Academics, Researchers & Students

**Persons traveling for business reasons as well as students and exchange visitors may receive expedited appointments. Please advise the Visa Information Service operator if you are traveling for these purposes.

A student wishing to attend a university or other academic institution in the United States requires a student (F-1) visa; those wishing to attend a vocational or non-academic institution require an M-1 visa. Holders of visitor (B-2) visas are prohibited from entering into full-time study. Contact the Fulbright Commission Educational Advisory Service (link to it here) for information about studying at colleges and universities in the United States.

• Academic (F-1) Visa
• Nonacademic (M-1) Visa
• Entry & Length of Stay
• Exchange Student
• Professor / Lecturer / Speaker
• Medical Elective
• Researchers
• Conference, Conventions, Seminars
• Spouses and Children
• I believe I qualify for an F or M visa, what do I do next?
• SEVIS fee

Academic (F-1) Visa

A student wishing to attend a university or other academic institution in the United States, including primary and secondary schools, or a language training program requires an F-1 visa. Section 214(l) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), prohibits the issuance of F-1 visas to students who are going to the United States to attend public elementary schools (grades K through 8, approximately ages 5 to 14) and publicly funded adult education programs such as foreign language classes. Students applying for F-1 visas to attend public secondary schools (grades 9 through 12, approximately ages 14 to 18) are limited to a maximum of 12 months of public high school in F-1 status and must show proof that payment has been made for the full, unsubsidized cost of the education before a visa can be processed. Students attending private elementary and secondary schools are not affected by this ruling.

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Nonacademic (M-1) Visa

A student wishing to pursue a course of study which is not principally academic in nature at an established vocational or other recognized nonacademic institution such as a post secondary vocational or business school requires an M-1 visa.

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Entry & Length of Stay

The holder of a student F-1 or M-1 visa may enter the United States up to 30 days before the designated registration date on the I-20A-B or I-20M. The 30 day limitation does not apply to students returning to resume studies; they may enter the U.S. at any time. The holder of an F-1 visa may remain in the United States for up to 60 days following the completion of the course or practical training. Note: The duration of status of an F-1 student in a publicly funded secondary school cannot exceed an aggregate of 12 months schooling.

The holder of an M-1 visa may remain in the United States for the period of time it will take to complete the course of study as indicated on the I-20M plus 30 days, or for one year, whichever is less.

If you wish to remain longer, you will be required to apply for an adjustment of status or extension of stay from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services having jurisdiction over your place of residence in the United States.

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Exchange Student

In general anyone wishing to study at an academic institution in the United States requires a student (F-1) visa. However, a student who is pursuing a full course of study at an academic institution outside the United States and who will study at a U.S. academic institution for a semester or academic year as part of their curriculum may require an exchange visitor (J-1) visa. The student should contact the U.S. institution to ascertain whether or not an exchange visitor program is in operation. If there is no exchange visitor program, the student will require a student visa.

Those taking part in a high school exchange for a term or semester will require the J-1 or F-1 visa.

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Professor/Lecturer/Speaker

Members of the academic profession coming to the United States to engage in usual academic activities such as lecturing may travel on a B-1 visa. Those who will receive an honorarium in addition to incidental expenses may still be eligible for the B-1 visa provided all of the following are met:

• the activities will last no longer than nine days at a single institution;


• the institution is a nonprofit research organization or a governmental research organization, or an institution of higher education, or a related or affiliated nonprofit entity;


• such activities are conducted for the benefit of the institution or entity; and


• the individual concerned has not accepted such payment or expenses from five such institutions during the previous six month period. If the proposed activities are not exactly as described, an exchange visitor (J-1) or temporary work (H-1) visa will be required.

Medical Elective

A medical student studying at a foreign medical school and who seeks to enter the United States temporarily in order to take an "elective clerkship" at a U.S. medical school's hospital without remuneration from the hospital may be eligible for a B-1 visa. Note: The medical clerkship is only for medical students pursuing their normal third or fourth year internship in a U.S. medical school as part of a foreign medical school degree.  An elective clerkship affords practical experience and instructions in the various disciplines of medicine under the supervision and direction of faculty physicians at a U.S. medical school's hospital as an approved part of the alien's foreign medical school education. It does not apply to graduate medical training, which normally requires a J-visa.

A letter from the U.S. medical school outlining the nature and duration of the elective clerkship should accompany the application.

Students seeking training as physiotherapists, dentists, nurses or vets require either an exchange visitor (J-1) or trainee (H-3) [link to trainee page] visa.

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Researchers

An individual who will engage in independent research may be eligible for a B-1 visa provided there is no remuneration from a U.S. source and the results of the research will not benefit the American institution. Those who will receive payment from a U.S. source and/or the U.S. institution will benefit from the results of the research, will require an exchange visitor (J-1) or temporary work (H-1) visa.

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Conference / Conventions / Seminars

Participants in scientific, educational, professional, or business conventions, conferences or seminars may travel to the United States on a B-1 visa, if otherwise qualified. Holders of B-1 visas may present a paper at a conference, provided there is no remuneration from a U.S. source other than expenses incidental to the stay. Anyone who will receive an honorarium in addition to incidental expenses may still be eligible for the B-1 visa provided all of the following are met:

• the activities will last no longer than nine days at a single institution;


• the institution is a nonprofit research organization or a governmental research organization, or an institution of higher education, or a related or affiliated nonprofit entity;


• such activities are conducted for the benefit of the institution or entity; and


• the delegate has not accepted such payment or expenses from five such institutions during the previous six month period. If the proposed activities are not exactly as described, an exchange visitor (J-1) or temporary work (H-1) visa will be required.

Note: The applications of those seeking visas to attend a technical conference may be subject to additional administrative processing, and it is important to apply well in advance.

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Spouses and Children

Spouses and/or unmarried children under the age of 21 who wish to accompany or join the principal visa holder in the United States for the duration of his/her stay require derivative F-2 or M-2 visas. Spouses and/or children who do not intend to reside in the United States with the principal visa holder, but visit for vacations only, may be eligible to apply for visitor (B-2) visas.  The holder of a derivative F-2 or M-2 visa may not work.

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I believe I qualify for an F or M visa, what do I do next?

You are required to obtain from the school or academic institution the Form I-20A-B Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant (F-1) Student Status - For Academic or Language Students or I-20M-N, Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant (M-1) Student Status Form. Schools and institutions which have received United States government approval to enroll foreign students have the authority to issue these forms. The I-20A-B or I-20M-N is not valid for travel unless accompanied by a valid visa.

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SEVIS fee

The American school which issued the I-20 form must provide electronic evidence of the student's acceptance at that school before a visa can be issued. The data contained in the I-20 form must be entered into the SEVIS database.

Applicants for student visas with an I-20 issued on or after September 1, 2004 must pay an additional SEVIS registration and processing fee of $100 prior to the interview with the consular officer. The fee is charged to help cover the costs of administering the SEVIS program and is non-refundable. It is a one-time fee for each nonimmigrant program in which the student participates. For F and M students this generally is their entire time in status as a student in the U.S. regardless of whether they transfer schools. You can pay the fee with your I-901 form through the DHS website http://www.fmjfee.com/ or via mail by sending the form and your fee to the DHS address listed on the DHS SEVIS Fee FAQ website. Derivatives (F-2, M-2, J-2) do not have to pay a separate SEVIS fee even though they will have a unique SEVIS number. More information about this fee and the SEVIS program can be found at the DHS SEVP website

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