Student Visa Program (SVP)

The U.S. welcomes Indonesian students to continue their higher education in the U.S.  All student (F1) visa applicants who hold I-20s from accredited two and four year, post secondary academic institutions are automatically members of our SVP.  F1, F2, J1 and J2 visa applicants, who hold I-20s or DS-2019s will be required to request an appointment through our online system.  The online system, will guarantee students an appointment on Monday between 7:00am to 9:00am, except US and Indonesian Holidays. Vocational M1 visa applicants and their dependents must make a visa appointment in the normal manner.

If any F or J applicant is unable to come on the SVP Monday, before your U.S. start date, please request an Emergency NIV Appointment.  We will do our best to offer an early appointment consistent with our workload and available resources.   U.S. law requires that you apply only within 120 days of the start date listed on your I-20, so please do not come for a visa earlier.  Do not enter the U.S. more than 30 days prior to your I-20’s start date.


Frequently Asked Questions by Students

1. What qualifies as evidence of finances? Does the U.S. Embassy accept guarantees of financial support for F1 visa applications?
2. What visa do I have to apply for? F1? J1? M1?
3. What are my chances of getting a visa?
4. Where can I get more information about J-1 visas?
5. My parents want to visit me while I’m studying in America. How do they apply for a visa?

1.  What qualifies as evidence of finances?  Does the U.S. Embassy accept guarantees of financial support for F1 visa applications?

The best evidence of finances often includes original bank books, original statements of financial accounts from the bank (“rekening koran” in Indonesian), and/or proof of scholarship.  (Photocopies and letters cannot be considered credible).  We must see that you can pay in full for at least your first year of study and that it is likely you can do so for the remaining years, without the need to work in the U.S.  Guarantees from other persons, including relatives in the U.S. are less helpful than evidence of your finances here.  

In order to receive a student visa, you must also first pay the SEVIS fee online. Please bring the SEVIS receipt to your visa interview. The SEVIS fee is different from the visa fee.

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2.  What visa do I have to apply for? F1? J1? M1?

NIV type is determined by the purpose of travel stated on your NIV application (DS-160) and information provided by your academic institution.  Please also refer to Types of Visa Classes on this website to learn more.

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3.  What are my chances of getting a visa?

The vast majority of Indonesian students qualify for a visa in time for their studies.  Every applicant receives a visa pick up ticket or a colored, printed explanation at the end of the interview.  Please read this explanation carefully, as some applicants must undergo further internal processing, over which we have no control in Jakarta.  We adjudicate each visa application individually on its own merits as quickly as our resources permit, in accordance with U.S. laws and regulations.  Please understand that no one can say in advance if an applicant is ineligible or eligible for any visa.  According to U.S. law, we cannot offer advance assurance to adjudicate an application in time to meet the applicant's desired travel plans. We strive, however, to offer the best possible service.  For further information on the visa process please refer any interested parties to our website, available at U.S. Department of State Bureau of Consular Affairs.

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4.  Where can I get more information about J-1 visas?

The J-1 Visa Exchange Visitor Program website provides information about the Exchange Visitor Program as well as instructions on how to become an Exchange Visitor, descriptions of each of the Exchange Visitor Programs categories, including Au Pair, Summer Work Travel and others. It features a user-friendly sponsor lookup so potential participants can easily find a sponsor on a trusted, authoritative State Department website. 

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5.  My parents want to visit me while I’m studying in America. How do they apply for a visa?

Parents who wish visit their children while they are in school can apply for a non-immigrant tourist visa, otherwise known as a B1/B2 visa. Information about applying for non-immigrant visas can be found on the How to Apply for a Non-Immigrant Visa.

The basic steps for applying for a visa are:

1. Pay the NIV application fee
2. Complete the  Nonimmigrant Visa Electronic Application (DS-160)
3. Schedule your appointment
4. Gather required documents to bring to your appointment
5. Personally appear at the U.S. Embassy with DS-160 confirmation page, appointment confirmation page, one recent photograph, your current passport and all previous passports and any other required documents depending on the category of visa for which you are applying.

Although the following documents are not required by regulation, they may allow the adjudicating officer to evaluate your application more quickly. 

• Family card (kartu keluarga) or your child’s birth certificate
• A copy of your child’s student visa
• A copy of your child’s I-20

Certain applicants may qualify for the Interview Waiver Program which permits most Indonesians who are renewing a full-validity U.S. visa in certain categories – Business/Tourism (B1 and/or B2), Students (F), Exchange Visitors (J), and Vocational Students (M) – to apply for a new visa without an in-person interview at the U.S. Embassy in Jakarta or U.S. Consulate General in Surabaya.  In order to participate in this program, applicants must have a visa which is still valid or has expired within the past 12 months and must have been at least 18 years old at the time their most recent visa was issued.  The interview waiver program is only available to persons applying for a new visa of the same visa classification.  More information on the program is available hare: Renew My Visa.

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