{"id":254,"date":"2021-09-07T09:49:08","date_gmt":"2021-09-07T13:49:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/inside.wooster.edu\/iss\/?page_id=254"},"modified":"2024-05-09T13:06:24","modified_gmt":"2024-05-09T17:06:24","slug":"immigration","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/inside.wooster.edu\/iss\/new-students\/immigration\/","title":{"rendered":"Immigration to the U.S."},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Once you have secured your admission to Wooster, confirmed your ability to finance a Wooster education, and received your I-20, you still have several very important next steps to follow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You must prepare for lawful entry into the U.S. in time to participate in&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/inside.wooster.edu\/iss\/new-students\/orientation\">International Student Orientation<\/a>. Begin this process EARLY!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Policies can change frequently and with little warning. For the most up to date visa application procedures from your country, please visit the website of the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.usembassy.gov\/\" data-type=\"URL\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.usembassy.gov\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">US Embassy&nbsp;for your country.<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Become familiar with the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/studyinthestates.dhs.gov\/2013\/04\/here-to-help-what-to-expect-at-a-port-of-entry-with-a-us-customs-and-border-protection-officer\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Port of Entry Procedures<\/a>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Become familiar with the&nbsp;<a href=\"http:\/\/www.ice.gov\/sevis\/i901\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">process<\/a>&nbsp;(video) required to make your SEVIS I-901 payment. This fee is separate from visa fees and school SEVIS administration fees. Your payment must be made before you go to your visa interview.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Instructions for Most Non-Immigrant Students<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Step 1: I-901 SEVIS Fee<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) requires that international students pay a $350 fee to support and administer the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Individuals can&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.fmjfee.com\/i901fee\/index.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">pay the fee<\/a>&nbsp;by credit or debit card via the internet or by check or money order mailed to SEVP.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Payment is recorded in the SEVIS system, and you must present your I-901 Fee Receipt at your visa interview.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Step 2: Secure a student visa<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>If you are a citizen of a foreign country, you will need a student visa to enter the U.S.&nbsp;<br>Do not enter the U.S. as a tourist; B-1\/B-2 entry does not allow for full-time study.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Most foreign citizens must apply for the F-1 Student Visa at a U.S. embassy in their home countries. Language assistants and some exchange students will apply for a J-1 visa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>**Visa processing can take several months.**<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You can be issued an F-1 visa as early as 120* days prior to your program start date. Visit your nearest&nbsp;U.S. embassy&nbsp;as soon as possible to request an application packet. *<strong>Due to visa appointment wait times, eligible F-1 visa candidates can apply one year in advance of their program start date.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Complete the application and prepare the required documentation (Form I-20 or DS 2019, Wooster admission and financial aid letters, financial support documents, plane tickets, etc.). More information about applying for an F-1 visa is here: <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/travel.state.gov\/content\/travel\/en\/us-visas\/study\/student-visa.html\" target=\"_blank\">https:\/\/travel.state.gov\/content\/travel\/en\/us-visas\/study\/student-visa.html<\/a>  Please check your local consulate for more specific visa requirements. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Schedule your visa interview appointment as soon as possible. Assuming you have the appropriate documentation to present, the visa interview is the most critical element in&nbsp;successfully securing your visa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Hint: Your local \u2018Education USA\u2019 advisor (usually housed within the U.S. embassy) can provide valuable advice on specific student visa requirements for your country, as well as local opportunities for pre-departure programs and information. EducationUSA link: <a href=\"https:\/\/educationusa.state.gov\/\">https:\/\/educationusa.state.gov\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Instructions for Individuals Already in the U.S.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If you are already in the U.S. on an F-1 visa you need to request a SEVIS transfer from your current institution to The College of Wooster.&nbsp;<a href=\"mailto:mailto:international@Wooster.edu\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Email us<\/a>&nbsp;as soon as possible to prevent the issuance of an initial I-20.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you are already in the U.S. and hold a non-immigrant status other than F-1 you may need to process a \u201cchange of status\u201d through US Citizenship and Immigration Services.\u00a0Please <a href=\"mailto:international@wooster.edu\">email us<\/a>\u00a0as soon as possible.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Instructions For Citizens of Canada and Bermuda ONLY<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If you are a citizen of a country that is exempt from the student visa requirement (Canada, Bermuda) you do not need to apply for your F-1 visa at a U.S. Embassy. You may apply for your visa at the Port of Entry (POE).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You must also pay the SEVIS FEE (see above) and must show the I-901 Receipt at the Port of Entry (POE).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When you enter the U.S., you must be able to establish your identity and citizenship with a birth certificate, citizenship certificate, or passport.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The officer at POE will interview you. Be prepared to show proof of financial support to complement the I-20.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Once an F-1 visa is granted, the immigration officer will stamp your passport, your I-20, and your I-94 (as received from the POE).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>***Citizens of Bermuda can apply for an F-1 visa. More information here: <a href=\"https:\/\/bm.usconsulate.gov\/visas\/visa-exemptions-bermudians\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">https:\/\/bm.usconsulate.gov\/visas\/visa-exemptions-bermudians\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Instructions For U.S. Citizens or Permanent Residents Living Overseas<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If you are a U.S. citizen or permanent resident residing abroad you do not need a visa to enter the U.S., nor do you need to pay the SEVIS fee. Your participation in\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/inside.wooster.edu\/iss\/new-students\/orientation\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">International Student Orientation<\/a>\u00a0is not mandatory but encouraged.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Once you have secured your admission to Wooster, confirmed your ability to finance a Wooster education, and received your I-20, you still have several very important next steps to follow. You must prepare for lawful entry into the U.S. in time to participate in&nbsp;International Student Orientation. Begin this process EARLY! Instructions for Most Non-Immigrant Students [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"parent":8,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-254","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/inside.wooster.edu\/iss\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/254","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/inside.wooster.edu\/iss\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/inside.wooster.edu\/iss\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/inside.wooster.edu\/iss\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/inside.wooster.edu\/iss\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=254"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/inside.wooster.edu\/iss\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/254\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":407,"href":"https:\/\/inside.wooster.edu\/iss\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/254\/revisions\/407"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/inside.wooster.edu\/iss\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/8"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/inside.wooster.edu\/iss\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=254"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}