Looks like there won't be too much longer for Indian students to take a crack at their American Dream. The Student Visa season at the US Consulate General Chennai officially begins on May 11, which is less than a month away. Kent May, US Consul for Consular Affairs and his colleagues at the Consulate and the Education USA programme held an interactive session with a few aspirants on Thursday, explaining to them the nuances of getting a visa.
Nearly a sixth of the international students in the USA are Indians, making them the second largest foreign nationality studying in the United States. "Our educational institutions need the very best international students because we need talented global citizens who can help solve the challenges we face in a complex world," says May.
In case you're planning to apply for a US Visa, which can be done 120 days before the start of your school, these are all that you have to do:
Step 1: Start the application by filling it out at ceac.state.gov/genniv/
Step 2: Pay the SEVIS fee at fmjfee.com
Step 3: Create a user account at www.ustraveldocs.com/in
Step 4: Pay the visa application fee
Step 5: Schedule appointments for your visa interview and for biometrics collection prior to the interview, respectively
Step 6: Carry your passport, previous passport (s), DS-160 confirmation sheet and appointment letter for your OFC appointment
Step 7: On the day of the visa interview, carry the above documents, along with your I-20 form, SEVIS payment receipt, degree certificate and mark sheets and other supporting documents
Also, at the interview, the student must be able to explain credibly their financial background and their study plan. The officers also asked the students to not make specific plans and travel arrangement before receiving the visa. Also, GRE isn't always a prerequisite for an F1 visa.
For more queries, send an email to support-india@ustraveldocs.com
