Apply for an F-1 Visa
Before applying for an F-1 visa, please read our general guidance, Applying for a Visa. The information there applies to all U.S. nonimmigrant visa applications.
Applying for an F-1 visa is easy. To improve your chances of approval, follow the steps below in the order that they appear.
If this is your first time applying for an F-1 visa, you need to have a VCU I-20. If you have not yet received your VCU I-20, please email Immigration Services: geois@vcu.edu
If you already have a VCU I-20, you need to use that I-20 to apply for an F-1 visa. The I-20 must be unexpired at the time you apply for your F-1 visa.
If you have an Initial I-20 and this is your first time using that I-20 to apply for an F-1 visa, you need to pay the SEVIS fee.
The SEVIS fee is sometimes called the I-901 or “FMJ” fee but most often it is just called the SEVIS fee.
If you have an Initial I-20 and this is your first time using that I-20 to apply for an F-1 visa, you need to pay the SEVIS fee.
The SEVIS fee is sometimes called the I-901 or “FMJ” fee but most often it is just called the SEVIS fee.
Visit this site to pay the SEVIS fee.
The SEVIS fee is due only for the F-1 visa applicant. F-2 visa applicants do not need to pay the SEVIS fee.
Save your SEVIS fee payment receipt. You will need it for the following steps.
You need to prepare and submit a DS-160 for each F-1 and F-2 visa applicant. The DS-160 is an online form only.
Visit this site to file a DS-160.
At the DS-160 website, you will select the U.S. consulate that you want to use for your F-1 and F-2 visa applications.
After you submit your DS-160, you will receive a confirmation. Save the confirmation. You will need it for the following steps.
During this step, you will schedule your consulate interview or ask them for a waiver (exemption) from the interview, if waivers are available.
The SEVIS fee payment and DS-160 (steps 2 and 3 above) are the same for every U.S. consulate in the world.
The process of scheduling an interview (or asking for an interview waiver) varies slightly by specific consulate.
The name of the official U.S. government scheduling service for all U.S. consulate interviews is U.S. Travel Docs.
Visit this site to access U.S. Travel Docs.
At the website, select the U.S. consulate that you want to use for your visa application.
The consulates are not listed by the name of the city that they are in. They are listed by the name of the country that the consulate is in.
Example: If you want to use a U.S. consulate in India, select the letter I for India. Then select India and follow the instructions from there.
Some consulates’ U.S. Travel Docs links take you directly to a web page specifically for visa applications at that consulate. If this happens, simply follow the instructions on the web page.
Other consulates’ U.S. Travel Docs links take you to the consulate’s home page. If this happens, click the link in the upper left of the consulate’s home page for Visas. Then follow the instructions at the Visas web page.
The specific consulate’s visa application guidance also includes information about:
- Whether the consulate uses an off-site drop-box or other location for passports or they want you to bring your passport with you to the interview
- When and how to arrive for your interview (see FAQs below)
- How to request an interview waiver, if available
- What you can and cannot bring into the consulate with you (example: phone, food and drink, packages, etc.)
- How to prepare for your interview
- Additional documents required
- How your passport will be returned to you
Follow the consulate’s instructions about going for your interview. For GEO’s insight about this step, please review our guidance on applying for a visa.
Follow the consulate’s guidance about receiving your passport back from them with the visa stamp in it. For GEO’s insight about this step, please review our guidance on applying for a visa.