All About F1 Visa in the US

How do I get an F1 Visa? What do I need for an F1 Visa? Will my university help me?

Can I work on an F1 Visa? Can I transition from an F1 Visa to a work visa after my studies?

How long will my F1 visa last, and can I extend it? If you’re someone who wants to study in the US, then we're sure you have all these questions in your mind. In this blog post, we will cover “Everything you need to learn about the F1 Visa in the US.” Right from its application process, eligibility, benefits, costs, and an all-around understanding of this visa.

What is the F1 Visa?

The F1 Visa is a non-immigrant student visa that allows individuals to enter the US as full-time students. It works for students at 

• Accredited colleges

• Universities

• Seminaries

• Conservatories

• Language training programs

Since most of us consider only accredited colleges and universities, we’ll mention those in this blog post. You must be enrolled in a program that eventually offers a degree, diploma, or certificate. Also, the university must be authorized by the US government to accept international students. 

What does this mean?

It means that you will need the F1 Visa if you’re studying full-time in the US at a recognized university. This means your stay is tied to your enrollment in the university, and you’ll have specific rules to follow regarding attendance and grades. Next, we'd like to share the requirements of an F1 Visa.

F1 Visa Requirements

The college you’re applying to can only help foreign students get an F1 visa if it’s accredited. We'd like to remind you that colleges here can mean anything from high schools to language programs and more. 

In the case of students, there are more requirements to obtain an F1 Visa:

• The applicant should be accepted by and enrolled in a school approved by the Student Exchange and Visitor Program (SEVP).

• The applicant must have a valid educational purpose for moving to the US.

• The applicant must show sufficient proof of funds to support their education in the US.

• The applicant must prove their ties to their home country. This convinces the visa issuing authority that you’ll return home after your studies. Remember, this is important since the F1 is a temporary visa.
  

F1 Visa Duration

F1 Visas are typically issued for 5 years; however, the duration can vary based on your academic program. You can expect an additional period for preparation to leave the US or while transitioning to another legal status.

Note that the F1 Visa is issued for the duration of the educational program as mentioned on the Form I-20. This form is provided by the educational institution. Also, F1 Visa holders are granted a grace period of 60 days after their course. 

Students can also apply for a program extension if they cannot finish their academic program before the original end date mentioned on the I-20 form. 

Don’t forget to get approval for this before your present I-20 expires. 

Additionally, not many foreign students studying in the US are aware of Optional Practical Training (OPT). This work visa can help international students work in the US.

Students can receive up to 12 months of OPT employment after their academic studies. Students in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) are eligible to apply for an added 24 months of OPT extension. This gives them around 36 months of OPT time.

Secondly, CPT lets students work in an internship during their educational program. 

Check out the video we've created on how and when to apply for your OPT Work Permit. Next, let’s see how to apply for an F1 Visa.

How to Apply for an F1 Visa

These five steps have helped countless of our friends to get their F1 Visa.

1. Start your application after being accepted by an institution certified by the (SEVP) Student and Exchange Visitor Program. Once you’re accepted, the institution will enroll you in the SEVIS (Students and Exchange Visitor Information System) and issue you a Form I-20 after you pay the fee. 

Note that SEVIS is what tracks and monitors non-immigrant students during their stay in the US. Form I-20 details your educational program and supporting data on your accommodation.

2. The 2^nd step involves paying the SEVIS I-901 fee, which is around $350 for most nationalities. You’re eligible to apply for an F1 Visa to a US embassy or consulate after this. 

3. Next, it’s time to complete your DS-160 and schedule an interview with the visa officer.  Be 100% accurate when filling out the form, since it’s incredibly important to the interviewer’s verification and investigation process.

4. It’s time to prepare for your F1 visa interview. We’ll be adding the required documents in the next section. And yes, you’ll also pay $160 for the application fee. We're now going to share the necessary documents for your F1 Visa process.

F1 Visa Costs

The basic costs associated with the F1 visa include:

1. $350 for the SEVIS I-901 fee

2. $160 for DS-160 Form

3. Visa issuance fee based on the relationship between the US and your home country

Work Permission on F1 Visa

F1 students can work in the US, although only under the following conditions:

• On-campus employment is permitted without additional authorization.

• Off-campus employment is allowed for specific hardship conditions or through OPT and CPT programs.

