Canadian Citizens - Canadian citizens do not require an entry visa to enter the U.S. from Canada, but do require an I-20, passport, financial documentation and proof of SEVIS fee payment and must follow certain procedures. See Important Information for Canadian Students on how to enter the U.S. in F-1 status.

How to Apply for an Initial F-1 Entry Visa

Carefully read and follow these procedures.

Step 1: Make an appointment at a U.S. Consulate to apply for an F-1 Student entry visa. You will require the I-20 form from Columbia University at the time of your appointment. DO NOT MAKE AN APPOINTMENT UNTIL you have received the I-20 or are sure that you will have the I-20 in time for the appointment. While the U.S. Consulate will not issue the student entry visa until 120 days before the reporting date on the I-20 or the start date of your DS-2019 program period, you should apply for your visa as soon as possible. Check the following websites for more information on visa appointments.

http://travel.state.gov/visa/temp/wait/tempvisitors_wait.php for information about current wait times for the appointment and for visa issuance. NOTE that the processing wait times do not include extra time that may be required for security clearances.

Refer to Potential Delays in Visa Issuance and at Ports of Entry for more information regarding security clearances.

http://usembassy.state.gov/ to locate the nearest U.S. Consulate and its instructions for applying for a visa (including links to required forms). Make a list of documentation required for the interview. Note procedures for paying the visa application fee and any visa issuance fees, if applicable.

Step 2: Check your form I-20 for completeness and correctness!

Your I-20 indicates that we have created a record for you in SEVIS (Student and Exchange Visitor Information System), a national database for international students and scholars. Your unique assigned SEVIS ID number is in the upper right corner of page 1. Check to see that all information is correct and that your expected completion date is in the future.

If you have informed us that your dependents (husband, wife, or children under the age of 21) will come with you to the U.S., each of them will receive their own "dependent" I-20 needed for applying for their F-2 visas and entering the U.S. in F-2 status. If your family name is different from your dependents, be prepared to show documents that prove your relationship.

Step 3: Make sure your passport is valid.

When you apply for a visa or enter the U.S., your passport must be valid for at least 6 months into the future. Some countries are exempt from this requirement and have their passports automatically extended for 6 months which means that you can use your passport up until the written expiration date. This rule applies to subsequent entries to the U.S. while traveling as a student. The list of countries exempt from this rule can be found at http://www.state.gov/documents/organization/104770.pdf.

Step 4: Pay the SEVIS fee and print the receipt.

Go to the web site http://www.fmjfee.com and follow the instructions. You will need the I-20 available because the SEVIS number is required. Print copies of the receipt -you will need one with you for the visa interview and you should keep one for your own records. You can only access the receipt at the time of payment so be sure your printer is working before paying the fee.

If you have been a student in the U.S. and are transferring schools or beginning a program at a new level of study, it is possible you may not have to pay the SEVIS fee. Refer to information posted at http://www.ice.gov/sevis/i901/faq3.htm.

Step 5: Complete all required Department of State application forms

DS-156. Everyone applying for a non-immigrant visa must complete this form. COMPLETE THIS ELECTRONIC FORM ON-LINE and take a printed copy with you to the interview.

DS-158: Contact Information and Work History. For all F and J applicants.

DS-157: Supplemental Non-Immigrant Visa Application Form. Required for male applicants between the ages of 16 and 45.

Step 6: Refer to step one and follow instructions for paying any visa fees required in advance of your appointment. Procedures may vary from country to country, and even post to post within the same country. Note that application and issuance fees are based on reciprocity and generally reflect your country's policies in granting visa privileges to visiting U.S. students.

Step 7: Bring a passport-size photo less than six months old. Check Nonimmigrant Visa Photograph Requirements for details.

Step 8: READ! Prepare for your interview appointment by learning what to expect.

You will be applying for an F-1 student visa, a non-immigrant classification. According to U.S. immigration law, "Every alien shall be presumed to be an immigrant until he establishes to the satisfaction of the consular officer, at the time of application for admission, that he is entitled to a non-immigrant status." This means you need to establish that you have no intention of staying in the U.S. permanently, but are coming here for a temporary purpose, i.e. to pursue your educational objective. While the consular officers are aware that it may be difficult for students to demonstrate strong professional and economic ties to their home countries, you should still bear this in mind as you prepare for your interview.

