F and M Visas

STUDENT VISA (F and M Visas)

Generally, there are two kinds of visas available for a citizen of a foreign country who wishes to study in the United States. Depending on the type of school you plan to attend and your course of study you will need to apply for the F-1 visa or the M-1 visa.

If you plan on attending one of the following institutions in the United States, then you need to file for a F-1 visa:

University
College
High School
Secondary School
Seminary
Academic Institution including a language program

If you plan on attending a vocational school or institution then you need an M-1 visa.

TRAVEL TO THE US:

If you plan on studying in the United States then it is best for you to apply to an institution of your choice, get accepted to an SEVP approved school, have them issue a document known as an I-20 and apply for a student visa at a US Consulate and then enter the United States on the student visa.
You can also visit the DHS Study in the States school search page to search for SEVP-certified schools.

CHANGE OF STATUS TO A STUDENT VISA WHEN ALREADY IN THE UNITED STATES:

There are certain exceptional instances when your visa status can be changed to a student visa when you are already in the US.
Kindly call our office for a consultation to determine if you are eligible to change your US immigration status to a student visa when already in the United States.

If you only need to join a recreational course then you could possibly do so on a visitors visa. A course of study that confers a degree or certificate, even if the course is of a short duration is not permitted on a visitors visa. Kindly call our office for a consultation to determine if you are eligible to do a recreational course on a visitors visa.

APPLYING FOR A STUDENT VISA:

Please consult the instructions available on the embassy or consulate website where you intend to apply.