Student Visas (F-1, M-1 Visas)

Persons who will be studying in the United States need to apply for a student visa. There are two types of student visas:

• F-1 for academic or language studies
• M-1 for non-academic or vocational studies

Please check out these videos with students who have recently studied in the U.S.A. or who will be leaving soon.

To apply for a student visa for academic or language study, a student must have been accepted for the purpose of pursuing a full course of study in an academic institution approved by the Attorney General of the United States. The student must present to the consular officer a form I-20A-B, "Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant (F-1) Student Status for Academic and Language Students," properly completed and signed by the student and the designated school official.

To apply for a student visa for vocational studies, a student must have been accepted for the purpose of pursuing a full course of study in a non-academic institution approved by the Attorney General. The student must present a form I-20 M-N, "Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant (M-1) Student Status -- For Vocational Students," properly completed and signed by the student and the designated school official.

-Student visas for initial-entry students (F-1, M-1, F-2, M-2) can be issued at the earliest 120 days before the start of the program (date mentioned in point 5 of your I-20 form).

-Student visas for continuing students (F-1, M-1, F-2, M-2) can be issued at any time, as long as they have maintained student status and their SEVIS records are current.

-Please note that holders of initial-entry student visas will not be admitted to the United States until a date 30 days or less prior to the beginning of your program date, as given on your Form I-20 . An immigration inspector may deny your entry into the United States if you use this visa earlier than this thirty day period. Please consider that date carefully when making your travel plans to the United States. 

-Continuing students may enter the U.S. at any time before they resume their classes.

Fees

Persons applying for F1 and M1 visas must pay the SEVIS (Student and Exchange Visitor Information System) fee IN ADDITION TO the visa application fee. The SEVIS fee for F1 and M1 applicants is 200 USD. The SEVIS fee must be paid at least 5 business days before the scheduled visa application interview at the U.S. consulate.

The SEVIS fee can be paid by completing form I-901 electronically and paying online by credit card at http://www.fmjfee.com/. Please print a payment receipt immediately at the time of payment.  The proof of payment must be shown to the Consul during the visa application interview. 

-The SEVIS fee can also be paid by Western Union Quick Pay.  Click here to follow the detailed instructions.  Quick Pay forms should be available in most Western Union offices throughout Belgium.  Three days after your fee payment, you must go to www.fmjfee.com to print out the payment confirmation page to present at your interview.

Spouses and dependent children (F2 and M2) do not pay this fee. The SEVIS fee is not a visa application fee; it is used to operate and maintain the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System. The SEVIS fee is non-refundable, even if the visa application is denied.

Documentation

FIRST, F/M-visa applicants must click on the following link and follow the instructions regarding the required basic documents to be submitted by all visa applicants :  read more

IN ADDITION, F/M-visa applicants must ALSO present the following :

• a properly completed and signed original I- 20 form (not a copy or fax) which you can obtain from your school or university in the United States.
• original proof of payment of your studies, or an original bank statement showing a current balance, sufficient to finance your studies, or an original letter from your bank, specifying the amount required and confirming that this amount is available to you. This amount is set forth in item 8 of the I-20 form
• the receipt of the SEVIS fee payment

Family Members

A spouse or an unmarried child under 21 years of age of a student may also be classified for a non-immigrant visa (F-2 or M-2) to accompany or follow the principal applicant. Dependents must submit valid proof of relationship (marriage booklet, marriage certificate, birth certificate). Family members must meet all visa eligibility requirements, including evidence that they will have sufficient funds for their support and that they will depart the United States upon termination of the student program.  Each F-2 and M-2 dependent is required to have a separate I-20 form.

Student Employment

An F-1 student may not accept off-campus employment at any time during the first year of study. Under certain circumstances, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) may grant permission to accept off-campus employment after one year. F-1 students may accept on-campus employment from the school without USCIS permission.

Practical training, involving course-related work, is limited to 12 months. To obtain practical training work authorization, students must have Form I-20 endorsed by a Designated School Official and obtain USCIS approval on an Employment Authorization Card.

An M-1 student may not accept employment, except for temporary employment for practical training.

Spouses and children of students may not accept employment at any time.

Financial Resources

The F-1 student visa applicant must present documentary evidence that sufficient funds are, or will be available from a specifically identified and reliable financial source to defray all living and school expenses during the entire period of anticipated study in the United States. Specifically, the applicant must present credible documentary evidence that he or she has enough readily available funds to meet all expenses for the first year of study, and that barring unforeseen circumstances, adequate funds will be available for each subsequent year of study.

The M-1 student visa applicant must have evidence that sufficient funds are immediately available to pay all tuition and living costs for the entire period of intended stay.

Scholastic Preparation

The student visa applicant must have successfully completed a course of study normally required for enrollment at the level of study contemplated. The student, unless coming to participate exclusively in an English language training program, must either be sufficiently proficient in English to pursue the intended course of study, or the school must have made special arrangements for English language courses, or teaching the course in the student's native language.

Residence Abroad

Student visa applicants must establish to the satisfaction of the consular officer that they have a residence in a foreign country which they have no intention of abandoning, and that they will depart the United States upon termination of their student status.

Studying in the U.S.A.

Are you looking for information on studying in the U.S.A., scholarship opportunities, TOEFL, IELTS, GMAT, GRE and other tests, and/or educational exchanges?

Check out these videos with students who have recently studied in the U.S.A.

Contact the Commission for Educational Exchange Between the United States, Belgium and Luxembourg for more information:

The Royal Library
Keizerslaan 4 Boulevard de l'Empereur
B-1000 Brussels

Phone: +32-2-519-5772
Fax: + 32-2-519-5773
Email:adviser@fulbright.be
http://www.fulbright.be/

Hours: Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Telephone inquiries: Monday through Thursday, 2 p.m. to 4:00 p.m