Admissions
International Orientation
Applying for a Student or Exchange Visitor Visa
10 Points to Remember When Applying for a Nonimmigrant Visa
I-901 SEVIS Fee for F-1 Students and J-1 Exchange Visitors
Arriving at the US Border

1. Contact your local U.S. Consulate or Embassy (http://www.usembassy.gov/) to schedule a visa interview. Specify whether you are applying for an F-1 visa (for degree-seeking students) or a J-1 visa (for exchange students and visitors). It is important to apply as soon as possible. When making your appointment, confirm what documents you need to bring and which fees need to be paid. Some consulates require documentation in addition to the list provided below.

2. Pay the visa application fee by following instructions on your local U.S. Embassy's or Consulate’s web site. Pay the SEVIS fee (http://www.fmjfee.com). Some consulates may require an additional fee to schedule your visa interview.

3. Complete the following forms (http://www.state.gov/m/a/dir/forms/):

• DS-156 Nonimmigrant Visa Application Form 
• DS-158 Contact Information and Work History for Nonimmigrant Visa Applicant 
• DS-157 Supplemental Nonimmigrant Visa Application – only if you are a male between the ages of 16 and 45

4. Prepare and bring the following to your visa interview:

• A passport valid for at least six months after your expected entry to the US
• Form I-20 (for F-1 students) or DS-2019 (for J-1 exchanges) from the St. Mary’s Admissions Office (sign the form in the space provided)
• St. Mary’s admission letter
• Completed visa applications (DS-156, DS-158, and, if applicable, DS-157)
• Two passport-style photographs measuring 2 inches by 2 inches with a white background
• Receipt for the visa application fee
• Receipt for the SEVIS fee (The consulate will accept the receipt printed from your computer if you paid online and have not received the official receipt by mail. 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 your study program
• Any information proving you plan to return to your home country, such as proof of property, family, or other ties to your community

Sources: NAFSA: Association of International Educators, http://www.nafsa.org/; US Department of State, http://www.usembassy.gov/

1. Ties to Your Home Country

Under US law, all applicants for nonimmigrant visas, such as student visas, are viewed as intending immigrants until they can convince the consular officer that they are not. You must therefore be able to show that you have reasons for returning to your home country that are stronger than those for remaining in the United States. "Ties" to your home country are the things that bind you to your home town, homeland, or current place of residence: job, family, financial prospects that you own or will inherit, investments, etc. The interviewing officer may ask about your specific intentions or promise of future employment, family or other relationships, educational objectives, grades, long-range plans and career prospects in your home country.

Each person's situation is different, of course, and there is no magic explanation or single document, certificate, or letter which can guarantee visa issuance. If you have applied for the US Green Card Lottery, you may be asked if you are intending to immigrate. A simple answer would be that you applied for the lottery since it was available but not with a specific intent to immigrate. If you overstayed your authorized stay in the US previously, be prepared to explain what happened clearly and quickly, with documentation, if available.

2. English

Expect that the interview will be conducted in English and not in your native language. It is a good idea to practice English conversation with a native speaker before the interview, but do NOT prepare speeches!

3. Speak for Yourself

Do not bring parents or family members with you to the interview. The consular officer wants to interview you, not your family. Be prepared to speak on your own behalf.

4. Know the Program and How It Fits Your Career Plans

If you are not able to explain the reasons you will study in a particular program in the US, you may not succeed in convincing the consular officer that you are indeed planning to study, rather than to immigrate. You should also be able to explain how studying in the United States relates to your future professional career when you return home.

5. Be Brief

Because of the number of applications received, all consular officers are under considerable time pressure to conduct a quick and efficient interview. They must make a decision, for the most part, on the impressions they form during the first minute of the interview. Consequently, what you say first and the initial impression you create are critical to your success. Keep your answers to the officer's questions short and to the point.

6. Additional Documentation

It should be immediately clear to the consular officer what written documents you are presenting and what they signify. Lengthy written explanations cannot be quickly read or evaluated. Remember that you will probably have less than 3 minutes of interview time.

7. Not All Countries are Equal

Applicants from countries suffering economic problems or from countries where many students have remained in the US as immigrants will have more difficulty getting visas. Again, be prepared to explain why you will return home following your study in the US.

