F1 Visa Slot Booking: Check Steps and Guidelines for International Students

To  study in the USA is the desired choice for most international students. Anyone who wants to enroll in a course of study in the US will require an F-1 US Student Visa. The F-1 visa, which is a non-immigrant student visa, is granted to international students enrolled in any course in the USA .

If you have been accepted to a US university, you will be permitted to stay in the country for three to four years, depending on your particular program’s duration. In order to be eligible for an F-1 visa, you must be able to produce a valid Letter of Admission received from an accredited US-based educational institution.

Even though the process is simple and straightforward, completing the procedure for F-1 visa application takes time. Moreover, the prerequisites for booking F-1 visa slots and US embassy visa appointments have changed since 2012. The new procedure requires students to make a biometrics appointment at the visa application center first so that their photographs and fingerprints may be taken before making a visa interview appointment.

Read on to discover all the essential information about the F-1 Visa slot booking process.

How to get an F-1 Student Visa?        
 

After checking their eligibility, individuals have to apply for an F-1 student visa in the USA. It is a 6-step procedure that includes the following stages:

• Fill out the i-20 application form:  First, candidates must fill out the i-20 application form sent by the university they have been accepted to.   

• Pay the SEVIS charge: Applicants will also get a SEVIS ID along with the i-20 form. They must fill out and submit the i-20 form as well as the SEVIS fee of $350 (29,000 INR).  

• Fill out the DS-160 online application form: It is a fully integrated online application form that records all the relevant information. Therefore, one must complete this form meticulously. To have a backup copy on hand, applicants can use a laser printer to print the DS-160 barcode confirmation sheet that appears at the end of the application and email it to themselves.

• Pay the visa registration fee: In addition to the SEVIS fee, applicants must also pay a further $160 in bank fees, VFS service fees, and registration fees. This can be paid through net banking, UPI, or in cash.

The bank will issue you a duplicate visa fee receipt with a 10-digit barcode number. To set up your visa interview appointment, you will need this barcode number.

The barcode needs two days to become active.         
 

Additionally, keep in mind that you have a year (365 days) from the date you bought your fee receipt to appear for a US visa interview . If you do not appear for an interview within one year of the payment of the fee, it will no longer be valid.

Book your US Embassy visa appointment: 

Next, book an appointment at the nearest US visa embassy office in your home country. You must reserve a slot in order to attend the visa interview. With your barcode and fee receipt, you can schedule an appointment at the US embassy.

F1 Visa Slot Booking: Steps To Follow

Once you are done booking your US student visa appointment, you need to start booking an F-1 visa slot for the VAC (biometrics: photograph + fingerprint) at least a day before the interview.          
 

• While booking your VAC appointment:      

At the time of booking an F1 visa slot, the following questions will be asked:

• Your passport number
• Date of fee payment
• 10-digit barcode from the DS-160 form         
   
• On VAC Day:     

You must submit the following documents:         
 

• A valid passport with at least 6 months more validity beyond your intended period of stay DS-160 confirmation page
• Appointment confirmation page

• Attend the VAC Visa Interview:         
   
• Finally, you must show up for the F-1 US student visa interview at the designated time, location and date. This is the final and most important step. 
• You will be asked about your intention to study in the US as well as other topics like your academic background, financial capacity, etc.

Documents Required for the F-1 Student Visa Process:

• Copy of appointment letter
• DS-160 confirmation page
• One photograph taken not more than six months ago
• Current and old passports (if any)
• Original Visa fee payment receipt

These are the documents needed to reserve an F1 visa slot. Applicants should note that the application fees are not refundable. They must therefore have all the necessary paperwork ready, accurately complete each form, and eliminate any inconsistencies.

Remember, the interview dates can only be rescheduled a fixed number of times. Therefore, avoid the rescheduling procedure as far as possible, as it would delay the arrival of the visa too.

Conclusion

The F-1 visa slot booking is among the last few steps that you have to complete before taking off to study in the USA . So make sure not to make any mistakes at this stage. When scheduling your appointment, keep in mind that the availability of visa interview slots may differ by embassy or consulate. For personalized guidance and support in completing visa applications or any other admission-related task, feel free to contact our experienced study abroad consultants at edmissions.com.    

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