Visa Acquisition: Study Abroad Seminar 2018

VISA ACQUISITION
STUDY ABROAD SEMINAR 2018
By Nana Amma Berko Asamoah

14th July 2018
INTRODUTION
This presentation will cover all the necessary
steps needed to acquire an F-1 VISA.
Whiles a lot of emphasis is placed on the
interview, there are a lot of things that need to
be done before the interview.
FORM I-20
 Once you are accepted to a school, your school will give you a document
called a Form I-20,“Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant Student
Status”.
 The Form I-20 is a paper record of your information in a database called

SEVIS (Student & Exchange Visitor Information System).
 If you do not have enough funding (scholarship) to cover your

educational expenses, your school will require a bank statement showing
an amount that can cover the remaining expenses before you are issued
the Form I-20.
FORM I-20 (cont.)
Check your I-20 to make sure that :
 Your name, date and place of birth, and country of
citizenship are correct and the same as they appear on your
passport.
 All spaces are filled in including reporting dates and
financial data.
 The designated school official has signed it. If there are
any errors or omission contact your school official who
sent you the form I-20.
FORM I-20 (cont.)
Sample of the Form I-20

SEVIS I-901 FEE
 The SEVIS I-901 fee is required for all F and M students a
s well as J exchange visitors.
 It costs US$200 for F-1.
 For Ghanaians, we can’t pay it online using a Debit Card

(VISA Card, Master Card) or through Western Union in
Ghana.
 We can pay through Western Union (in US) or a Cashier’s
Cheque on a US Bank.
SEVIS I-901 FEE (Cont.)
 Visit www.fmjfee.com to fill out the Form I-901 onlin

e. A coupon would be generated for you.
 Print the coupon and use it to make payments.
(Remember that payment has to be done in the US)
 Payments would be linked to your Form I-901 and you
can print payment confirmation.
DS-160
 Take a US passport picture sized photograph (white background);
hard copy for interview and soft copy for DS-160 form. It is popula
rly called 2x2 size passport photograph.
 Fill out the visa application form DS-160 on-line and note your ten-
digit bar code ceac.state.gov/GENNIV.
 Submit and Print out the DS-160 confirmation page.
 Once submitted information cannot be accessed so print or email a

copy before submitting.
 For students, your visa type is F1 non-immigrant.

VISA APPOINTMENT
 Pay the visa fee of US$160 at any GT BANK Branch with your
passport and keep the receipt .
 Cross check the Visa fee from the consular Website before paying, an
underpayment renders your visa fee null and void
 Schedule a visa interview appointment online at

www.ustraveldocs.com.
 You’ll need the GT BANK receipt, passport number and DS-160 bar
code.
 Print out the Visa Appointment confirmation page

VISA INTERVIEW
Applicants should bring to their visa interview all

documentation that may be pertinent to demonstrate
eligibility for the F1 student visa.
Documentation should be original; the Consular may take
copies for verification.
You must provide evidence that you are a bonafide student;
that your sole purpose for travelling to the United States is
to study.
VISA INTERVIEW (Cont)
DOCUMENTS FOR VISA (MOST IMPORTANT)
 Passport
 Passport Photo (You can take it around the embassy but better to have
your copy)
 Form I-20 (Make sure to sign it yourself)
 Visa Appointment Confirmation page
 SEVIS FEE Payment Receipt
 DS-160 confirmation page
 GT BANK Visa Fee Receipt

OTHER DOCUMENTS FOR VISA
School Admission Letter
Scholarship Letter
Financial Statement/Documents (Statements should

cover the past 6 months and be no more than one
month old)
Sponsorship Letter in connection with the financial
documents
OTHER DOCUMENTS FOR VISA
Academic Results (Transcript, WASSCE)

Academic Certificates
Test Scores (GRE, TOEFL, ILETS, SOA, etc.)
Resume
Project Proposal
QUESTIONS/AREAS
You may be asked about :
Your commitment to education
Your reasons for studying in the United States
Your reasons for selecting the institution you are going to
Your intended field of study
Your career plans

SAMPLE QUESTIONS
Why the United States?
Why this university?
Why this program?
Who is sponsoring you?
How will the degree benefit you?
How did you get to know about the school?
Are you sure you will come back to Ghana?

HINTS
 HONESTY IS THE ONLY POLICY. The slightest untruth will disqualify
you.
 Prepare for your visa interview well in advance.
 Dress well
 Speak clearly
 Look the interviewer in the eye
 Answer all questions specifically.
 Try to make your reasons concrete, specific, and unique to you.
 Be prepared to make your case, and to verify everything you say.

OTHER RESOURCES
You can send your documentation to the Educational
Advisor at the US embassy for review before your
visa interview. This service is available on Tuesday,
Wednesday and Thursday mornings at 8:30 – 10:30am
Email : eacaccra@state.gov
Phone : 0302 741531 or 0302 741116

USEFUL WEBSITES
 U.S Embassy website: www.ghana.usembassy.gov
 Education USA website: www.educationusa.state.gov

VISA ISSUANCE
After a successful interview, your visa will be issued and you will
pick up the visa from the DHL office at Ridge, Accra after
approximately two days.
Sample F1 Visa
VISA ISSUANCE (Cont.)
NOTE the following:
Your F1 student visa can be issued up to 120 days before

the start date of your course of study.
However, you will not be allowed to enter the United States
in F-1 status earlier than 30 days before your start date. You
would not also be allow entry after your start date.
 If you have any issues with your start date, rectify it before
you process your visa.
CONCLUDING REMARKS
Research and read more. There are several videos online
about how to answer questions for F-1 VISA.
Practice some mock interviews.
Communicate with other people and source information

from those who have already gone through the process. It
always helps.
THANK YOU!
ANY QUESTIONS?

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VISA ACQUISITION

STUDY ABROAD SEMINAR 2018

By Nana Amma Berko Asamoah

 The Form I-20 is a paper record of your information in a database called

 If you do not have enough funding (scholarship) to cover your

Sample of the Form I-20

 For Ghanaians, we can’t pay it online using a Debit Card

 Visit www.fmjfee.com to fill out the Form I-901 onlin

 Submit and Print out the DS-160 confirmation page.

 Once submitted information cannot be accessed so print or email a

 For students, your visa type is F1 non-immigrant.

 Schedule a visa interview appointment online at

 Print out the Visa Appointment confirmation page

Applicants should bring to their visa interview all

 Form I-20 (Make sure to sign it yourself)

 Visa Appointment Confirmation page

 SEVIS FEE Payment Receipt

 DS-160 confirmation page

 GT BANK Visa Fee Receipt

School Admission Letter

Financial Statement/Documents (Statements should

Academic Results (Transcript, WASSCE)

Your commitment to education

Your reasons for studying in the United States

Your reasons for selecting the institution you are going to

Your intended field of study

Your career plans

Why this university?

Why this program?

Who is sponsoring you?

How will the degree benefit you?

How did you get to know about the school?

Are you sure you will come back to Ghana?

 Prepare for your visa interview well in advance.

 Look the interviewer in the eye

 Answer all questions specifically.

 Try to make your reasons concrete, specific, and unique to you.

 Be prepared to make your case, and to verify everything you say.

Phone : 0302 741531 or 0302 741116

 Education USA website: www.educationusa.state.gov

Your F1 student visa can be issued up to 120 days before

Communicate with other people and source information

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