8. Employment

Your main purpose in coming to the United States should be to study, not for the chance to work before or after graduation. While many students do work off-campus during their studies, such employment is incidental to their main purpose of completing their U.S. education. You must be able to clearly explain your plan to return home at the end of your program. If your spouse is also applying for an accompanying F-2 or J-2 visa, be aware that your dependents cannot, under any circumstances, be employed in the United States. If asked, be prepared to address what your spouse intends to do with his or her time while in the United States. Volunteer work and attending school part-time are permitted activities.

9. Dependents Remaining at Home

If your spouse and children are remaining behind in your country, be prepared to address how they will support themselves in your absence. This can be difficult if you are the primary source of income for your family. If the consular officer believes that your family will need you to send money from the United States, your student visa application will probably be denied. If your family does decide to join you at a later time, it is helpful to have them apply at the same post where you applied for your visa.

10. Maintain a Positive Attitude

Do not engage the consular officer in an argument. If you are denied a student visa, politely ask the officer for a list of documents he or she would suggest you bring in order to overcome the refusal, and try to get the reason you were denied in writing.

Source: NAFSA: Association of International Educators, http://www.nafsa.org/

The Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) is an automated process for collecting, maintaining and managing information about international foreign students, exchange visitors and their dependents during their stay in the United States. The I-901 SEVIS Fee covers the costs for this system. This fee is separate from the visa application fee.

SEVIS Fee Cost

For F-1 Students:   $200
For J-1 Exchange Visitors:  $180
For F-2/J-2 Spouses and Dependent Children: None

Options for Payment

• Electronically, by completing Form I-901, Fee Remittance for Certain F, M, and J Non-immigrants, through the Internet (www.fmjfee.com) using a credit card.
• Through the mail, by submitting Form I-901 (http://www.ice.gov/doclib/sevis/pdf/I-901.pdf) with a check or money order drawn on a U.S. bank and payable in U.S. currency.
• School/Sponsors/Third party payments allowed.

To ensure electronic verification of the fee payment at the consular office, non-immigrants paying the fee electronically or by mail must submit the fee at least 3 to 5 business days before the scheduled visa interview to the DHS address listed on the Form I-901. This will allow time for the fee to be deposited and payment recorded in SEVIS.

Receipts

• DHS will issue an official paper receipt (I-797) acknowledging every payment regardless of payment method. Make copies of your receipt, and keep one with your permanent immigration records.
• Express delivery service for the I-797 receipt may be requested at additional cost.
• Anyone who submits an individual fee electronically will be able to print out an electronic receipt immediately at the time of payment for use in advance of the mail delivery of the official paper receipt. The printed electronic confirmation will be acceptable to take to your visa interview and to enter the United States. The non-immigrant student does not have to wait for the updated/hard copy receipt to arrive.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which prospective students or exchange visitors must pay the SEVIS fee?

• Those who wish to either enter the U.S. as a student or exchange visitor with a Form I-20 or DS-2019 dated after September 1, 2004, except for those participating in a fee exempt exchange visitor program. Fee exempt exchange visitor program codes start with G-1, G-2, or G-3 and G-7.
• Those who are in the U.S. and wish to change to a student or exchange visitor status from another non-immigrant status. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) provides for the collection of a Congressionally mandated fee to be paid by certain aliens who are seeking status as non-immigrant students (visa categories F-1, F-3, M-1, or M-3) or as non-immigrant exchange visitors (visa category J-1).

When do prospective students or exchange visitors pay the SEVIS fee?

• Applicants needing a visa to enter the U.S. must pay the SEVIS fee before going to the U.S. embassy or consulate for their visa interview.
• Applicants who are citizens of Canada or Bermuda or residents of certain other islands described in 8CFR 212.1a wishing to apply for F-1, F-3, M-1, M-3, or J-1 status at a Port of Entry into the U.S. must pay the SEVIS fee before entering the U.S.
• Non-immigrants currently in the U.S. who apply for student or exchange visitor status must pay the fee prior to filing their change of status application.

When must continuing students (F-1, F-3, M-1, or M-3 non-immigrants that have begun, but not finished, a program) pay the SEVIS fee?

