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  • US Immigration – Visa Changes

    Visa changes

    Making changes to or extending the I-20 form

    If the student is not able to complete his studies by the expiration date on the I-20 form, he must apply to the school’s foreign student advisor for an extension at least 30 days before the expiration date. Usually extensions will granted if the student provides academic or medical reasons.

    If the student changes degree programs (such as from a bachelor?s degree to a master?s degree program), the student will need to get a new I-20 form and submit it to the foreign student advisor within 15 days of beginning the new program. No changes need to be made to the I-20 form simply a change of major.

    In order to transfer to another school, the student will need to notify the current school of the transfer and obtain an I-20 form from the new school. The student must provide the foreign student advisor at the new school with the completed I-20 form within 15 days of beginning classes at the new school.

    Length of stay

    The length of time that a student carrying an F-1 visa is authorized to remain in the US is determined by the INS, not the consular officer. At the port of entry, an INS official will validate the student?s Form I-94, Record of Arrival-Departure, which states the length of stay.

    Typically the student will be admitted into the US for the duration of his coursework. In other words, the student may stay in the US for as long as he is a full-time student, even if the F-1 visa expires.

    However, if the student departs the US with an expired F-1 visa, he will need to obtain a new one before returning to the US to resume his studies. An F-1 visa cannot be renewed or re-issued by the State Department inside the United States; it must be done at an embassy or consulate abroad.

    Renewing a student visa

    All applicants applying for renewals must provide the following items.

    ? A passport valid for at least six months.

    ? A completed and signed application form (DS-156) with a photo for each person applying. A separate form is needed for children, even if they are included in a parent?s passport. These forms are available at the consular office at no charge.

    ? Payment for the processing fee for each applicant.

    ? A new I-20 or an I-20 that has been endorsed on the back by a school official within the past 12 months.

    All applicants applying for renewals should also be prepared to submit:

    ? A certified copy of his grades from the school in which he is enrolled.

    ? Financial documents (from him or his sponsor) showing the ability to cover the cost of schooling.

  • Immigration – Financial Proof for US

    Immigration – Financial Proof for US

    Financial proof

    Visa applicants must prove that sufficient funds are or will be available from a reliable financial source to pay for all living and school expenses during the entire period of study in the US. Specifically, applicants for the F-1 visa must prove they have enough readily available funds to meet all expenses for the first year of study, and that adequate funds will be available for each subsequent year of study. Applicants for the M-1 visa must have evidence that sufficient funds are immediately available to pay all tuition and living costs for the entire period of study. In some cases, schools will require proof of sufficient funds for the entire course of study even for the F-1 visa.

    Funds outside the United States

    If an applicant indicates that funds will be coming from a source outside the United States (for example, from parents living in the country of residence), the consular officer must determine whether there are restrictions on the transfer of funds from the country concerned. If restrictions do exist, the consular officer must require some evidence that these restrictions will not keep the funds from being available during the applicant?s projected period of study.

    Financial sponsorship and assurance of support

    Various factors are important in evaluating assurances of financial support made by sponsors:

    The financial sponsor must ensure that the applicant will not need to seek unauthorized work while studying in the United States.

    The sponsor must provide evidence (in the form of documents) of the financial resources that are necessary for the student to complete the course of study.

    If the sponsor is in the US on nonimmigrant status, then the sponsor?s financial situation will be examined with even greater care. Important issues include whether the sponsor may need to obtain unauthorized work to finance the student?s education, and whether the sponsor will remain in the US at least as long as the student.

    The factors that would motivate a sponsor to honor the financial commitment will be carefully considered. For example, if the sponsor is a close relative of the applicant, there may be a greater probability that the obligation will be honored than if the sponsor is not a relative.

    Financial sponsorship by an American

    If the student will be sponsored by a US citizen (such as a relative), the sponsor will need to complete Form I-134 (Affidavit of Support). This form requires the sponsor to pay for all expenses that cannot be covered by the student. The relationship between the sponsor and the applicant is an important consideration in this case. A sponsor who is not a relative of the student is generally less credible. A copy of the form can be downloaded from the INS website (http://www.ins.gov/graphics/formsfee/forms/files/i-134.pdf).

    Funds from fellowships and scholarships

    The institution that the student will attend may arrange for the student to conduct research, give lectures, or perform other academic functions as part of a fellowship or scholarship, so long as the student also maintains a full-time course load.

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