F1 Visa Benefits

Opportunity for Practical Training

F1 students can apply for up to 12 months of OPT. This lets you work in your field of study either during or after the educational program. 

F1 students can also engage in CPT, allowing them to work in an internship or employment opportunity. This helps gain academic credit and secure jobs after your course, although through a new visa.

Flexibility in Study and Work

F1 students can work on campus for around 20 hours weekly. This means you can offset your living expenses and acquire a source of income.

If your case shows financial difficulties or if you qualify for special student relief situations, you might be authorized to work off-campus.

Cultural Exchange and Networking

US universities are a melting pot of cultures of students from around the globe. You can expand your social and professional circles and even build valuable connections for future employment.

Further Immigration Opportunities

F1 students can apply for a change of visa status to other visa types. The H-1B is a common transition that people make to work in specialty occupations. What’s best is that this is your path to long-term employment and eventual permanent residency.

Spouse and Family Benefits

F1 visa holders are allowed to bring their spouses or unmarried children under 21 through an F2 visa. Even better, they can study part-time at an SEVP-certified school. However, they are not allowed to work on an F2 visa. 

Knowing the F1 Visa’s limitations is as important as knowing its benefits

Employment restrictions

There’s a high level of dependency on your institution for off-campus work. F1 visa holders usually need authorization from their schools' International Student Office or the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).

Financial dependency

Your F1 visa application process requires you to show proof of financial self-sufficiency. Considering the high tuition and living costs in the US, these financial barriers are common for applicants without scholarships, family support, or enough personal savings. 

Limited Stay Duration

The F1 Visa is tied directly to the educational program’s duration. Thus, there are chances you only get a 2, 3, or 4-year visa.

Difficult to Qualify for H1B Lottery:

If you want to continue staying and working in the US after your OPT, your company needs to sponsor your H1B Visa. And to get an H1B visa you need to go through a random lottery conducted each year. There are only 85,000 slots each year and more than 400,000 people apply for this lottery. 

Lastly, let’s discuss if F1 visa holders can transition to a green card.

The first option as we’ve discussed already is to transition to a H-1B visa. This dual intent visa allows holders to apply for a Green Card. After obtaining an H-1B, the employer can sponsor the visa holder for a Green Card through employment-based categories like EB-1, EB-2, EB-3.

In some cases, based on your field, you can be eligible for an EB2 NIW for which you don’t need your employer to file for your green card.

Another option that not many F1 visa holders, as well as companies, are aware of is that employers can file for their employment-based green cards even while they are on an F1 visa. The wait times for Indian students to get a green card will probably still be the same. But the idea of this video is to make you aware of all the options that you, as a student, may have. 

Safety in the US as an International Student:

We're sure you’ve heard about the news related to attacks on Indian students in the US. These attacks on Indian students in the US are concerning for everyone -  the students, their parents, the Indian consulate as well as the President’s office.

With over 200,000 Indian students choosing the US for higher education, it remains a popular destination. However, recent incidents of attacks and deaths of Indian students have understandably raised safety concerns. 

Therefore, we’d like to share some essential and general safety tips to help Indian students in the US. While they may seem very basic, it's important to familiarize yourself, especially if you are planning to move soon.

Here they are:

1. Know Your Surroundings: Avoid shady, ill-lit places in your city. Be aware of the safe areas. Move around in groups or at least with a few friends.

2. Use University Services: Know what services your university offers. Make full use of them. Enquire about these from the international student office at your university.

3. Keep Your Personal Information & Documents Such as Passports, etc. Safe: Don’t share your name and address details with strangers.

4. Don't be too adventurous and explore places that don't need any exploration. 

5. Don’t attract Unwanted Attention by flashing your expensive devices such as phones / tablets, etc.

6. Be Careful When Being Generous: When approached by individuals seeking help, offer change directly from your pocket if comfortable. Avoid displaying your wallet or purse in public.

7. Careful With Cash: In case you withdraw money from the ATM. Do not count cash on the streets. Try to use the campus ATM whenever you can.

8. Respect the Local Culture, Practices and Law

9. Dial 911 immediately and use the city’s 311 info line in case of any emergency.  Report to the administrative division and the International Students Office at the University immediately. 

Please note the Consulate’s emergency number is +1 917-815-7066.

This blog post has all you need to know about the F1 visa for the US.

We really hope you all found this valuable. We spend hours trying to simplify immigration content for you all. No AI. No auto-generated scripts. Just human research – all for you.