Continuing students must pay the SEVIS fee before:

• Filing an application for reinstatement when they have been out of status for more than 5 months.
• Applying for a new visa or returning to the U.S. after an absence of 5 months or more that did not involve authorized overseas study.
• Filing an application for a change of status except for changes between F-1 and F-3 or between M-1 and M-3.

When must continuing exchange visitors (J-1 Non-immigrants who have begun, but not finished a program) pay the SEVIS fee?

Continuing exchange visitors must pay the SEVIS fee before:

• Filing a reinstatement application after a substantive violation.
• Filing a reinstatement application after a substantive violation after they have been out of status between 121 and 269 days.
• Applying for a change of exchange visitor category unless the new exchange visitor category is fee exempt (federally sponsored programs with program codes that start with G-1, G-2, or G-3 and G-7).

Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), http://www.ice.gov/

Plan Your Arrival

F-1 Students and J-1 Exchange Visitors may enter the US up to 30 days in advance of the program start date states on the Form I-20 or DS-2019. Check the date of International Orientation and be sure to arrive in San Antonio in time to attend. Attendance at International Orientation is mandatory for new students. If you will be living on campus, check the official move-in date for new students. If you arrive before the official move-in date for new students without prior permission, you will be responsible for arranging your own accommodation off-campus. 

Always Carry Your Documents in Your Hand Luggage

Do not keep your immigration documents in baggage that will be separated from you during a flight, train, or bus ride. If your baggage is lost or delayed, you will be unable to present the documents at your port of entry. As a result, you may not be able to enter the United States. Be prepared to present the following:

1. Your passport, valid for at least six months beyond the date of your expected stay 
2. Your Form I-20 or DS-2019
3. Evidence of financial resources
4. Letter of acceptance to St. Mary’s University
5. Receipt for the SEVIS fee, Form I-797
6. Contact information for our office:

Jenny Brydon, Director of International Student Services
Phone: 210-436-3714
Fax: 210-436-3300
Email: jbrydon@stmarytx.edu

For greater detail on procedures for traveling and arriving in the United States, visit: http://educationusa.state.gov/predeparture/travel/customs.htm.

Complete Your Entry Paperwork

If you are arriving in the US by air, the flight attendants will give you the forms necessary for border entry to complete before you land. If you are arriving by land or sea, you can obtain these forms at the border crossing.

When completing these forms, be sure to write dates in the correct format. Remember, in the US dates are usually writing with the month first. For example, the date 30 January 1980 is abbreviated as 01/30/1980. If you will be living on campus or if you have not yet secured permanent housing, write in the University’s address in the blank for US Address:

One Camino Santa Maria
San Antonio, TX 78228

Arrival-Departure Record Forms (I-94): This form serves as your record of entry and departure in the US. At the border, an officer will stamp the form, tear off a portion to keep, and return a portion to you. The officer may staple your portion in your passport. It is very important to keep this I-94 form as long as you remain in the US. Any time you leave the US, you must hand over this form, and you will receive a new one when you return to the US.

Customs Declaration Forms (CF-6059): This form states whether you are bringing items into the US that are not for your own personal use or that exceed a certain value. It also ensures you are not bringing any plants, animals, or other organic material into the US. An officer at the border will take this card from you and keep it.

At the Border

When you reach the inspection area, it is important that you tell the officer that you are in the US to study. Be prepared to include the name and address of the University. As with the visa interview, be polite and keep your answers short.

Once your inspection is successfully completed, the inspecting officer will:

• Stamp your Form I-20 (for F-1 students) or Form DS-2019 (for J-1 exchange visitors) for duration of status (“D/S”) with date and port of entry
• Stamp the Arrival-Departure Record Form (I-94) and staple it in the passport 

Before you leave the inspection area, check that your documents have been stamped with the correct date and that they were marked with the “D/S.”

National Security Entry-Exit (NSEER) Registration

Some individuals, particularly males from countries in the Middle East and South Asia, will be asked to provide additional information under the National Security Entry-Exit Registration System, or NSEERS. A packet of information will be available at the port of entry explaining the registration procedure.

Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), http://www.ice.gov/