day. If you are unsure what your appointment day(s) will entail, you can always call the consulate/embassy to ask for additional details.

It is strongly recommended that you review these 10 points to remember when applying for a student visa in advance of your interview, so that you know what you will be asked about (Please note that access to the link above requires the creation of a free account).

What to bring to your visa interview

Please review the list below and make sure you have these items with you when you go to your visa interview appointment. Keep in mind that the consulate/embassy may require additional documents beyond what is listed below, so it is strongly recommended that you review the instructions for how to apply for a visa on the specific website of the consulate or embassy you have scheduled your interview at. It is your responsibility to make sure you bring the necessary documentation to your visa interview. This will include (but again, may not be limited to, so check with your local consulate):

• Your passport, valid for at least 6 months after the program start date listed on your Form I-20 or Form DS-2019, and with available empty pages.
• Your hard copy Form I-20 or Form DS-2019. Please make sure you have signed it!
• Confirmation page (with barcode) showing that you have completed the Form DS-160, Online Nonimmigrant Visa Electronic Application.
• Proof of Payment of the SEVIS I-901 Fee. This fee is required of all student visa applicants.
• Documentation proving your financial ability to meet the estimated expenses for your program. You should bring the same documentation you submitted in iTorero, as long as it is within 3 months old.
• Evidence of your English proficiency (for example, a copy of your official TOEFL or IELTS scores).
• Proof of your academic preparation/credentials, such as copies of transcripts, diplomas, and any standardized test scores.
• Proof of payment of the Visa Reciprocity Fee, if applicable. This fee is not required in all cases, so please review the link to see if it will be applied in your case.

At the visa interview, the consular officer will inspect your documentation and ask you questions pertaining to your planned study in the United States. It is strongly recommended that you review these 10 points to remember when applying for a student visa before you go to your visa interview, so that you know what you will be asked about (Please note that access to the link above requires the creation of a free account).

Tips for your visa interview

1. Speak in English. Be prepared to conduct the entire interview in English. Read through the 10 points at the link above and practice in English how you would respond to questions about each topic.
2. Keep your answers brief. Consular officers interview several visa applicants every day, and can only spend a few minutes with each applicant. Keep your answers short and simple.
3. Be polite and positive. Be kind and courteous with the consular officer. Do not act rude or sarcastic, and do not try to argue with them. If the officer denies your visa, remain polite and ask them what other documents you could submit to appeal the denial.

Visa approval

If your visa interview is successful, the consular officer will approve you for your F-1 or J-1 visa. The officer will collect your passport so that the consulate or embassy can affix the F-1 or J-1 visa stamp to the inside of your passport. Please note that this can take 1-2 weeks, so you will be without your passport during that time.

When the consular officer tells you at the completion of your interview that your visa is approved, make sure to ask them how you will receive your passport back. In many cases, you will need to return to the consulate or embassy at a later date to pick it up. In some cases, the consulate or embassy may be able to mail your passport back to you.

Once you have received your F-1 or J-1 visa, you may plan your travel to the United States.

Visa denial

If your interview results in a visa denial, do not become upset with the consular officer and do not try to argue with them. Instead, remain polite and ask them what other documentation you could provide to appeal the denial. If no other documentation can be accepted at that time, ask them what you could do differently to improve your chances next time. Make sure to thank them for their time, and take note of their name for future reference.

If you are denied a visa, please notify the Office of Graduate Admission at grads@sandiego.edu with the details of your interview experience.