F1 Visa Guide (End to End)

F1 visa is a non-immigrant student visa that allows foreign nationals to pursue their studies in the United States. In order to obtain F1 visa, individuals need to satisfy several criteria. To make the process easy for you to understand, we will walk you through the process step-by-step and help you understand what it takes to obtain F1 visa.

Required Tests:

Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT):

The SAT is designed for individuals to assess their academic readiness for college in the United States. This test is particularly for individuals who seek to obtain their Bachelor’s in the US. The SAT is offered 7 times a year in the US and 6 times a year outside the US.

For SAT Test preparation, registration – Visit SAT official site

Graduate Record Exam (GRE):

GRE is a required exam for graduate admission to most US universities. This test is offered as a computer based test year-round at several locations worldwide.

For GRE guidance, registration - Visit GRE official site

Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT):

GMAT is a required admission test for MBA to many US universities. GMAT is offered year-round at many locations around the world.

For GMAT preparation, scheduling – Visit GMAT official site

International English Language Testing System (IELTS):

IELTS is an internationally recognized test for English Language Proficiency. Over 3,000 universities in the US accept IELTS. It is offered on 48 fixed dates a year at over 800 locations worldwide.

For IELTS preparation, registration – Visit IELTS official site

Test of English as Foreign Language (TOEFL):

TOEFL is also an internationally recognized test that is used to determine an individual’s ability to utilize and comprehend the English language. TOEFL is offered 30-40 times a year at several authorized test centers worldwide.

For TOEFL guidance, registration – Visit TOEFL official site

Obtaining US university admission:

Once you decide to pursue your degree in the US, now is the time to shortlist US universities. It is recommended to list out the universities you will be applying even before taking the tests. Almost all the standardized tests like the GRE and TOEFL let you choose universities to send your test results with no charge.

Take enough time and do thorough research on universities, concentrate on universities that offer more funding. Once you decide which universities you will be applying to, check and fulfill all their requirements for gaining admission.

Not sure which university to apply? Check out this list of 250+ Universities Admissions based on GRE Score

Want to know about the programs different universities offer? Check this out - US universities and the programs they offer.

Visa Interview Process:

Once you receive an I-20 (admission form) from a US university, the next step is to prepare for your visa interview. Recently, the interview set up process has changed. It is now mandatory that you schedule two appointments: one for finger prints (first) and one for an Interview (later).

It has been reported that if the finger prints session does not go smoothly for any reason (mostly missing required documents), he/she is not allowed to take the actual interview as planned. If that happens, you will need to schedule both appointments all over again. For that reason, it is extremely important that you carefully follow the new process as per their guidelines.

 To assist you in successfully completing this process, we will walk you through each step and help you schedule the interview.

Step 1: Documents

Gather all the required documents for interview. Please follow the checklist below for the required documents.

Step 2: Photograph

You will need to upload a recent digital photo during the process of submitting the DS-160. It is very important that you meet certain criteria concerning the size and content of your photo. Please follow the appropriate Guidelines.

Step 3: DS-160

Filling the DS-160 is the first step in setting up the visa interview process. The DS-160 must be filled completely and submitted prior to the visa interview. The unique Barcode that is listed on your DS-160 confirmation page is what you use to schedule your interview. It is important that you answer all questions on the DS-160 accurately and completely. Make sure you have the following documents handy when you are filling in the DS-160:

• Passport
• Travel itinerary (If you have already made specific plans)
• Resume (You will be asked to enter previous employment history)
• Educational Certificates (You are required to enter the dates/schools you attended)
• Digital Photo (You will be asked to upload a recent digital photo)

Once you are ready to fill the DS-160, Click Here and follow the instructions.

Step 4: Pay the visa fee and Schedule the interview

To schedule the interview, you first have to Create a profile and pay the visa fee. Previously, payment options were very limited but fortunately, now its lot more flexible. You can make a payment through any of the following options:

• National Electronic Fund Transfer – Funds will be transferred directly from your account
• Mobile Payments
• Over the Counter – Axis Bank or CitiBank or Druk Bank

Note: The application fee for an F1 visa is $160

After you create your profile, you are required to choose one of the above payment options to proceed. If you choose to pay cash over the counter from one of the provided banks, you will be given a confirmation number that you are supposed to take with you to the bank for making the payment. Without this confirmation number, no payment will be accepted. Finally, once the payment is made, the bank will issue a receipt number which you need to enter to schedule your appointment.

Log back in 3 hours after making the payment (requires 3 hours for activation), enter the receipt number and DS-160 confirmation barcode to reserve slots for the interview and finger printing.