In advance of your interview, please read the following:

Applying for a Student or Exchange Visitor Visa: Published by Education USA, a division of DOS

See You in the USA: An eJournal published by DOS. Note article "On the Other Side of the Visa Window", by U.S. visa officer in Cairo

Ten Points to Remember When Applying for a Nonimmigrant Visa
published by NAFSA: Association of International Educators, in consultation with the U.S. State Department. Although published in 1997, these general points provide good guidance and still are relevant today.

Step 9: Checklist of what to take with you to your visa interview:

____ A passport valid for at least six months

____ Form I-20 (sign the form under Item 11)

____ School admission letter

____ Completed visa applications (DS-156, DS-158, and, if applicable, DS-157). Remember to complete the DS-156 electronically and take a printed copy with you. Consulates have advised that the electronic version will speed up the process.

____ A photograph in the prescribed format (see Step 7)

____ A receipt for the visa application fee

____ A receipt for the SEVIS fee. If you have not received an official receipt in the mail showing payment and you paid the fee electronically, the consulate will accept the temporary receipt you printed from your computer. If you do not have a receipt, the consulate may be able to see your payment electronically if your fee payment was processed at least 3 business days before your interview.

____ Financial evidence that shows you have sufficient funds to cover your tuition and living expenses during the period you intend to study.

____ Any information that demonstrates your intention to return to your home country after finishing your studies in the U.S. This may include proof of property, family, or other ties to your community.

Step 10: After the visa is processed, make sure you got what you requested! Check your passport to be sure you obtained an F-1 visa, and that any dependents obtained an F-2 visa. Also, be certain that the I-20 was returned to you, as you must have the original with you when you arrive in the United States. Sometimes, the document is returned to you in a sealed envelope, which must be presented to the immigration inspector when you arrive.

If You are Already in the U.S.

Currently in a status other than F-1 - Students who do not plan to leave the U.S. before beginning studies at Columbia, and are currently in an immigration status other than F-1 are required to change status by application to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). In general, non-immigrants who are maintaining lawful status may apply for a change of status to F-1. You should review the detailed information in Application for Change to F-1 Student Status and consult an ISSO adviser or IAO adviser for more information or if you have questions or concerns or to review your application before submitting it to USCIS.

Note that because your intention at the time of admission to the U.S. is an issue with a change of status application, a change of status from B-1 or B-2 visitor status may be very difficult unless the B-1/B-2 entry visa was issued with the notation "prospective student" on it. Most problematic is that an individual in B-1 or B-2 status is prohibited from enrolling in classes until the change of status to F-1 has been approved, and there is no way of knowing how long this will take. The same prohibition against beginning a course of study until the change of status has been approved by the immigration applies to individuals in F-2 status.

Currently in F-1 Status at Another Institution and transferring to Columbia - Students enrolled in another U.S. school under F-1 immigration status who are planning to enroll at Columbia University must complete a process in which the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is notified of this change. The transfer procedure begins with your current school "releasing" your SEVIS record to Columbia and qualifying for a Columbia I-20, and is NOT complete until you report to the ISSO or the IAO within 15 days of the program start date on your I-20. The first step is to get Columbia's I-20 in a timely manner. Please refer to our F-1 transfer procedures for exact details.

Continuing Students in F-1 Status at Columbia University - If you are completing one program at Columbia and are planning to pursue another degree or program at the University, DHS must be notified. The ISSO needs to issue you a new I-20 for the new program within 60 days of your completion date on your current I-20 or within 60 days of completion of your program, whichever is earlier. Contact the ISSO about qualifying for and obtaining a new I-20.

If You Will Be Accompanied By Dependents
If your dependents - spouse or unmarried children under 21 years of age - will accompany you to the U.S. or join you shortly after your arrival, you will need to provide the ISSO or the IAO with additional documentation showing your sufficient funding to meet your dependents' expenses and copies of their passport ID pages. An I-20 will then be issued for each of your dependents which they will use to apply for the F-2 visa. You may request am I-20 for your dependents at any time during your stay at Columbia.