Student Visas – F1

The F-1 student visa is a temporary visa option which has proven of great benefit both to individuals who use it and to the United States. The visa is available to foreigners who are admitted to U.S. colleges and universities, can show they have sufficient funding available to both pay the tuition and live in the United States, and who can show that they have only temporary intent in being in the United States. In addition to the F-1 for students, there is also an M-1 visa for students pursuing technical and vocational studies, and J-1 visas which can also be used for university studies, but the F-1 is easily the most widely used of the student visas. In addition to the advantage the F-1 provides in gaining access to some of the finest universities in the world, graduating with an F-1 visa permits a foreign student to seek one year of practical training (employment authorization) for work in his/her field (which in certain technical fields can be extended for an additional 17 months). The result is that even though the F-1 is a temporary visa, it provides an opportunity for foreign students to fully consider whether at some point they might wish to change their plans and remain in the U.S. on a long term basis.

The process of obtaining the visa involves first obtaining admission to a U.S. university or college and at same time showing the university that you have the necessary funding to complete studies and live in the United States. Once this is done the student is issued an I-20 which the student can use to apply at the nearest U.S. Consulate for a student visa.

In order for the foreign student to obtain a visa he/she must provide evidence that he qualifies for F-1 status, and Simon, Choi & Tuohy can assist in this process of showing that the foreign student qualifies for an F-1 visa in all respects.