STUDENT VISAS
A student wishing to attend a university or other academic institution
in the United States requires a student (F-1) visa. Those wishing
to attend a vocational or non-academic institution require an (M-1)
visa.
Please refer to the Fulbright Commission's
U.S. Educational Advisory Service for information about studying
at colleges and universities in the U.S. at www.fulbright.org.cy
After you have been accepted for admission
by a college or university, the school will send you a document
called an I-20.
All applicants for student visas should follow
the normal process to apply for a nonimmigrant visa. If your
program begins very soon and you need an emergency appointment,
please follow the instructions to request
an expedited appointment.
PLEASE READ ALL OF THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION
BEFORE REQUESTING YOUR APPOINTMENT
VERY IMPORTANT: You should not request
an appointment until you have ALL of the documents and forms
required for your visa. We schedule online appointments on
a first-come, first-serve basis. When you submit your appointment
request electronically, you should be fully prepared to be
interviewed immediately.
If you request an appointment when you
do not have your documents, and then find that you are not
ready for your interview, you will be required to go online
again to schedule another appointment. |
If you are an “F or M student”
visa applicant you must have the following before requesting
an appointment:
- A passport valid for at least six months
after your proposed date of entry into the United States.
- The completed and signed original Form
I-20 from your college or university, in your name, showing that
you have been admitted for a program of study.
- A completed Nonimmigrant visa application
form DS-156.
Documentation to bring to your interview
1. Your valid passport.
2. A 5cm X 5cm recent, high quality, clear,
color photograph for each applicant showing full face forward against
a white background). Click here
for requirements.
3. A receipt from Laiki Bank showing proof
of payment of the required visa application fee. Click here
for payment procedures.
4. A completed Nonimmigrant visa Application
Form DS-156. A separate
form is needed for children, even if they are included in a parent's
passport.
5. All students and their dependents must
also complete the Contact and Work History Nonimmigrant Visa form
DS-158.
6. All male Nonimmigrant visa applicants
between the ages of 16 and 45, regardless of nationality and regardless
of where they apply, must also complete the Supplemental Nonimmigrant
Visa Application DS-157.
7. All applicants age 16 and over from Cuba,
Iran, North Korea, Sudan and Syria, regardless of gender, must also
complete the Supplemental Nonimmigrant Visa Application DS-157.
NOTE: In addition, they must
provide detailed information about their background and plans. Please
click here for details.
8. A receipt showing that the SEVIS
fee has been paid. This fee must be paid BEFORE you come to
the Embassy for your interview. You cannot pay the fee at the Embassy
or at a bank here in Cyprus. You must pay the fee at www.fmjfee.com
and print out the receipt to bring to the Embassy.
9. The completed and signed original
Form I-20 from your college or university, in your name, showing
that you have been admitted for a program of study. Look closely
at Item Number 5 on the front page of the Form I-20, where it says
that “the student is expected to report to the school no later
than (date).” If you are applying after that date, or if you
are applying so close to that date that you cannot enter the United
States on or before that date, you will be required to get a new
Form I-20 from your school showing a later report date. If you are
applying for a new “F” visa to begin a new program of
study, you may not apply more than 120 days prior to your start
date, as listed on your I-20. Please ensure you apply early to allow
for visa processing time. In some cases, processing may take as
long as 3-6 weeks.
10. Applicants may be required to furnish
detailed information concerning their academic qualifications. Such
evidence may include complete transcripts and diplomas from previous
institutions attended; scores from standardized tests required by
the educational institution such as the TOEFL(Test of English as
a Foreign Language), SAT, GRE, GMAT, etc.
11. Financial evidence that shows you
or your parents who are sponsoring you have sufficient funds to
cover your entire tuition set forth in item 7 of the I-20 and living
expenses during the period of your intended study. For example,
salaried employees should bring income tax documents, original bank
books, and/or statements, or CSN loan approval. Business owners
should bring business registration, licenses, tax documents, as
well as original bank books and/or statements.
We will also expect all applicants to be prepared
to demonstrate the means, intent, and ability to succeed as a student
in the U.S. and strong social, economic or other ties to a residence
outside of the United States that they do not intend to abandon.
The Immigration and Nationality Act applies to all nonimmigrant
applicants, including those who apply to study or participate in
U.S. exchange programs.
FAMILY MEMBERS
Spouses and children under the age of 21 who
wish to accompany or join the principal visa holder in the United
States for the duration of his/her stay require an F-2 or M-2 visa.
The application procedure is the same; separate forms I-20A-B or
M-N will be required for each applicant.
Applicants with dependents must also provide:
Proof of the student’s relationship
to his/her spouse and/or children (e.g., marriage and birth certificates).
It is preferred that families apply for F-1
and F-2 visas at the same time, but if the spouse and children must
apply separately at a later time, they should bring a copy of the
student visa holder’s passport, I-20 and visa, along with
all other required documents.
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 U.S. when
the student's program ends.
FORM I-20
The Form I-20 which the student receives from
the U.S. school is not a visa. A student must obtain a student visa
from the U.S. Embassy before he or she travels to the U.S. to begin
studies. If a student arrives in the U.S. without the proper student
visa, he or she will be denied entry and required to return to Cyprus
to obtain the visa.
Questions on how to obtain Forms I-20A-B and
I-20M-N should be made to the educational institution. If the institution
does not have the forms, it needs to contact the local Department
of Homeland Security (DHS) office.
To avoid delays in visa processing, application
information on the I-20 such as last name, first name, date of birth,
place of birth and nationality should match the information in your
passport.
For more information about student visas click
here.
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