For students traveling abroad it is important to have your student visa USA in order well before stepping into the airport. For those who are new to travel, the following is some information about what student visas are and why they are important.

What Is A Visa?

A Student Visa is a grant of permission that tells officials that you are student entering another country. For students traveling to the US the requirements are as followed.

• You intend to leave the USA once your study period has expired.
• You must be financially independent and support yourself during your stay.
• You must be law-abiding. Deportation can be issued if you are involved in criminal behaviour.
• You must be healthy, HIV positive people aren’t allowed to enter within the USA. If you were recently in a country with epidemics such as yellow fever and cholera you aren’t allowed to travel to the USA.

Student Visas are available in three different forms.

• F-1 (Student Visa). For full time students who are enrolled in a language program or an academic program, the F-1 Visa should be applied for. These students are allowed to stay within the USA for the entire length of their program with a 60 days grace period. F-1 students are required to maintain a full time course load and they must complete all studies by their expiration date on their 1-20 form.
• J-1 (Exchange Visitor Visa). Students requiring practical training to complete their academic program that isn’t available in their home country need to apply for the J-1. Any training that is going to be used needs to be related directly to their program. This visa obligates that the student must return to their country of origin for 2 years at the end of their study before they can gain an immigrant visa for permanent residence in the USA.
• M-1 (Vocational Student Visa). The M-1 visa is for students who are attending vocational schools and non-academic trade. It is valid for 1 year and recipients must not change their field of study. Switching visas is not permitted.