Congrats on securing your admits!!
So half the battle is won, here is how you proceed with
the remaining half
The approximate sequence of what you have to do after
the admits to get the I-20 form and Visa is as follows:
1. Read the admit letter or email carefully. If you have to send an
acceptance of the offer do it promptly. Even if you have multiple offers it
makes sense to accept one.
2. Based on the factors mailed earlier, decide the final university
that you want study at, since you can book a visa date only for one university!!
3.
If you have received the I-20
form along with the offer of admission you can straightaway start the
preparations for visa. Note: you cannot apply for the
F1 visa unless you have the I-20 form from the university that you have chosen.
4.
Please note that you cannot
apply for the visa interview more than 120 days before the starting date of the
program mentioned in I-20 form. The fall 2013 semester
will begin sometime in the third week of August. So, if you plan to join an
American university this fall, you can start applying for your visa from the
third week of April.
5. However, the university will ask you to send affidavits of support
from your sponsors as well as the bank statements of your sponsors showing that
you have sufficient funds for meeting the I-20 form amount (that is, the total
cost of the first year which, includes tuition, other fees and living
expenses.)
6. Most universities mention
that the funds should be only bank funds and accept balance certificates from
banks on bank’s letterhead which are sealed and signed by the banker.
Generally, electronic copies and faxed statements are not accepted. Funds in
bank include savings account and fixed deposits. You can also include Personal
Provident Fund (P.P.F.) balance
7. The I-20 form is an official document issued by the University on
behalf of the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). The following important details are mentioned in the
document:
·
the name and passport number of
the student
·
the name of the university
which the student is joining
·
the program to which the
student has been admitted
·
the date of commencement of the program
·
the date by which the program
has to be completed
·
the total cost of education for
one year(minus any aid received)
Once you receive
the I-20 form check it carefully to see that all details are accurate. Pay
specific attention to spelling of your name, accuracy of date of birth and the
start and end dates of the program. Of course, all details should be accurate
and the first page of the I-20 form MUST bear the signature of the university
official. The third page need not be signed at this stage.
8. As soon as you have applied for I-20 form, you have to prepare the
financial and other documents required for the visa interview. Putting together
the finances may take time. Please refer to the documents mailed for the
standard and details of documents required.
9. Keep in mind that you should have adequate liquid funds to cover the
total cost of one year of education – this is mentioned in the I-20 form. Many
students are under the wrong impression that their sponsor needs to deposit
this entire amount in the bank and that otherwise their visa can be rejected.
This is not true. Funds can be shown in the form of bank deposits, shares,
mutual funds, provident fund etc. Even education loans of up to Rs. 20 lakhs
are also permitted. Of course, having adequate funds alone does not guarantee a
visa approval. The consulate officer also considers the following points:
·
whether you have admission to
an accredited and reputed university
·
whether your academic
background is good
·
whether your GRE score is
satisfactory
·
whether your sponsor’s income
is adequate
But the more important factor is you should have good
communication skills and should be able to give convincing and honest answers
to the consulate officer’s questions.
Most students show their parents as their sponsors. If
this is not possible, they can show support from any other family member e.g.
their brothers or sisters, their grandparents, either individually or as
co-sponsors with their parents.
Sponsorship can also be taken from other immediate
relatives, like uncles and aunts, provided their financial position is very
sound and their income level is high.
Register for our visa counselling process for more customized guidance http://www.igradglobal.in/visa-preparation/
