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According to the new US laws, students fully vaccinated are exempt from pandemic restrictions. Also, the US Department of Homeland Security has recently added 22 new STEM programs. The programs also allow students to extend their OPT or optional practical training up to 36 months, as compared to 12 months before, to start their work upon graduation.

There is also a slight change in the US visa application process, which might reflect from summer 2022. Lastly, the US has also waived in-person visa interviews for a majority of visa types.

Before moving on to the USA study visa requirements, let us make you aware of the US student visa types. There are different types of Student Visas in the USA that you can apply for, depending on the program and your future residency plan. 

Given below are the 3 main US student visa types:

The US student visa fees for Indian students include the SEVIS fee and the F1 application fee. The SEVIS fee, INR 30k, is a non-refundable fee that must be paid before completing your application form, as the receipt is also required in your visa application. The application fee, INR 16k, is the usual fee required for getting the application form. 

Given below is the complete breakdown of the USA student visa cost for different visa types:

The USA student visa processing time can be averaged to 3-5 weeks, and even 2-3 months depending on your application and visa type. F-1 visa applicants can expect the processing time to be shorter than other visa types. 

After receiving a positive response from the US visa consulate, applicants can usually expect their visa hard copy in around 2-3 days. Also, F-1 visas are issued before 120 days of the commencement of your program in the US.

To ensure that your visa application is approved without any issues, the first Step is to provide all the required documents for the process. While completing your visa application, make sure that you have all the original documents. 

Here is a list of all the required documents for your US Student Visa application:

• Passport: Your original passport is the most important document you need for your Visa application.
• Form I-20: You are also required to have the Form I-20; you can get it from your institute’s DSO.
• SEVIS fee receipt: You need to pay a fee of USD 350 (INR 30,575) and provide the fee receipt along with your application.
• DS-160 confirmation: You will have to fill out the DS-160 application and submit the confirmation page along with your application.
• Photograph: You need to provide at least two passport-sized, recently clicked photographs.  
• DS-157: This is a supplemental non-immigrant visa application form that you have to submit with your visa application form.

Academic Documents 

Your US student visa needs your academic documents to ensure the credibility of your application. Here are some of the basic academic documents required for your student visa application:

• Acceptance letter: For your visa application, you need to provide an acceptance letter from a SEVP approved institute.
• Test Scores: You will also have to present your test scores like IELTS, GRE/GMAT etc
• Academic transcripts and scripts: All your official academic transcripts and certificates need to be submitted as well.
• LOR and SOP: One SOP and at least 2 LORs are required.

Financial Documents

Besides academic documents, you need to provide various financial documents for your visa application. This is needed to ascertain you have sufficient funds to pay for your program and living expenses while studying in the US. Here are some of the basic financial documents that you should have:

• Bank statements: You will have to provide I-20 proof of funds.
• Salary slips and letter of employment: If you are employed, you need to provide your salary slips along with your employment letter.
• Sponsorship letter: If you are being sponsored by a company or organization, you will need to provide the sponsorship letter to the visa office as well. 
• Tax returns: You need to provide your tax returns from the past 3 years.
• Loan approval letter: If you are going to the USA through a loan, you will have to provide the loan approval letter as well.
• Statement from CA: You will also need a statement from a CA providing details about your financial status, income source, assets, liabilities, etc. to the visa office.
• Scholarship letter: If you have received a scholarship from any organization for your studies abroad, you will have to provide the scholarship letter to the visa office.

The F1 USA student visa process involves you getting an admit from a SEVP-certified institute, get an i-20 form, complete the DS-160 application, pay the SEVIS fee of INR 30,000, and selecting a slot for a US visa consulate interview. 

Here is the overall process of the F-1 USA Student Visa:

• Step 1: Receive an acceptance letter and get admitted to a SEVP-certified USA institution. 
• Step 2: Apply for the Form I-20 from your institute and pay the SEVIS fee of USD 350 (INR 30,575).
• Step 3: Complete your DS-160 form and submit the confirmation page along with your application. 
• Step 4: Prepare for your interview at the visa office. 

Now you must complete your Visa application with precision, from submitting the required documents to completing the application form and providing the fee receipts. Do not miss any Step. 

Here are all the basic Steps to apply for a US student Visa:

• Step 1: Get accepted into a SEVP (Student and Exchange Visitor Program) approved institute.
• Step 2: Now you need to get an I-20 form from your institution. You can ask your institute’s Designated School Official (DSO) for the form.  
• Step 3: As a next Step, pay the SEVIS fees of USD 350 (INR 30,575) and apply the receipt to your visa application form.
• Step 4: Pay your DS-160 visa application form fee of USD 185 (INR 16,164) and attach all the required documents to the application form. 
• Step 5:  Your next Step is to schedule and go for your Biometric appointment, where you will get your photograph taken along with your fingerprints scanned. 
• Step 6: The last Step is to attend the visa interview. 

The application for a US student visa for the F-1 visa is available through online platforms, and the process is completely online. However, applicants need to visit the biometric and US visa interview centres to complete their USA student visa process from India.

US Visa Application Centres

For your biometrics interview for the visa application, there are a total of 5 visa application centers in India. You can choose any of these centers according to your convenience. The centers are as follows:

US Embassy and Consulates Addresses:

Apart from your Biometr