USA: F-1 and M-1 student visas

Visa type: F-1 for academic study; M-1 for vocational and other non-academic training
How to apply: online DS-160 form + appointment booked through your account, interview and biometrics at a US embassy or consulate
When to apply: an F or M visa can be issued up to 365 days before your programme starts; you may enter the US no earlier than 30 days before the start date
Who it is for: students admitted to a SEVP-certified school who have received Form I-20

1. What is a US student visa?

A student visa is required for anyone travelling to the United States primarily to study. The type depends on the programme: F-1 is used for universities, colleges, high schools, language programmes and other academic institutions; M-1 is for vocational and non-academic programmes. A B1/B2 visitor visa cannot be used for study leading to a degree, certificate or academic credit, and neither can ESTA. Only short recreational courses taken as part of a tourist trip are allowed.

This also applies to citizens of Visa Waiver Program countries, such as the UK and most EU countries: ESTA does not cover study, so you need an F-1 or M-1 visa.

2. Where you can apply

Since September 2025 the US Department of State requires applicants for temporary visas to book their interview in their country of nationality or country of residence. A third country is only an option if you genuinely live there with legal status: study, a work contract, digital nomad status, family reunification and so on.

• If you have a residence permit, local registration, an employment contract or a lease in the country where you apply, keep evidence of it ready: you will need to show that you actually live there.
• If you are in a country only as a tourist, you should not apply there. The State Department warns that it may be harder to qualify, appointments may take much longer, and fees are not refunded or transferred.
• Nationals of countries where the US does not offer routine visa services must apply at a designated embassy, unless they reside elsewhere. Check the current list on travel.state.gov.

On the form and at the interview, you will need to show not only your study plans in the US but also your current legal status in the country of application and your plans after the programme.

3. How the application works

The process starts online. First you complete the DS-160 form, then create an account in the US visa appointment system for your country of application, pay the application fee and choose an available slot. The interview and biometrics take place at the US embassy or consulate. Since September 2025, almost all student applicants must attend an in-person interview.

4. Which visa to choose: F-1, M-1 or J-1

• F-1: university, college, high school, seminary, conservatory, language school, academic programme. Key document: Form I-20. The most common option for full-time academic study and language programmes.
• M-1: vocational or non-academic institution, other than language training. Key document: Form I-20. Suitable for professional, technical and practical courses.
• J-1: exchange visitor programmes, internships, research, au pair and similar. Key document: Form DS-2019. This is not a classic F/M student visa; the rules and sponsor are different.

5. Step-by-step guide

1. Get admitted. Enrol in a SEVP-certified US school. Once you are admitted, the school enters your details in SEVIS and issues Form I-20.
2. Check your I-20. Name, date of birth, nationality, SEVIS ID, programme, study dates, costs and source of funding. Sign the I-20.
3. Pay the SEVIS I-901 fee. This is separate from the visa fee and is paid online through the official DHS site. As of 2026 it is 350 USD for F and M students. Dependants in F-2/M-2 status usually do not pay a separate SEVIS fee, but each needs their own I-20.
4. Complete the DS-160. Choose your application location, fill in the form in English and list all trips, refusals, education, employment and the social media identifiers you have used in the last five years.
5. Create your appointment account. Enter your DS-160 number, pay the visa fee and book an available interview.
6. Prepare documents: finances, academic history, ties to your country of residence and nationality, study purpose and plans after graduation.
7. Attend the interview and biometrics. Fingerprints are taken and you will be asked about your programme, finances, previous travel, current status and intention to leave the US after your studies.
8. Get your passport back. After approval, the passport is returned by your chosen delivery or pick-up method. If your case is placed in administrative processing (a request for additional checks or documents), it can take weeks or months.

6. Documents

Required

• passport valid for travel to the US;
• DS-160 confirmation page;
• interview appointment confirmation;
• visa fee payment receipt;
• photo meeting US requirements (51×51 mm, white background), in case the uploaded photo is rejected;
• Form I-20 for F-1 or M-1;
• SEVIS I-901 payment confirmation;
• documents for dependants: separate DS-160 forms, I-20s, passports, marriage and birth certificates.

