Student Visa (Academic F-1 Visa)

F-1 student US visas are available to anyone seeking to enter the United States for the purpose of engaging in a full-time academic programme. It extends to persons enrolled at the elementary school level through the postgraduate and doctorate level of university education.

These USA visas (for UK residents and other foreigner nationals) last the duration of the academic programme plus an additional 60 days. The student may enter the US up to 30 days before the commencement of the course of study. If she intends to engage in another course of study after the completion of the current programme, she must apply to the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services for an extension of the visa.

Before applying for the student visa, UK residents and other foreign students must have been accepted by an approved educational institution in the USA and submitted form I-20A-B and also form DS-156, which is a general non-immigrant (temporary) visa application form. However, on occasion, the student may enter the USA on a B-2 visa because they have not yet chosen a particular institution.
A prospective student must prove to the US consulate that they have sufficient funds to pay for the educational programme as well as their maintenance for the duration of the programme. The funds must be currently available and not be based on speculation of funding.

It is very important to supply proof of temporary intent to stay in the USA. The visa officer will require evidence showing that the prospective student has strong ties to his/her home country as assurance of temporary intent to stay within the United States. A home to return to after the completion of the studies, an offer of employment on return from the States and family ties are examples of the type of evidence that show intent to return to the home country.

Student visa (Non-Academic M-1 Visa)

The M-1 student visa is issued to a student who intends to engage in a course of study that is not principally academic in nature. The student must be accepted by an established and recognised non-academic institution.

The beneficiary of an M-1 visa may remain in the states for the required length of the course of study plus an additional 30 days or for one year, which ever is less. Thus, the visa holder cannot remain in the states for more than a year.

The visa holder may only work if the employment is part of the course of study and the employment has been approved in advance by the BCIS. The holder of an M-1 visa must submit form I-20 M-N.

Spouses and dependants of the student may acquire derivative visas (F-2 or M-2 Visas). They may also engage in a course of study.