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International Student and Scholar Services Visa Applications, Interviews, and Denials Applying for a Non-Immigrant Visa Ten Points to Remember When Applying for an F-1 or J-1 Non-Immigrant Visa Overcoming a Visa Denial Applying for a Second Time How can Georgetown help? Applying for a Non-Immigrant Visa To obtain an F-1 or J-1 visa, students and scholars should be prepared to present the following documents to the U.S. embassy or consulate:
*Exceptions to the Visa Requirement Other notable exceptions currently include citizens of the Freely Associated States (Federated States of Micronesia, Republic of the Marshall Islands, and the Republic of Palau) who are in direct transit from the FAS to the United States, and Bahamian nationals and British subjects resident in the Bahamas who complete immigration inspection at Freeport or Nassau. **Form DS-157 Ten Points to Remember When Applying for an F-1 or J-1 Non-Immigrant Visa (adapted from http://www.nafsa.org/) 1. Ties to Your Home Country: Under U.S. law, all applicants for non-immigrant visas are viewed as intending immigrants until they can convince the Consular Officer that they are not. Students and scholars must therefore be able to show that they have reasons for returning to their home country that are stronger than those for remaining in the United States. "Ties" to the home country are the things that bind an individual to their home town, homeland, or current place of residence: job, family, inheritance, investments, etc. The interviewing officer may ask prospective students and scholars about specific intentions or promise of future employment, family or other relationships, educational objectives, grades, long-range plans and career prospects in the home country. 2. English: Anticipate that the interview will be conducted in English and not in the native language. One suggestion is to practice English conversation with a native speaker before the interview, but do NOT prepare speeches! If an individual is coming to the United States solely to study intensive English, s/he must be prepared to explain how English will be useful in the home country. 3. Speak for Yourself: The visa applicant should not bring parents or family members with them to the interview. The Consular Officer wants to interview a person, not a family. A negative impression is created if the applicant is not prepared to speak on his/her own behalf. 4. Know the Program and How It Fits Your Career Plans: If students and scholars are not able to articulate the reasons why they are coming to the United States, they may not succeed in convincing the Consular Officer that they are indeed planning to study, research, or teach, rather than to immigrate. Individuals should also be able to explain how a stay in the United States will enhance their professional career when they return home. 5. Be Brief: Because of the volume of applications received, all Consular Officers are under considerable time 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 of the interview. Consequently, what applicants say first and the initial impression they create are critical to success. Keep all answers to the officer's questions short and to the point. 6. Additional Documentation: It should be immediately clear to the Consular Officer what written documents the individual is presenting and what they signify. Lengthy written explanations cannot be quickly read or evaluated. Remember that the interview time is only 2-3 minutes. 7. Not All Countries are Equal: Applicants from countries suffering economic problems or from countries where many students and scholars have remained in the United States as immigrants will have more difficulty getting visas. Statistically, applicants from those countries are more likely to be intending immigrants. They are also more likely to be asked about job opportunities at home after their stay in the United States. 8. Employment: While many students do work off-campus during their studies, such employment is incidental to their main purpose of completing their U.S. education. Students and scholars must be careful in discussing employment or career prospects with the Consular Officer. If a spouse is also applying for an accompanying F-2 visa, be aware that F-2 dependents cannot, under any circumstances, be employed in the United States. If asked, be prepared to address what the spouse intends to do with his/her time while in the United States. Volunteer work and attending recreational courses are permitted activities. 9. Dependents Remaining at Home: If a student or scholar will leave a spouse and/or children behind in the home country, s/he should be prepared to address how the family members will support themselves during the absence. This can be an especially tricky area if the applicant is the primary source of income for the family. If the Consular Officer gains the impression that the family will need the applicant to remit money from the United States, the F-1 or J-1 visa application will almost certainly be denied. If the applicant's family does decide to join the F-1 or J-1 visa holder at a later time, it is helpful to have them apply at the same post where the principal applied for his/her visa. 10. Maintain a Positive Attitude: Never argue with the Consular Officer. If denied a non-immigrant visa, students and scholars may ask the officer for a list of documents s/he would suggest to bring in order to overcome the refusal. The applicant should request the reason for the denial in writing. Overcoming a Visa Denial This means that an applicant for an F-1 or J-1 visa must convince the Consular Officer that s/he intends to leave the United States after completion of the program. This does not mean that if the applicant's situation or plans change the individual has committed visa fraud. The Department of State recognizes that student and scholar plans do change. Security Clearances When an applicant is informed that additional processing is required, s/he should provide specific contact information in case more questions arise. Applicants should provide phone numbers and email addresses for themselves and anybody of interest to the application, such as the International Student & Scholar Advisor and financial sponsor. Providing contact information is the only thing that a student or scholar can do to ensure the speediest processing possible. Requests to expedite the security clearance process are rarely granted. Applying for a Second Time - How did you explain your overall plan for your education? After every visa denial, the applicant is given a form on which the officer has identified the reason for the denial. Focus on overcoming issues that may have been a problem at the first interview. Consular Officers often look for information that is materially different from what was posed in the refused application. Many Consular Officers will say that if there is no material change in the applicants visa application, then there is no point in reapplying. Material changes include but are not limited to new financial information, a new family situation, or a new proposed area of study. Please consider the following questions before reapplying for the visa: - Did I explain my situation correctly? These might include: - Do you have a bank account back home? How can Georgetown help? |
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