Steps to Obtaining a US Visa

Step 1: Read your SEVIS Form I-20

Your SEVIS Form I-20 indicates that we have created a record for you in the Student Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS). Your assigned SEVIS ID number is in the upper right corner of page 1 of your SEVIS Form I-20. If any information on your SEVIS Form I-20 is incorrect, please contact the Buckman Center immediately. If all of the information is correct, complete item 11 on page 1.

  • Note: The spelling of your name and your date of birth must be exactly the same as reflected in your passport.  The same is true for dependents. If your name and/or date of birth on SEVIS Form I-20 are not exactly the same as the information that appears in your passport, please request that we issue you a corrected Form I-20. Submitting an incorrect Form I-20 can result in delays or denial of the visa application. Please send a photocopy of the passport so that we can make sure that all information is consistent. 

Step 2:  Make sure your passport is valid  

In order to avoid possible problems applying for a visa or entering the U.S., it is recommended that your passport be valid for at least 6 months beyond the date you intend to remain in the U.S.      

Step 3:  Pay the SEVIS fee

The U.S. Department of State (DOS) and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) require proof of payment of the SEVIS fee before issuing a visa or approving any benefits of status. This fee must be paid by new F-1 students with “initial attendance” I-20s who are beginning an academic program in the U.S. in F-1 status. We recommend that students pay the fee as soon as they receive the Form I-20 to allow sufficient time for DHS to update the fee payment in the student’s electronic SEVIS record.

  • Note: The SEVIS fee is not required from students currently in the U.S. in valid F-1 immigration status. Similarly, the fee is not required from students transferring to a new school or changing to another degree program or level within five months from the completion of the previous F-1 program. However, students who have studied in the U.S. in F-1 status in the past, but have departed the U.S. for longer than a five (5) month period or changed to another immigration status must pay a new SEVIS fee before commencing the new program regardless of whether the student will need a new F-1 visa. Citizens of Canada are exempt from the requirement to possess a visa to enter the U.S., however, they are still required to pay the SEVIS fee. Proof of SEVIS fee payment for these individuals will be verified at the U.S. port of entry before they are admitted to the United States in F-1 status.

The fee can be paid by the student or by a third party inside or outside the U.S.  However, the student must have proof of payment when applying for the visa and entering the U.S. We strongly recommend that students pay the fee online with a credit card whenever possible to secure an immediate receipt.

SEVIS I-901 Fee Payment

The United States government, starting September 1, 2004, requires students and exchange visitors to pay a $100 SEVIS fee in order to qualify for a non-immigrant F or J visa for an initial entry to begin a program of study in the United States.

Proof of SEVIS fee payment is required before a student can apply for a visa to begin a new program of study. A student will use the I-20 issued by the school where they intend to study in order to pay the fee online. The student should print the receipt and bring it to their consulate interview as proof of payment in order to be qualified for the appropriate student visa.

Please visit the SEVIS website for more detailed information about the SEVIS fee and payment options.  Citizens of Canada & Bermuda, who are not required to have an F-1 visa, are still required to pay the SEVIS fee and show proof of payment in order to qualify for admission at the United States Port of Entry.

  • Important note regarding use of credit cards: Due to recent processing difficulties, the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) is currently unable to accept credit card payments made on behalf of students from the following countries:
    • Ghana
    • Nigeria
    • Cameroon
    • Kenya

     Students from these countries must pay by cashier's check, money order or Western Union transfer. 

All students who pay the SEVIS fee will receive a formal receipt that should be used as proof of fee payment. The receipt Form I-797 will be sent to the mailing address provided on the Form I-901. This receipt notice will take time to process and to arrive in the mail. The Form I-901 instructions state that receipts will be sent via airmail at no additional cost. The payee can request expedited courier delivery by indicating this request on the Form I-901 and by paying an extra fee at the time of initial payment. If the courier delivery option is selected, the student must include a contact telephone number and actual street address since the courier will not deliver to a P.O. Box. Although fee payments may be noted in the student’s SEVIS record, it is strongly recommended that students retain the fee receipt with other important immigration documents to use as needed.
 
