F1 Visa Slot Booking: Fees, Process and Documents Required

Highlights:

• The processing time for a US F-1 visa varies from 15 days to 2 months depending on various factors
• The fees for applying for F1 Visa is nonrefundable
• Apply for F-1 visa within 120 days of the commencement of your program
• Documents like passport, QR Code from DS-160 form and appointment receipt are required during slot booking and interview

If you want to study in USA, applying early for a student visa can save you time and unnecessary delays. The application process for F1 US Student Visa is simple but time-consuming. If you want an answer to ”When can I apply for F1 visa?” or “How to process F1 visa booking slot?”, you are definitely at the right place!

So, the F1 Visa slot booking can only be done after you receive an acceptance letter from the university.

• Firstly, you must fill out the I-20 application form
• Submit the SEVIS F1 visa slot booking fee of $350
• Book an appointment at the Embassy.

You must book F1 Visa Slot to appear in the Visa interview for going to USA for education. The processing time for a US F-1 visa takes 15 days to 2 months. Factors such as embassy workload and time of year can influence the duration of a Visa.

Also Check: F-1 Student Visa Timelines

What is an F-1 Student Visa?

The F-1 student visa is a type of non-immigrant student visa that you to pursue any course in the USA without residing permanently. You can stay in USA as per the duration of the program be it 2, 3 or 4 years. For a shorter program, the visa duration will also be shorter. You are only eligible for an F-1 US student visa if you have received the Letter of Acceptance from any university or educational institution in USA.

Checkout: US Student Visa-Myth vs Reality

The application for F1 visa slots booking is a 6-step procedure including the following stages:-

• Fill in the I-20 application form
• Pay the SEVIS fee
• Fill in the DS-160 online application form
• Pay the visa registration fee
• Book your US Embassy visa appointment
• Attend the visa interview

Also Check: USA F 1 Visa Interview Questions: Tips & Required Documents

Steps for F1 Visa Slot Booking

There are 6 steps involved to get an F-1 visa for USA. We have explained all the steps here and what needs to be done to get the F1 slot booking. As part of U.S. visa guidelines, visas cannot be issued more than 120 days earlier than the program start date indicated on your form I-20.

Fill in the I-20 application form:

Filling out the application form is the first step for almost all the procedures. Here, you have to fill out an I-20 application form. You also need the SEVIS ID that is sent by the university you have applied for. The SEVIS ID will be sent by the Designated School Official (DSO) of that very institution.

Pay the SEVIS fee:

After the I-20 application from submission, you must pay the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) fee which is approximately $350, equivalent to ₹29,000. This is the F1 visa slot booking cost.

Fill in the DS-160 online application form:

The next step in the F-1 Student Visa slot booking is filling out the DS-160 form. It is a fully integrated online application form that collects essential information about the application. Therefore, you must fill out this form carefully. Moreover, you can also look forward to printing the barcode, present at the end of the form, as a backup.

Pay the visa registration fee:

After the SEVIS fee, you have to submit another $160 in the name of registration fees, VFS service charges, and bank charges. You can pay this amount through net banking, UPI, or by cash.

• Once you submit the fee, you will receive a receipt from the bank
• The receipt should contain a barcode
• This barcode is very essential in the process as it is used to schedule your appointment.
• The barcode is activated after 2 days.

Book your US Embassy visa appointment:

The second last step in this procedure is to F1 visa interview slot booking at the US embassy using the barcode you got from the bank. Afterward, you have to book a slot at the Visa Application Center (VAC) for a biometric scan, i.e., you have to submit

• Your fingerprints
• Your eye scan
• Your photograph at least a day prior to your interview

Checkout: OFC Appointment in USA Visa: Check OFC Fees & Documents

Attend the visa interview:

Finally, you have to be present for the F-1 US student visa interview on the given date at the correct time. It is the last and most important stage. During the interview, you will be asked about

• Your goals
• Your educational qualifications
• Career-related questions.

Make sure to answer them properly and politely. Any discrepancy may lead to counterproductive consequences.

Documents for the F-1 Student Visa Process

At each step of the above-mentioned procedure, some documents would be required, be it the time of form-filling or during the interview. The same is listed below, along with the related step:

While booking your VAC appointment:

The following things will be asked at the time of F1 Visa Slot Booking:

• Passport number
• Date of fee payment
• 10-digit barcode from DS-160 form

On VAC day:

At the Visa Application Center, one must submit the following documents:

• A valid passport whose validity is at least 6 months more than the expected time of the stay.
• DS-160 confirmation page
• Your appointment confirmation page

During the F-1 US student visa interview:

Candidates must produce the following documents at the time of the F-1 US student visa interview:

• Copy of appointment letter
• DS-160 confirmation page
• One photograph taken not more than 6 months ago
• Current and old passports (if any)
• Original Visa fee payment receipt

You must note that the application fees are non-refundable for F 1 visa slot booking. Therefore, you must be ready with all the required documents, fill each form with precision, and avoid any discrepancies. Moreover, the interview dates can only be rescheduled for a fixed number of times. Hence, try to avoid the rescheduling procedure as far as possible, as it would only delay the arrival of the Visa.

FAQs

Ques: Are F1 visa slots open now?

Ques: Can I book F1 visa slot before 120 days?

Ques: How to check visa date availability?

Ques: What is the 5 month rule for F1 visa?

Ques: What to do if visa slots are not available?

Ques. How much bank balance is required for the F-1 US student visa?

Ques. Can I sponsor my F-1 US student visa?

Ques. What is the age limit for applying for the F-1 US student visa?

Ques. How to book visa slots for F-1?Ans. International students must follow the following while F1 Visa Slot Booking:

Ques. What is the best time to book US visa slots?