Office of the Vice President for Global Engagement

Student Visa Information

Posted June 10th, 2009 by cphill
in

BEFORE YOU ARRIVE AT ASU

  • Once you are admitted to the university, Undergraduate or Graduate Admissions will send you a SEVIS (Student and Exchange Visitor Information System) Certificate of Eligibility Form I-20 or DS-2019.
  • You must read the information in your SEVIS I-20/DS-2019 to ensure that it has your accurate biographical and academic information and contact the appropriate admissions office for necessary corrections.
  • It is equally important that you read p.2 of your SEVIS form I-20/DS-2019 which has immigration information to maintain your F-1 or J-1 status while pursuing your studies as ASU.
  • The SEVIS I-20/DS-2019 together with your notification of admission, financial guarantee and your passport, is used to obtain a visa at a U.S. consulate nearest to you. If you have a SEVIS form I-20, you will be issued an F-1 visa. If you have a SEVIS form DS-2019, you will be issued a J-1 visa.
  • To apply for a visa in your home country, you must apply early and expect delays. Consult individual embassy Web sites for periodic updates on country-specific visa processing. Lists of U.S. Embassies can be accessed through http://usembassy.state.gov.

WHEN YOU ARRIVE AT ASU

  • Arrive at ASU no later than one week before classes begin according to the information on the SEVIS I-20/DS-2019. ASU cannot authorize you to arrive later or change the information on your SEVIS form I-20/DS-2019.
  • When arriving in the United States, show your SEVIS form I-20 /DS-2019 and your notification of admission to the U.S. customs/immigration officials at the airport/border.
  • You must report to the International Students and Scholars Office (ISSO) as soon as you arrive on campus with your immigration documents for the mandatory SEVIS check-in and orientation.
  • You must enroll full-time for each semester.

SEVIS form I-20 OR DS-2019 FROM MULTIPLE INSTITUTIONS

Students who have received a SEVIS form I-20 or DS-2019 from more than one school should present the document to the U.S. customs/immigration officials at the airport/border from the school that they plan to attend indicated in their visa stamp.

CANADIAN STUDENTS

Canadian citizens do not need to obtain an F-1/J-1 visa stamped in their passport from a U.S. consulate. However, they must present the SEVIS form I-20/DS-2019 together with the notification of admission, financial guarantee and a valid passport to a U.S. customs/immigration officials at the airport/border upon re-entry to the United States to obtain F-1/J-1 status. Non-Canadian citizens/permanent residents of Canada should contact the U.S. Embassy and inquire about requirements and procedures to obtain an F-1/J-1 visa.

TRANSFERS FROM OTHER UNIVERSITIES and AECP

  • International students on F-1/J-1 visa status already in the United States should inform their school's international student advisor of their transfer plan.
  • Students must complete the appropriate admission and SEVIS transfer process through the Undergraduate or Graduate Admissions office at ASU.
  • Once admitted, students should receive a SEVIS form I-20/DS-2019 from ASU.
  • All transfer students from a US school including transfer students from ASU-American English and Culture Program (AECP) must report to the International Students and Scholars Office (ISSO) before the start of the semester with your immigration documents for the mandatory SEVIS check-in and orientation.
  • The SEVIS transfer process must be completed no later than the first week of classes.
  • You must enroll full-time for each semester.

CURRENT STUDENT VISA INFORMATION

If you plan to travel to a country other than your own, you should contact the Consulate of that country to find out if you need a visa. You can access it through the Department of State website http://www.state.gov/s/cpr/rls/ and follow to the list of Foreign Consulates in the U.S.
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Automatic visa revalidation: Citizens of some countries who are in the U.S. with expired F-1/J-1 visa will be able to return to the U.S. after travel to Mexico, Canada and the neighboring islands/U.S. territories under the following conditions: visit is not more than 30 days and the purpose is pleasure or vacation only, maintained full-time status at all times, has I-20/DS-2019 endorsed for travel within a year. Check with an ISSO advisor by emailing isoeadvisor@asu.edu if your country is on the list of non-eligibility to receive the automatic visa revalidation benefit.
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If you are planning to renew your expired student visa in your home country you must apply early and expect delays. Submit your most current SEVIS form I-20/DS-2019 to the ISSO for travel endorsement at least 10-14 working days prior to departure.
DOCUMENTS for visa renewal purposes:
 
1. SEVIS form I-20/DS-2019 with updated travel signature from ISSO
2. Passport, valid 6 months into the future
3. Financial guarantee (i.e., current semester TA/RA letter, bank statement obtained within the last 6 months)
4. Enrollment Verification and ASU Unofficial Transcript (request from the REGISTRAR’s Office, SSV Building, Room #144).
  
Consult individual embassy websites for periodic updates on country-specific visa processing. Lists of U.S. Embassies abroad can be accessed through this website http://usembassy.state.gov.

 

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