It is not uncommon to see international students who are issued visas that expire earlier than the program end date on Form I-20 or who transfer before they enter the U.S.
The U.S. government answered directly to frequently asked questions regarding the entry and F-1 visa renewal at an online webinar.
Let’s take a look at what they have to say!
Here is the list of frequently asked questions regarding entry and visa renewal and how the U.S. government answered them.
It is based on the note taken during the presentation by the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs, Office of Visa Services in October 2023.
Form I-20 does not have to be printed in color
F and M student visas can now be issued up to 365 days in advance of the I-20 program start date, allowing more time for students to apply for a visa.
There’s no earliest date that students can apply for a new visa.
In other words, students can technically apply for a new visa right after they arrive in the U.S. to ensure they have valid visas.
International students can make visa appointments in the U.S. but they will have to travel overseas to conduct the visa interview to get a new valid visa.
Even if the student is eligible for the visa interview waiver, they should depart the U.S.
To learn more about the visa interview waiver, check out the post titled “2023 U.S. visa interview waiver for international students“
If not, it can be problematic as the I-94 record will not show that the student left the U.S.
To learn more about the I-94 record and how to retrieve it online, check out the post titled “Not submit the I-94 record? 300 Chinese students are terminated“
Students are advised to leave the U.S. and receive the new valid visa and re-enter the U.S. with a newly issued visa with new expiration date.
To reiterate, foreign students cannot go through the visa renewal process entirely in the United States.
Students in certain countries where visa applicants can experience delays in scheduling visa interviews are welcome to apply for a visa from anywhere they can get the visa interview date.
Please be prepared to answer why they chose a different county to conduct the visa interview.
There’s no letter required from the academic institutions for the student’s visa interview. When they are required to provide the research plan, then students should bring the plan.
Visa applicants can request a translator but not recommended given the nature of the visa that students are applying for.
When the student’s visa renewal request is denied, the original visa with validity likely is canceled.
Continue to scroll down to learn what is the best practice for students whose visas are denied.
“Applicants sometimes require additional assessment to determine eligibility for a visa. The term “administrative processing” may refer to various additional steps that must be taken.”
In addition, visa officers confirmed that “no documentation can help to expedite this process“
Consular officers emphasized multiple times that “attendance at an ESL program or community college is not grounds for denial.”
At the same online webinar where the U.S. government covered frequently asked questions regarding visa and entry, consular officers also mentioned that students whose visas are denied can re-apply for visas.
That being said, the situation should have been changed to overcome the previous decision. In other words, if nothing changed from the previous interview, it is highly likely that the consular officer would not find enough reasons to overturn the previous decision which would lead to the same result.
It can be confusing to the students to examine their situations and strategize as to how to answer visa interview questions.
If this is you, consider scheduling a meeting with formal U.S. visa officers!
Just like SEVIS SAVVY that was created by an International Student Advisor to deliver accurate F-1 and J-1 student visa regulations and updates based on official and trustworthy sources, Argo Visa was founded by Visa Officers to assist all visa applicants to get through the visa interview successfully.
SEVIS SAVVY and Argo discussed the official partnership to make the one-on-one consultation sessions more affordable for international students. If you would like to get special discounts ($25 off), please click the link here. The original pricing is as below:
Perfect for students who applied for visas for the first time and who do not hold potential risks to be denied.
Perfect for students whose visas were previously denied and/or who have families and relatives in the U.S. and/or who would like to tailor their visa interview answers.
Visa applicants may think the price is too high– but did you know that the average salary for a bachelor’s degree holder in the United States is around $50,000? What is more, the cost of applying for immigrant-based visas like permanent residency (green card) and employment-based visas (H-1B or O visas) can be more than $1,000.
Therefore, with a one-time investment, visa applicants can get the right service and save their time to get the visa, start their studies in the U.S., and increase their expected earnings upon graduation.
*It is worth noting that this special discount applies not only to F-1 visa applicants but also to all types of visas. To reiterate, all applicants in every visa category are eligible for consultations.
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Click the button below to try ArgoBot and see if you can get approved for your upcoming F-1 visa interview.
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