You may take your academic career very seriously. With this, you may believe there are more opportunities to get a quality education if you attend a United States institution. But before applying to these colleges and universities, you should ensure you can apply for and receive a student visa. Without further ado, please continue reading to learn the different types of student visas available to you and how an experienced family immigration lawyer in Milwaukee, WI, at Sesini Law Group, S.C., can help you pursue any one.
What are the different types of student visas available in the United States?
There are essentially three primary types of student visas made available by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). They read as follows:
- The F-1 visa: this student visa type may allow a foreign individual to study at an accredited United States college or university or study English at an English language institute.
- The J-1 visa: this student visa type may allow a foreign individual to participate in an exchange program during high school and/or college or university study.
- The M-1 visa: this student visa type may allow a foreign individual to participate in non-academic or vocational study or training in the United States.
What is the process of obtaining any one of these student visas?
If you wish to pursue an F-1 or M-1 visa, you must first apply to and be accepted by a United States educational institution. Importantly, this institution must already be certified by the Department of Homeland Security’s Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP). As for a J-1 visa, the institution must be designated by the Department of State Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.
Your Designated School Official may administer a Form I-20, Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant Student Status, to you once you are accepted by a given institution. From here, you may shift your attention and fill out and file Form DS-160, Online Nonimmigrant Visa Application, alongside submitting your Form I-20, to the Department of State. Promptly after, you may schedule your student visa interview.
Of note, your interview may take place at a United States embassy or consulate with a consular officer. You may be expected to come with certain documentation at your interview, supporting your identity, academic qualifications, and your financial capabilities. Also, you should be prepared to answer questions about your academic and financial background, your study plans in the U.S., and your plans to return to your home country after graduation.
To ensure your legal application is well fleshed out, please seek the aid of a skilled family immigration lawyer in Milwaukee, WI. You may rest better knowing that the team at Sesini Law Group, S.C., will not let you enter this legal process without being properly prepared. So please pick up the phone and request our services today.