The following documents are important and should always be kept up today and in a safe place while studying in the U.S.:
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Passport: International students鈥 passports need to be valid while they are studying in the U.S. Six months before a student鈥檚 passport expires, the student should begin the renewal process with their home country's consulate or embassy in the United States. Please call the consulate first to inquire as to the specific regulations for renewing a passport from the student's home country.
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F-1 visa holders: Form I-20: When international students enter the U.S., they should have their original I-20. Please be sure you have signed your I-20, and do not carry it in checked baggage, as you will need to present this form to U.S. Customs & Border Protection upon entry.
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J-1 visa holders: Form DS-2019: This is the certificate of eligibility for an international student or visiting professor participating in an exchange program. When international students enter the U.S., they should have their original DS-2019. Please be sure you have signed your DS-2019, and do not carry it in checked baggage, as you will need to present this form to U.S. Customs & Border Protection upon entry. -
I-94: Upon admission, the U.S. Customs & Border Protection (CBP) will provide students with an electronic admission number, referred to as the 鈥淚-94.鈥 This number will note the date of admission, class of admission (visa type), and a date or 鈥淒/S鈥 which indicates how long a student is authorized to stay in the U.S. 鈥淒/S鈥 stands for Duration of Status. Students arriving on F-1/J-1 visas are generally admitted for Duration of Status. This means that a student or exchange visitor is admitted into the U.S. for as long as the person is still doing the activity for which the visa was issued, rather than being admitted until a specific departure date. If your record does not have "D/S," please notify the Director of International Affairs & Studies at 花季传媒. To retrieve your I-94 number, please visit .
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Visa: International students cannot enter the U.S. with an expired visa, nor can a visa be renewed from within the U.S. A student鈥檚 visa can expire while in the U.S. without penalty, as long as a student is maintaining their visa status and has a valid I-20. If a student leaves the country with an expired visa, he/she must plan to renew their visa before reentry.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) requires F-1 and J-1 visa applicants to pay a one-time fee to supplement the administration and maintenance costs of the Student and Exchange Information System (SEVIS). The fee for F-1 students is $350 and for J-1 students $220. This SEVIS fee is required of all foreign nationals who come to the U.S. for the purpose of pursuing a full course of study in institutions such as colleges, universities, and language training programs.
花季传媒 will issue the form I-20 after a student is admitted and a $250 enrollment fee is paid (please note that graduate students do not pay an enrollment fee). To obtain a student visa, the I-20 and a copy of your SEVIS receipt verifying payment should be taken to the American Embassy or Consulate in your area.
Schedule an appointment for a visa interview at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate as soon as you receive your I-20 or DS-2019. The embassies and consulates often have long wait times. If you have not received your visa by July 15 for the fall semester or December 15 for the spring semester, your I-20 will may need to be deferred to the next available semester.
- Do not enter the U.S. on a visitor/tourist visa (B-2) unless it is designated 鈥淧rospective Student鈥 by the Consular Officer.
- The United States Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS) department rarely authorizes a change in visa status from a B-2 to an F-1 or J-1 visa.