How to Apply for I20 and Student Visa

The I-20 is a multi-purpose document issued by a U.S. government-approved educational institution certifying that a student has been admitted to a full-time study program and has demonstrated sufficient financial resources to stay in the United States. The I-20 is officially titled the “Certificate of Eligibility” because it allows an individual to apply for an F-1 student visa at a U.S. embassy or consulate abroad.

The following section outlines what documents you need to send to NLU for NLU to issue you your form I-20. 

Required I-20 Documents

Please email all I-20 documents to your NLU International Enrollment Specialist.

• Passport
  • Must be valid for at least 6 months after your intended start date.

• Bank statement or letter
  • Must be stamped and signed by a bank official, and dated no more than 6 months before your intended start date.
  • Minimum funding required for your program of study varies by program and scholarship awarded, your international enrollment specialist will confirm with you what your specific funding requirements  are.  General funding requirements by program and level of study is listed below (all amounts in USD):
    • Culinary Arts/Baking & Pastry: $46,000
    • All other undergraduate programs: $37,000
    • Graduate/Doctoral programs: $33,000
  • Minimum funding required for spouse or dependents
    • Spouse: $5,000
    • Each Child: $3,000
  • Please see list of accepted funding documents here

• Confidential statement of support
  
  • If your bank statement or letter is in someone else’s name, such as a parent, family member, or other sponsor, the confidential statement of support form must be completed and signed by both you and your sponsor.
  • If your bank statement or letter is signed and stamped by a bank official, you do not need to complete section 3 of this form.
  • If your bank statement or letter is not signed and stamped by a bank official, you will need to have them complete, sign, and stamp section 3 of this form.
  • Download the NLU Confidential Statement of Support here
• Foreign Mailing Address and Phone Number
  
  • In your email to your NLU International Enrollment Specialist, please include:
    • Your entire mailing address including postal code
    • Your phone number including country code

• If you are transferring your F-1 visa from your current school, please also submit the required transfer documents listed below:
  
  • F-1 visa page from your passport
  • Most recent I-20
  • Most recent I-94
    • Download your I-94 at https://i94.cbp.dhs.gov/I94/#/recent-search
  • Complete NLU Transfer In Form signed by your current DSO at your current school
    • Download the NLU Transfer In Form

Once you have submitted all of the documents mentioned above, NLU will issue your I-20, which you will then use to schedule your visa interview at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate or to transfer your F-1 student visa from your current school.

After receipt of your Form I-20, the next step is to schedule your visa interview at the US Embassy or Consulate. All nonimmigrant visitors are required to have a valid visa (*except Canadians) in their passport to be allowed entry into the United States. For general information, see the U.S. Department of State website (link is external).

• An appointment for a visa interview at a U.S. embassy or consulate abroad may be required.
• Visas cannot be issued inside the United States.

F-1 Visas Process

Do the following to get an F-1 entry visa:

1. Obtain a valid I-20 from NLU
2. Check the current wait times (link is external) for visa appointments and issuance in your city.
3. Complete the Visa Application form DS-160 (link is external) and make your visa appointment (**see additional info below)
4. Pay the SEVIS Fee, if applicable. (SEVIS Fee will expire after one year)
5. Go to an interview at a U.S. embassy or consulate. (See below for required documents.)

*Canadian citizens are not required to apply for a visa to enter the United States as an F-1, but must still pay the SEVIS Fee and present their I-20 at the U.S. port of entry. However, if the visitor has "Landed Immigrant" status in Canada, a U.S. visa is required to enter the United States.

Helpful Information To Know About Your Visa Interview

Increased Visa Screening

Be mindful of your social media presence!

The DS-160 visa application includes specific questions requiring you to list all social media platforms, identifiers, and handles used in the previous 5 years. 

The DS-160 may also require:

• Point of Contact in the US? F-1 Enrolled Students should use the NLU ISSS contact address and phone and provide the name of the DSO who issued your I-20.
• Address Where You will Stay in the US? If you don't know your U.S address, use the address you will use when you first arrive in the US, which might be a temporary address like a hotel or friend. If unknown, list the address for NLU.
• Five years of previously used telephone numbers, email addresses, and international travel
• Admission of all prior immigration violations
• Whether specified family members have been involved in terrorist activities

Visa Appointments

Read the U.S. Department of State website (link is external) for more information about the visa application process and Temporary Visitors to the U.S. (link is external)

Visa Interviews & Required Documents

When going to the visa interview, bring:

• Passport (valid at least six months into the future)
• Your passport must be valid at least six months into the future at all times, especially upon initial entry or re-entry to the United States.
• Valid Certificate of Eligibility I-20
• You will need to print and sign the form I-20 with a pen
• Proof of admission
• F-1 students should travel with their NLU acceptance letter
• Evidence of Financial Support
• It is strongly recommended that F nonimmigrants carry proof of the financial support and resources reflected on the form I-20. Proof of financial support bank statements, or financial support letters should be dated as close to the Visa interview date as possible
• SEVIS Fee receipt (I-901 Fee)
• If you need confirmation of your previous SEVIS fee payment, visit the SEVIS fee payment page (link is external) and select the option to "Check I-901 Status/ Print Payment Confirmation."
• If your I-901 fee (SEVIS fee) has not been paid, your visa will likely be denied
• F-1 spouse or child dependents will need their own F-2 I-20 and copies of all of the primary F-1 documents including a copy of the primary F-1 applicant’s form I-20.

Be Prepared for your Visa Interview

The visa interview will be short, in most cases less than a few minutes in length. During that time, it is your responsibility to articulate to the consulate officer your intent to study abroad.  What you say first and the first impression you create are critical to your success.

• Here are some helpful tips to prepare for your visa interview (external link)

Some consulates may require additional documentation, so, check the consulate website for visa application instructions. Visa application forms and fees can be found on the consulate website and you can email the consulate with questions about their specific requirements.

Visa Wait Times

Since visa appointments are limited and visa processing times (link is external) can be lengthy, make your appointment as early as possible. Consulates will generally accept appointments up to 120 days prior to the start of studies. There may be long waiting periods for appointments, especially May through August. However, consulates may grant expedited appointments to F-1 student applicants if student’s current visa appointment date is after the listed program start date. Please contact the consulate directly to request an expedited appointment after scheduling your visa interview date.