What if F-1 applicants have a visa interview earlier than 120 days before the program start date?

[SEVIS SAVVY]

As student visa (F and M) applicants may know already, students can be issued the F-1 or M-1 visa up to 120 days before the program start date on their I-20s. Travel.state.gov says “New Students – Student (F and M) visas for new students can be issued up to 120 days in advance of the start date for a course of study.  However, you will not be allowed to enter the United States on your student visa more than 30 days before the start date.”

The question is, what if an international student schedules a visa interview that is earlier than 120 days before the start date? Some students had to defer their admissions due to the lack of the interview slots and the interview date and time they were able to secure for the next term may be too early to be issued the visa for the next term.

The same page by Travel.state.gov says the following: “A student can apply for an F-1 visa earlier than 120 days before the start date, to allow for visa processing and security clearance delays. Even if the student applies earlier than 120 days, though, the consulate still cannot actually issue the visa until 120 days before the program start date.”

The student who had to take the visa interview earlier than 120 days from the program start date was told approved but was given the 221(g) letter that states the student cannot be issued the visa due to the 120 days rule. The letter starts like this:

“Your application for a nonimmigrant visa has been refused for administrative processing under section 221 (g) of the U.S. Immigration and Nationality Act. The visa application will be reconsidered when all documentation is received and administrative processing is complete.”

On and after the date that meets the 120 days rule, the student received an email from the embassy that asks the student to drop off the passport. The student was asked to bring a passport, a printout of an email, and the 221(g) letter.

The bottom line is F/M student visa applicants are encouraged to schedule the visa interview as early as they can but remember that they won’t be issued the visa until they meet the 120 days rule.

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