Visa application decisions
Visa Application Process
Here’s the high-level process for applying for a nonimmigrant visa to come to the US:
- Schedule an appointment
- Pay the appropriate application fee(s)
- Prepare your documentation and materials
- Complete a short personal interview with a consular officer
Additional details about the process, as well as recommendations and tips throughout the application cycle, are outlined below.
Apply early
The visa application process can take considerable time. Potential delays include limited availability for appointment scheduling, incomplete documentation, administrative processing requirements, and the need to reapply after an initial visa denial.
We recommend beginning the visa application process at least two to three months in advance of your intended travel. If you need specific documentation from the University before applying for the visa, work with your department as early as possible to allow for in-house processing.
Consider where to apply
Recommendation: Apply in your home country
We recommend that you apply in your home country, as those officers will be aware of any regional documentation practices and other considerations.
The United States also recommends you apply for a visa in your home country. Immigration regulations require that “an alien applying for a nonimmigrant visa shall make application at a consular office having jurisdiction over the alien’s place of residence” [22 CFR § 41.101(a)(1)]. Regulations also allow visa applications at any other US consulate where the applicant is physically present and which accepts applications from “Third Country Nationals.”
What to do if applying outside your home country
Many US consulates accept these types of nonimmigrant visa applications. However, it’s more difficult for a consular official outside your home country to evaluate your application, especially your ties to a residence abroad and nonimmigrant intent.
Don’t attempt this type of application without first speaking to an ISO advisor to evaluate your risk. Contact ISO for an advisor appointment.
Documentation: Starting the application process
The US Department of State is responsible for all visa applications. To start the process, you will need to complete the DS-160 Online Nonimmigrant Visa Application Form. You will be asked to provide:
- Information from your passport
- Notes about your previous US travel history
- Details related to your intended activities in the United States
Besides the application form, the specific documents you need to demonstrate eligibility will depend on your requested visa category. Some applicants need to provide additional information about their financial ability to support their activities in the United States and their plans to return home.
If you’re applying for a University-sponsored visa category, you’ll need specific documentation from the University to complete this form, such as the F-1 (Form I-20), J-1 (Form DS-2019), or H-1B (Forms I-129 and I-797). Visit the Visa Categories page to learn more.
A digital photograph must also be uploaded with the application.
Scheduling the visa appointment
Once you have completed the DS-160 online, you’ll be able to pay the required application fee. Reminder to F-1 and J-1 applicants: You need to pay the I-901 SEVIS fee before scheduling your visa interview.
After that, you’ll contact your local US consulate or embassy that has jurisdiction over your residence or physical presence to schedule the visa appointment.
Visa interview process
The visa interview is typically short, often as little as two to three minutes.
It helps to have your documentation organized in advance, though the consular officers generally only ask for certain documents and may not review all that you have prepared. For a detailed list of documents you may need during your visa appointment, visit our Visa Categories page.
The consular officer uses the interview to determine if you’re eligible for the visa category you have requested. For applicants required to demonstrate nonimmigrant intent, the officer will also consider whether you have sufficient ties to your home country to suggest that you’ll return home after completing your program or planned activities in the United States.
You’ll be notified at the end of the interview whether the visa is approved or denied. In some cases, the visa may be approved subject to administrative processing, which can delay the visa issuance for several weeks. For more information, visit our Visa Application Decisions page.
Additional interview tips
Adapted from NAFSA: 10 Points to Remember When Applying for a Visa
General advice
Consular officers are under considerable pressure to conduct a quick and efficient interview since there are so many applicants to be seen. In general, they can allow for only 2 to 3 minutes per interview and must make a decision during that time. As a result, the initial impression you create is very important, so be sure to keep your answers short and specific.
Anticipate that the visa interview will be conducted in English, not in your native language. It may be helpful to practice English conversation with a native speaker before the interview, but do not prepare a speech.
It is also important that you speak for yourself; the officer wants to interview you, not a family member. If you are attending an English Language program at the University, be ready to explain why knowledge of English will be useful to you in your home country.
Under US law, all applicants for non-immigrant visas are viewed as intending immigrants unless they can convince the consular officer that they are not. You must therefore be able to show that you have reasons for returning to your home country that are stronger than those for remaining in the United States.
“Ties” to your home country are the things that bind you to your current place of residence (examples include a job, family, financial prospects that you own or will inherit, investments, etc.). You may be asked about your specific intentions or promise of future employment, family or other relationships, educational objectives, grades, long-range plans, and career prospects in your home country.
Each person’s situation is different, and there is no magic explanation or single document, certificate or letter that can guarantee visa issuance.
Don’t engage the consular official in an argument. If you are denied a visa, ask the officer for a list of documents he or she would suggest you bring in order to overcome the refusal, and obtain in writing an explanation of the reason you were denied.
It should be clear, at a glance, to the consular officer what written documents you are presenting and what they signify. Lengthy written explanations cannot be quickly read or evaluated, especially during such a short interview. Remember to bring original versions of all supporting documents, if available, with you to the appointment.
If you’re receiving funding from the University of Rochester, your home university, your employer, or from the government, be prepared to present the appropriate letters or documents which verify this funding.
If your financial support comes from personal or family funds, bank statements alone are seldom considered credible enough evidence to demonstrate sufficient finances. Only when coupled with highly credible documentation that can substantiate the source (such as job contracts, letters from an employer, tax documents, pay stubs, or deposit slips) will a bank statement be accepted. Bank statements are most credible if they are a series of reliable computer-generated ordinary monthly bank account statements.
Student-specific advice
Be familiar with the academic program to which you have been admitted and how it fits into your career plans. You should be able to explain how studying in the US relates to your future professional career, focusing on how you will use such skills when you return home.
Your main purpose for coming to the US is to study, not for the chance to work before or after graduation. While many students may work part-time during their studies, such employment is incidental to the main purpose of completing their US education. You must be able to clearly articulate your plan to return home at the end of your program.
If your spouse is also applying for an accompanying F-2 visa, be aware that F-2 dependents cannot, under any circumstances, be employed in the US. If asked, be prepared to address what your spouse intends to do with his or her time while in the US. Volunteer work and taking a class for recreational study are permitted activities. F-2 spouses are not allowed to begin a program of study or take classes to count towards a program of study.
If your spouse and children are remaining behind in your country, be prepared to address how they will support themselves in your absence. If the consular officer gains the impression that your family members will need you to remit money from the US in order to support them, your student visa will almost certainly be denied. If your family does decide to join you at a later time, it is helpful to have them apply at the same post where you applied for your visa.
Please note: Indicating that your spouse will remain at home while you study in the US is not likely to convince the consulate that you do not intend to immigrate. Other evidence will be needed.
Applicants from countries suffering economic problems or from countries where many students have remained in the US as immigrants often have more difficulty getting visas. They are also more likely to be asked about job opportunities at home after their study in the United States.
Citizens of Canada are not required to obtain a US visa to enter the United States. However, an officer of the US Immigration Service will inspect your papers either at a pre-inspection site in Canada or upon entry to the United States. You must have with you proof of Canadian citizenship, proof of admission to the University of Rochester, your University of Rochester Certificate of Eligibility, and proof of financial support that corresponds to the information on your I-20 or DS-2019. It is essential that you enter the United States in the appropriate status, so be sure to have complete documentation with you.
Visa category-specific guidance
There may be specific processes and nuances relative to your specific visa category. Visit our Visa Categories page to compare statuses and requirements, and to find additional details relevant to your situation.