After you have been officially and unconditionally admitted to LSU and have received your I-20 or DS-2019, you can apply for the F-1 or J-1 student visa.
Do I need to apply for a student visa?
The short answer is yes, the majority of international students will need to apply for a student visa to travel to and study in the United States. Citizens from the countries below are visa exempt; however, like all international students, they must present the I-20 or DS-2019 to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials at the U.S. Port of Entry to be processed as an F-1 or J-1 student when entering the United States.
Regardless of whether you need to apply for a student visa, you must pay the I-901 SEVIS fee. See our article What Is the I-901 SEVIS Fee? for more information.
Bermuda
According to the U.S. Consulate General in Bermuda, "Bermudian citizens currently do not require a visa to attend school in the United States. ... However, many students report that obtaining a visa eases their transition into student life. For instance, it is required in order to obtain a U.S. driver’s license or other documentation in many states."
Canada
Canadian citizens do not need to apply for a U.S. student visa. The Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) requires Canadian travelers to present a passport or other document which denotes identity and citizenship in order to enter the United States. International Student Services (ISS) strongly recommends that you obtain a passport before coming to the U.S. because a passport as your main form of identification will make your interaction with different offices in the U.S. much easier.
How do I apply for a student visa?
After paying the I-901 SEVIS fee, you should complete the online Form DS-160 non-immigrant visa application and schedule your visa appointment. You should print the DS-160 form confirmation page and bring it to your visa interview.
Information on the visa interview requirements, application fee, and the required documentation can be found on the U.S. Department of State - Bureau of Consular Affairs website. You can find helpful tips for visa applications and interviews on the Study in the States website.
Scheduling Your Visa Appointment
You should wait to receive your I-20/DS-2019 before scheduling a visa appointment to ensure you have all required documentation for the appointment. If your appointment date arrives and you do not have your I-20/DS-2019, you will likely need to reschedule your U.S. visa appointment.
According to U.S. federal regulations, you should apply for a student visa in your home country. There are some countries that do not have a U.S. Embassy or Consulate, and if that is the case for you, you would apply for a visa as a "third country national." You would need to research which countries accept "third country nationals" and determine if you need a visa to travel to that country from your home country.
To find the nearest embassy or consulate to where you are, refer to the U.S. Embassy's website. You can check the visa appointment wait time at your embassy or consulate.
Challenges to Get a Timely Visa Appointment
Since the COVID-19 pandemic, many U.S. Embassies and Consulates around the world have experienced lengthy visa appointment wait times due to the growing backlog of and high demand for visa appointments. Some locations are even indicating no appointment availability for one year.
Here are some tips from ISS:
- Book an appointment for the earliest possible date after receiving your I-20/DS-2019. The U.S. Consulate where you are applying should indicate on their website what their emergency appointment procedures are. You should review and follow those guidelines.
- Before the pandemic, some students would contact the U.S. Consulate for consideration for an earlier appointment contingent upon cancellations or would monitor appointment cancellations on their own. We are in a different time and do not know if this may still be a viable option.
- A letter from LSU will not help you secure an earlier/expedited visa appointment. During a U.S. Immigration conference that ISS staff attended, an official with the Bureau of U.S. Consular Affairs indicated that additional letters like these may slow the process.
Preparing for Your Interview
Check your country's U.S. Embassy/Consulate website to know which documents are required for your interview. Generally, the following documents are required by the U.S. embassy:
- Passport (valid at least 6 months after your period of stay in the U.S.)
- DS-160 confirmation page and fee payment receipt
- I-901 SEVIS fee receipt
- Your I-20 or DS-2019, signed by you and LSU
- Your LSU admission letter
- Proof of financial support
- Photo
Note: The online DS-160 visa application requires you to upload your photo while completing your application. If you fail to upload your photo online, you must bring a printed photo to your interview. Make sure that your photo follows the requirements of the U.S. Department of State.
Helpful Resources
Administrative Processing
Some visa applications may require administrative processing that will require additional time after the visa interview date and could delay your arrival to the United States. If a delay happens and you do not have your student visa one month before classes start, be sure to contact ISS at isodoc@lsu.edu to discuss your options, which could include deferring your admission.
Please note that ISS (and LSU) cannot get involved in administrative processes since they are completed by the U.S. Department of State - Consular Affairs. Due to confidentiality laws, the U.S. Department of State cannot give information about your case to a third party. There is no mechanism to expedite these processes.
You can check the status of your visa application on the U.S. Department of State website.
Receiving Your Visa
The standard amount of time it can take the U.S. Consulate to process a student visa can take anywhere from a few weeks to a few months. Be sure to schedule your visa interview well in advance of your intended travel date.
Once you receive your visa, be sure to check for any errors to avoid delays or complications when entering the United States. If you find any errors, contact the U.S. Embassy/Consulate immediately.
What if I am denied a visa?
The approval or denial of visa applicants is governed by U.S. law. If the U.S. Consular officer finds that you are not eligible for a visa, your application will be denied. The most common reasons for a visa denial are failure to prove sufficient ties to your home country and/or failure to provide sufficient evidence of financial support.
If your visa application is denied, the U.S. Consular officer must tell you why it was denied. If they do not, make sure to ask and receive the reason in writing. Please notify ISS at isodoc@lsu.edu if you receive a denial.
What's next?
After your visa has been approved, you will want to return to our Pre-arrival checklist and start making travel arrangements to Baton Rouge. We do not advise making any binding travel arrangement until after your visa has been approved.
Have questions?
Email our advisors at isodoc@lsu.edu.