Additional documents that often strengthen your case

• admission letter;
• bank statements for the last 3 to 6 months;
• sponsor letter and proof of the sponsor’s income;
• proof of deposit or tuition payment, if any;
• diplomas, certificates, transcripts;
• IELTS, TOEFL, Duolingo, SAT, GRE or GMAT scores, if applicable;
• CV, employment letters, explanation of any gap years;
• residence permit, registration, lease, job, studies or family ties in the country of application, if it is not your country of nationality;
• old passports with visas and travel history;
• a plan for after graduation.

7. Finances: what to show

You need to show that you have enough money for tuition, accommodation, travel and living costs. The amount should match the costs listed on your I-20 and the real cost of living in your study city. Funds can come from personal savings, parents, a spouse, a sponsoring company, a scholarship, an assistantship or a combination.

• If parents or relatives are paying, show a clear source of income: employment, business, savings, sale of property, dividends, rental income.
• Provide bank statements and show that the funds have a legitimate origin.
• If you live outside your country of nationality, explain why your funds may be held in different countries: country of residence, country of nationality, international accounts.

8. Key points for international applicants

Admission alone is not enough: the officer looks at the logic of the whole case. Why this programme, why study in the US, who is paying, what your current status is in your country of residence and what you plan to do after graduation.

• Social media: since 2025, F, M and J applicants are asked to set all their personal social media profiles to public so that consular officers can review them. List every account requested on the DS-160; omitting information can lead to refusal.
• Ties and plans: family remaining at home, a job offer, a business or a clear career plan help explain why you will leave the US after your studies.
• Past refusals and overstays: refusals from the US, Canada, the UK, the Schengen area or other countries, or past overstays, must not be hidden. Prepare an explanation and answer the DS-160 accurately.
• Travel restrictions: since 1 January 2026, a presidential proclamation fully or partially suspends visa issuance for nationals of a number of countries; partial restrictions specifically cover F, M and J visas. The list includes, for example, Haiti, Cuba and Venezuela in the Americas and several countries in Africa and Asia, with limited exceptions. It is reviewed periodically, so check the current version before paying tuition deposits or fees.

9. Interview: typical questions

• Studies: Why the US? Why this school? What will you study? How does the programme relate to your education or career?
• Finances: Who is paying for your studies? What does your sponsor do? Why do you have enough funds?
• Status: On what basis do you live in the country where you are applying? For how long? Why are you not applying in your country of nationality?
• Plans after studies: Will you return after the programme? Where do you plan to work? How will the degree help your career?
• Travel history: Have you had US visas before? Any refusals? Have you ever overstayed?

10. Common mistakes

• Choosing a B1/B2 visa or ESTA for full-time study instead of an F-1 or M-1.
• Filling in the DS-160 carelessly, without matching the I-20, dates, finances and background.
• Showing funds with no clear origin, or deposited just before the application.
• Failing to explain your current status and why you are applying in that country.
• Keeping social media profiles private or omitting accounts from the DS-160.
• Buying non-refundable tickets before getting the visa.
• Hiding refusals, passport changes, past trips or relatives in the US.
• Giving long, contradictory or memorised answers at the interview.

11. Timing, fees and rules

The visa application fee for F and M visas is currently 185 USD, but always check the amount in your appointment account and on official pages before applying. The SEVIS I-901 fee is paid separately on the DHS website. Some nationalities also pay an issuance (reciprocity) fee after approval.

In 2025 the US enacted a visa integrity fee of at least 250 USD, payable on visa issuance. Its implementation has been gradual and practice varies by consulate, so check the current status with your embassy.

Appointment and processing times depend on the season, city, visa category and any administrative processing. A visa for a new student can be issued up to 365 days before the programme starts, but you may enter the US in F or M status no earlier than 30 days before the start date.

Length of stay. F-1 students have traditionally been admitted for “duration of status”, that is, for as long as they maintain their student status. In July 2026, DHS published a final rule that would replace this with a fixed admission period tied to the programme end date on the I-20 (generally up to four years for F-1), with extensions requested separately. The rule has been challenged in court, so check the current situation on Study in the States and with your school’s international student office before you travel.

How Via Globally can help

• confirm where you can apply based on your nationality and residence status;
• review your I-20, programme, school, finances and refusal risks;
• prepare a consistent DS-160;
• put together the document package for the student, sponsor and family members;
• prepare you for the interview: questions, logic of your answers and weak points in your case.

Via Globally is a private visa agency, not a government body. We work online and in Moscow and Barcelona. The final decision is always made by the US consulate.

Free consultation: WhatsApp +34 691 527 216 · viaglobally.com