91°µÍø

About F-1 student status

If you are like most international students at Indiana University and in the United States, you will begin your studies with F-1 status.

After you complete the required items in your Atlas checklist, we will send you a Form I-20. You will need this document to schedule a visa appointment at the U.S. Embassy or consulate and to enter the United States.

How to apply for an F-1 visa

If you have received an I-20 from Indiana University, you should apply for an F-1 visa stamp. There are four steps in the process.

Step 1: Pay your SEVIS fee

You will have to show your payment receipt for the SEVIS fee when you arrive for your visa interview, so take care of this right away.

If you are a Canadian citizen with a valid passport, you do not need to apply for a visa stamp. However, you do need to pay the SEVIS fee.

How to pay the SEVIS fee

Step 2: Schedule a visa appointment at the U.S. Embassy in your home country

Contact the U.S. Embassy nearest you as soon as possible to set up an appointment. This is important because the wait time for an appointment and for visa issuance varies. To see how long this process takes in your country, read the U.S. Department of State’s .

It’s best to apply in your home country. If you are not sure which embassy you should contact, see this list of .

Step 3: Get your documentation ready

When you arrive for your visa appointment, you will be required to show a number of documents, including:

• I-20
• Valid passport
• A SEVIS payment receipt printed from your online payment confirmation
• Current financial documentation that lists the sources and amounts of financial support you have secured for the current or upcoming academic year. It must match the information listed on your I-20.

The embassy’s website will outline other specific documents that you should bring.

Step 4: Prepare for your interview

Because you are applying for a nonimmigrant visa, you will need to prove to the consular officer that you do not intend to immigrate to the United States. In other words, you need to show him or her that you have definite plans to return home after college.

For more information and tips, please see .

Already have a current immigration status?

I already have F-1 status

If you are already studying at a school in the United States and you have F-1 student status, you need to apply for a SEVIS transfer. We will need to work with your current school to move your record to 91°µÍø.

Transfer your SEVIS record to 91°µÍø

I already have a different immigration status

If you already have an immigration status that is not F-1 but you want to change your status to F-1, we can help you. The process takes several months for the U.S. government to process, so you should start as early as possible.

Change to F-1 status