Self-Processed Visa - Destination USA

Overview

Selecting the Self-Processed Visa option means you agree to follow Adventus’ verification requirements. This includes collection and completion of the following which must be provided to Adventus:

• Accurate, complete and correct documentation - including immigration history and financial metrics

• Evidence of visa lodgement and visa outcome letter

• Acknowledgement of sighted genuine document originals

Refer to https://ceac.state.gov/genniv/ for information about the online visa process.

Processing Times

Your student can schedule an interview straight away however there may be long waiting times. Refer to https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/study/student-visa.html#fees for approximate appointment wait times.

Visa Fee

Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) fee: $US 350 (via https://fmjfee.com/i901fee/index.html ); Application Fee is $US 185 (via https://www.ustraveldocs.com/)

Visa Payment

Payment for visa applications is made directly through USA’s visa portal. Only card payments are possible.

In India, students can pay via Axis bank in person. Your student can pay via the bank following the process via the traveldocs link above.

In Sri Lanka, the visa payment is made directly to DFCC bank. In Bangladesh, the visa payment is made directly to Eastern Bank Limited.

For more information, please see https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/study/student-visa.html

Gather Documents

You must gather all documents for the visa application including:

• Immigration history

• Passport valid for at least 6 months

• Current financial metrics including asset valuation (Bangladesh applicants)/chartered accountant report (India applicants). These details provide important supporting information and must include details provided at the acceptance stage as well as the current details.

• Sponsorship forms - including ID proofs, unless these were previously provided at the acceptance stage. If the sponsor is the student's parents, a signed consent form must be provided. LATAM students require a letter from the bank explaining the sponsor's capacity to provide enough for tuition, room and board for the first year of study.

• Proof of fee payment if required before the interview

• Form I-20 letter from institution - this form must be signed by the institution and your student and is provided once your student has been entered on SEVIS. There is a fee to pay for being registered on this system.

Please ensure that the documents provided as part of the visa application are an exact match to those provided at the application and acceptance stages (i.e. those that were sent to the institution). Discrepancies will not be accepted.

More information regarding documents required: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/study/student-visa.html

Complete the Online Visa Application Form

Complete the application form (DS-160) at https://ceac.state.gov/genniv/.This is a mandatory requirement. The student will need the DS-160 number for booking the visa interview date.

Students must supply their SEVIS ID which is printed on the I-20.

Your student will need a passport photo when completing the application form (DS-160). More information about photo requirements are here: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/visa-information-resources/photos.html

Your student will need to download the form for the interview and the confirmation page.

Your student will then need to then pay the visa fee (as indicated above).

In Vietnam, this can be paid at any post office.

The visa fee needs to be paid via Eastern Bank Limited for Bangladesh students.

In India, the visa fee can be paid via the banks at the following link: https://fmjfee.com/i901fee/index.html

Schedule an Interview with Consulate/ Embassy

It will take 24 hours for the application to be updated with the visa fee status and then your student will be able to select an interview date.

An interview must be scheduled with the US Embassy or Consulate.

Wait times for the interview vary by location, it is recommended to book the interview early.

Your student is able to reschedule the interview up to three times only.

More information can be found at https://www.ustraveldocs.com/no/no-niv-paymentinfo.asp.

Undertake a Medical Examination

The Medical is undertaken prior to your student’s interview (if required).

For Pakistani students, the medical form is given when the i-20 is received and the medical needs to be done at that time.
For Vietnamese students, the medical may need to be completed before arrival into the US (this depends on the institution's requirement).
No medical required for Sri Lankan students.
No medical required for Bangladesh students.
No medical required for LATAM students.
No medical required for Indian students.

Your student must be examined by a doctor authorised by the US Embassy or Consulate.

The medical test consists of x-rays, laboratory tests and physical examination.

Medicals are conducted by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) in each respective country. Online registration is usually available and you can obtain the forms from the relevant country IOM website.

Your student will be advised which documents they should bring to the medical.

Mock Interview

If required, Adventus can conduct a mock interview with the student. Organise this with your processing officer.

Organise Biometrics

Generally, before the interview, ink-free, digital fingerprint scans are undertaken - if required for your student’s country.

Documents required at the time of giving the biometrics include:

• DS-160 confirmation page with barcode.

• Original passport

• Passport photocopy

• Appointment letter

• i-20 (original & a photocopy)

• Visa fee receipt.

• Proof of SEVIS fee payment.

