2021-06-21 18:47:22
Admissions with Umid: Visa Process
Well, we kind of start from the very end. But in light of many students applying for visas now, this is very topical.
How do you make an appointment at the US Embassy? (F-1 visas)
First of all, you need to fill out a DS-160 form, which you can find on the non-immigrant page of the US Embassy website. You will be required to carry the form to the embassy, so make sure to fill it out exactly for the country where you are applying for a visa.
Next, you need to create an account on ustraveldocs.com (for the same country and embassy that you filled out your DS-160), schedule an appointment using a bar code on the DS-160 form, and pay a consular non-refundable fee of 160$. If your embassy is not listed on the ustraveldocs website (like Uzbekistan), then you will need to email the embassy directly and request information about available appointment dates. In this case, you will have to pay 160$ at the embassy itself.
What do I need to carry to the embassy? (F-1 visas)
Overall, there were four documents that I was asked to submit: Travel Document (passport), DS-160, I-20 form, and SEVIS. Your I-20 form is an invitation sent to you by your university, and it contains all the necessary information about your studies: name of the university, period of study, your financial aid package, etc.
You will also need to bring a copy of your SEVIS fee receipt, which for F-1 costs 350$ (this is different for other visa types). Although I wasn’t asked to submit financial evidence confirming that I can pay for my tuition and stay at Yale, I recommend you to bring your bank statement as well. My tuition and living expenses have been covered by Yale, so if it may be different for you, you must bring your original bank books and tax documents. Finally, bring an original 5x5 photograph taken within the past 6 months.
Note from Umid: 1) Because of the pandemic, many embassies are closed and are unable to offer interviews. If it seems like your case, you can apply for a visa in countries where embassies consider applications from non-residents (among these countries are Kazakhstan, Ukraine, Poland.)
2) Double-check if you have all the required documents before going to the embassy. If you fail to present at least one required document, you will not be able to meet the officer, let alone get a visa.
3) Have a backup plan if you fail to reserve an application. Now, this doesn’t mean that you should run across the US-Mexican border into the US. It means that you can, for example, take a gap year and ask the university to reserve your spot for the next year. Otherwise, you can check if the university offers online studies. In any case, there is always a way out, so you need to have a plan for every possible outcome.
What topic do you want me to talk about next Monday? Good luck with your applications!
Best regards,
Umid
@freshmanblog
#AdmissionsWithUmid
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