If you have been accepted to more than one school in the U.S., it is strongly recommended that you decide which school you will attend before paying the fee as you must include the unique SEVIS ID number and school code found on the SEVIS Form I-20 issued by the appropriate institution. Although DHS has confirmed that a fee payment made on one SEVIS ID number can be applied to another SEVIS ID number issued to the same individual, it could complicate a visa application and should be avoided whenever possible.

Step 4: Contact the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate to obtain a valid F-1 visa

Citizens of all countries, except citizens of Canada, are required to be in possession of F-1 visas to enter the U.S. to study.  You must initiate the visa application process with the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate. It is strongly recommended that you review the web site of that consular post to learn about their specific visa application procedures, documentary requirements and deadlines. Most consular posts will process an application 120 days prior to the start date of the academic program listed on your SEVIS Form I-20. Please refer to the U.S. Department of State (DOS) website for more information.

To apply for a visa, you will need to submit the following documents to the U.S. Embassy or Consulate:

  1. Form DS-160: Online Nonimmigrant Visa Application from the DOS website
  2. Application fee (check with the Consulate for the fee amount and how it must be paid or visit the DOS Website
  3. One photograph: you should review the information on the website for the Consulate to determine how they would like you to submit your photograph.  Photo specifications are 2 inches square [51x51mm], showing full face, without head covering, against a light background as explained on the DOS Website 
  4. Passport valid for at least six (6) months into the future
  5. Your Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant (F-1) Student Status (SEVIS Form I-20) from Boston University
  6. Form I-797 Receipt or online proof of SEVIS fee payment
  7. Admission letter from Rhodes College
  8. Original financial documents proving the availability of sufficient funds as reflected on your SEVIS Form I-20  
  9. Documents that demonstrate your intent to return to your home country after you complete your studies; that is, documents that reflect your “non-immigrant intent”. (You may not need to do anything special to prove that you intend to return home.  It may be sufficient for you to explain, if asked, that you plan to return to your country to work, to continue your studies, or to do whatever you plan to do when you return home. However, you may be required to prove that you have such strong ties to your country that you will return there.  If you believe it is likely that you will need to prove this, please contact the Buckman Center for more information.

What happens at the United States Embassy/Consulate?

You may be required to speak with a consular official who reviews many visa applications every day.  The consular officer will quickly review your documents and ask about your plans of study.  The officer will verify that you have the academic ability, English language skills, and financial resources to study at Rhodes.  Since you are applying for a non-immigrant visa, the officer will require documentation of proof of intent to return to your home country.  The officer will then give you instructions about when to return to pick up your documents and your visa or when to expect them in the mail.  A few applicants may receive a request to submit additional information.  If you are required to have an interview with a consular official, please prepare for your meeting by reading 10 Tips for Your Consular Interview.

Step 5:  Travel to the U.S.

Once you have obtained your F-1 visa, you are ready to travel to the U.S. Immigration regulations allow you to enter the U.S. no earlier than 30 days prior to the start of your program indicated in section 5 of your SEVIS Form I-20. You must carry with you items 4-9 listed in Step 4. Place these documents in a folder or envelope that you will have with you at all times during your travel. During your trip to or upon your arrival in the U.S., you will be given a form called Arrival Record/Departure Record (Form I-94). Using a pen, print the information requested on this form, making certain to spell your name exactly as it is spelled in your passport.

Step 6:  Apply for “admission” to the U.S.

When you arrive in the U.S., you will apply for “admission” at the Port of Entry and an Immigration officer will examine your documents.  You will need to present the following documents:

  • Form I-94
  • Passport with valid F-1 visa
  • SEVIS Form I-20
  • Proof of SEVIS fee payment

You will need to have the following documents ready to present, should the officer ask for them: 

  • Admission letter from Rhodes College
  • Original financial documents
  • Documents which demonstrate your intent to return home

The Immigration officer may ask you a few questions.  If you are asked about the funds that will pay for your studies, answer the question and offer to show the officer your financial documents.  If you are asked about your “intentions,” answer the question and offer to show the officer the documents that demonstrate your intent to return home.

If you have the required documents and there are no more questions, the officer will “admit” you to the U.S. by processing your passport and your Form I-94. When you leave the inspection area, make certain you have the following documents in your possession:

  • Passport
  • Departure Record (part of Form I-94)
  • The SEVIS Form I-20
  • All financial documents