Biometrics are mandatory for India & Bangladesh students. More information can be found here - www.ustraveldocs.com/bd. This is also mandatory for LATAM students but must be taken prior to the interview at the Embassy.

Attend Interview with Consulate/ Embassy

The consulate/embassy interview will ascertain whether your student is qualified to receive a US visa.

After submitting the application form, an acknowledgement receipt is provided. This receipt and all documentation must be taken to the Embassy in hard copy (including the interview confirmation page - Bangladesh) at the time the student has their interview. It is critical that all documentation provided is complete at this time to facilitate a positive visa outcome.

Documents required for the interview include:

• Passport (valid for travel for US, valid for at least 6 months beyond the period of stay in the US) - non-immigrant visa application form DS160 confirmation page

• Application fee payment receipt

• Photo - if the photo upload failed when completing the online application, then you need to bring a hard copy meeting the requirements as per the website.

• (Provided by institution) Certificate of Eligibility for Non-immigrant (F-1) Student Status-For Academic and Language Students (I-20)

• Academic documents - certificates & transcripts

• Recommendation Letters

• IELTS/PTE results

• Resume / previous service letter

• Current employment service letter (if relevant) including 6 months pay slips and salary account with last 6 months bank statements

• Work experience letter, if applicable.

• Study gap documents, if applicable.

• Study Plan/Statement of Purpose/Letter of explanation explaining why the student wants to study in the United States and that they understand their responsibilities as a student.

A consular officer will interview the student to determine their qualifications for a student visa, and may request additional documents, such as evidence of:

• Academic preparation, such as transcripts, diplomas, degrees, or certificates from schools you attended, Merit certificate (if any); and

• Scholarship letter, if relevant

• All financial documents supporting their living and tuition costs for the US

• SEVIS fee receipt

• Standardised test scores required by the US school 

• Intent to depart the United States upon completion of the course of study

• How the student will pay all educational, living and travel costs

These are the type of questions that will be asked during the interview:

General Questions

• Why did you choose the US above Australia, Canada or the United Kingdom?

• Tell me what you know about America and US education?

• Will you come home during summer for visits?

About the College or University

• Why this specific college/university?

• Which colleges/universities did you apply to?

• Why did you apply to these universities?

• Which colleges/universities accepted you?

• How did you learn about this college/university?

Bank and Finance Related Questions

• Who is sponsoring your education and how?

• What does your father do?

• What is your father’s annual income?

• What is your college/university’s yearly expense?

• Have you obtained any loans for your education?

Questions about Relatives and Family Members

• Do you have a brother/sister, or any other relative already at this university?

• Do you have any other relatives in the USA?

Work/Job-Related Questions

• Why are you leaving your current job? (if you are working)

• What do you hope to do with your degree in your home country?

Decision on Visa

Your student should get a decision on whether the visa is approved or not during the interview or most of the time on the same day of the interview.

Visa Approved

On approval, your student may need to pay an Issuance Fee, if required. Check your nationality to see if the Issuance Fee, is required - https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/study/student-visa.html.

When the visa is ready, the student can pick up their passport at the Consulate/Embassy (for some countries) or have it sent by mail.

Visa Rejected

An application may be denied because the consulate officer does not have all of the information required to determine if the applicant is eligible to receive a visa, because the applicant does not qualify for the visa category for which he or she applied, or because the information reviewed indicates the applicant falls within the scope of one of the inadmissibility or ineligibility grounds of the law. An applicant’s current and/or past actions, such as drug or criminal activities, as examples, may make the applicant ineligible for a visa.

Students can re-apply, however they will need to pay the application fee again. The SEVIS fee does not need to be paid again (this is valid for 5 years).

Visa fee payment is non-refundable.

Advise Adventus of Visa Decision

Please Note

The material and information contained in this article is for general information purposes only. Whilst we endeavour to keep the information up to date and correct, Adventus makes no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability or available with respect to the information contained in this article for any purpose. Any reliance you place on such material is strictly at your own risk. We recommend that you review your relevant country's embassy/consultant website and/or obtain professional advice to understand how the self-processed visa system applies to you.

Need Assistance or Have an Inquiry?

Latin America: admissions.latam@adventus.io
Middle East/Africa: admissions.mea@adventus.io
South East Asia: admissions.sea@adventus.io
India: admissions.india@adventus.io
Nepal: admissions.nepal@adventus.io
Sri Lanka: admissions.srilanka@adventus.io
Bangladesh: admissions.bangladesh@adventus.io
Pakistan: admissions.pakistan@adventus.io