The Office of International Student Services
Obtaining an F1 Visa
Ties to Your Home Country
Under U.S. law, all applicants for non-immigrant visas are viewed as intending immigrants unless they can convince the consular officer that they are not. You must therefore be able to show that you have reasons for returning to your home country that are stronger than those for remaining in the United States. "Ties" to your home country are the things that bind you to your hometown, homeland, or current place of residence: job, family, financial prospects that you own or will inherit, investments, etc. You may be asked about your specific intentions or promise of future employment, family or other relationships, educational objectives, grades, long-range plans, and career prospects in your home country. Each person's situation is different, and there is no magic explanation or single document, certificate or letter that can guarantee visa issuance.
Making Your Appointment at the Embassy
Allow enough time to get the interview and plan your trip. No visa can be issued to a student more than 120 days before the program start date on the I-20. Likewise, no student who has been issued a student visa can arrive in the United States more than 30 days before the program start date on his or her I-20.
English
The visa interview will be conducted in English and not in your native language. One suggestion is to practice English conversation with a native speaker before the interview. Do not bring parents or family members with you to the interview. The consular official will want to interview you, not your family. A negative impression is created if you are not prepared to speak on your own behalf.
Academics
Know the academic program to which you have been admitted and how it fits into your career plans. If you are not able to articulate the reasons you will study in a particular program in the United States, you may not succeed in convincing the U.S. consular official that you are indeed planning to study, rather than to immigrate. You should be able to explain how studying in the U.S. relates to your future professional career when you return home.
Be Concise
Because of the volume of applications received, all consular officers are under considerable pressure to conduct a quick and efficient interview. They must make a decision, for the most part, on the impressions they form during the first minute or two of the interview. Consequently, what you say first and the initial impression you create are critical to your success. Keep your answers to the officers questions short and to the point.
Supplemental Information
It should be clear at a glance to the consular officer what written documents you are presenting and what they signify. Lengthy written explanations cannot be quickly read or evaluated. Remember that you will have 2-3 minutes of interview time at best.
Not All Countries Are the Same
Applicants from countries suffering economic problems or from countries where many students have remained in the U.S. as immigrants will have more difficulty getting visas. Statistically, applicants from those countries are more likely to be intending immigrants.
Have the Correct Documentation
You will need to bring the following with you to your visa interview:
- I-20
- Acceptance letter from Rowan University
- Passport
- Affidavit of Support (notarized and fully completed)
- Recent bank statements from sponsor
- Proof of annual income of sponsor
- Other documents that support your argument that you will return home after your studies, such as deeds or ownership documents to property that you logically would not abandon. Also, if applicable, a letter from an employer granting you a leave of absence in order to study and become more valuable to the company. Alternatively, a promise of employment would also help convince the consular officer of your intention to return.
- Any other documents or fees specifically required by the American Embassy where you will be applying for your visa
Financial Documentation
If you are receiving funding from Rowan University, your home university, your employer, or from the government, be prepared to present the appropriate letters or documents which verify this funding. If your financial support is coming from personal or family funds, bank statements alone are seldom considered credible enough evidence to demonstrate sufficient finances. Only when coupled with highly credible documentation which can substantiate the source (such as job contracts, letters from an employer, tax documents, pay stubs, or deposit slips) will a bank statement be accepted. Bank statements are most credible if they are a series of reliable computer-generated ordinary monthly bank account statements.
Employment
Your main purpose for coming to the U.S. is to study, not for the chance of work before or after graduation. The F-1 Visa is not a work visa. While students may work part-time during their studies, such employment is secondary to their main purpose of completing their U.S. education. You must be able to clearly articulate your plan to return home at the end of your program.
Dependents Remaining at Home
If your spouse and children are remaining behind in your country, be prepared to address how they will support themselves in your absence. This can be an especially tricky area if you are the primary source of income for your family. If the consular officer gains the impression that your family members will need you to remit money from the U.S. in order to support them, your student visa application will almost certainly be denied.
Maintain a Positive Attitude
Do not engage the consular official in an argument. If you are denied a student visa, ask the officer for a list of documents he or she would suggest you bring in order to overcome the refusal, and obtain in writing, an explanation of the reason you were denied. In the event your visa is denied, you must inform the Office of International Student Services as to your current status and if you have plans to re-apply.
Special Note for Canadian Citizens
Citizens of Canada are not required to obtain a U.S. visa to enter the United States. However, an officer of the U.S. Immigration Service will inspect your papers either at a pre-inspection site in Canada or upon entry to the U.S. You must have with you proof of Canadian citizenship, proof of admission to Rowan and proof of financial support that corresponds to the information on your I-20. It is essential that you enter the U.S. in the appropriate status, so be sure to have complete documentation with you.
Renewing an F-1 visa
All visa applicants are now required to appear for an interview at the American embassy or consulate. Before you apply, you should understand the process and rules governing the issuing of a U.S. visa. Please read the following information very carefully and contact us if you need more information or help.
Since the terror attacks on September 11, 2001, there have been many changes to Immigration and State Department rules and procedures. In many cases, it can now take weeks or months to get a US visa because of additional security procedures. Therefore, it is not advisable that students leave the United States during the Winter or Spring breaks if they must get a new visa to re-enter the US.
The Rules
By law, all applicants for non-immigrant visas, such as visitor or student visas, are seen as “potential immigrants”; that is, someone who plans to remain in the U.S. permanently. Student visas are only given to persons who can convince the visa officer that they intend to return permanently to their home country. Therefore, you must be ready to convince the visa officer that you will return home permanently after you complete your studies.
Be Prepared
• Take your current 1-20 endorsed for reentry , or if there has been any significant change in the information on it, a new one, valid passport, and all new evidence of financial support.
• Be ready to prove that you have been a full time student and are making normal progress toward completing your academic program. Be able to account for all the time since your last visa interview.
• Take transcripts from every school you have attended in the U.S.
• Get a letter from the International Student Services Office certifying that you have been maintaining your student status.
• If you changed your major, be prepared to explain why and always relate your decision to career opportunities back home.
• It may be difficult to renew a visa if you are on Optional Practical Training after completion of studies since it is harder to convince the visa officer you will return home. If you must apply for a visa in this circumstance, do not leave the United States until you have your OPT authorization (EAD). Be sure to show the EAD and a letter from your employer verifying your employment.
