The US State Department has announced that F and M student visas can now be issued up to a year in advance.
Up until now, international students were able to apply only 120 days before their planned program started in the US. However, now that the rules have been revised, students will be able to apply for F and M student visas up to 365 days in advance.
Nonetheless, despite making such a change, the US State Department stressed that students obtaining one of these visas will still not be allowed to enter the territory of the US more than 30 days before their program starts, VisaGuide.World reports
This means that students can apply up to a year beforehand to make sure that the process goes smoothly but cannot use the student visa to enter the US for other purposes.
“F and M student visas can now be issued up to 365 days in advance of the I-20 program start date, allowing more time for students to apply for a visa. Students are still not allowed to enter the U.S. on a student visa more than 30 days before their program start date,” the US State Department wrote on its official Twitter account.
The decision of the US Department of State to make such a change was taken in order to clear the backlogs as well as allow the students and the country’s authorities to be able to plan everything in advance.
The F1 Visa is a student visa that is granted to international students who wish to pursue their studies in the US. This type of visa covers different levels – from elementary school to university and graduate school – along with other degrees as well.
Those applying for this type of visa must submit their passport, Form DS-160 for non-immigrant visa applications, two photos meeting the US visa photo requirements, proof of having paid the visa fee, Form I-20, proof of having purchased health insurance, and documents proving previous education and current qualifications.
On the other hand, the M1 Visa is for students who wish to enroll in vocational studies in the US, such as cooking classes, mechanical classes, technical courses, and cosmetology, among others.
Those applying for this type of visa must submit their passport, the DS-160 confirmation page, the visa appointment letter, one US Visa photograph, proof of having paid fees, the original I-20 form and a copy, proof of educational qualifications, and proof of having financial stability.
>> US Visa Types, Requirements & Everything Else You Need to Know
The post US Now Allows Students to Apply for a Visa up to a Year in Advance appeared first on VisaGuide.World.