Press Releases 2006

Student Visas, Studying in United States Topic of Online Discussion
(Demystifying student visa process focus of webchat with U.S. Embassy New Delhi official)

NEW DELHI -- If you are a student in India hoping to study in the United States in fall 2006, it is not too late to apply for a visa, said Sally Ironfield, the State Department's nonimmigrant visa chief at the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi, during a State Department-hosted webchat June 13.

The official period prior to studies in the United States in which a student may apply for a visa is 120 days, Ironfield said, adding that her office in New Delhi is currently accommodating all requests for student visa interviews within three weeks.

Although there was a drop in the number of student visa applications following the September 11, 2001, attacks in the United States, the number of Indian students going to the United States to study has increased over the last ten years, with more than 80,000 Indian students currently studying in the United States, Ironfield said. 

"We are now on an upswing, and are on track to outpace last year's number of 18,000 student visas issued," she said.

In 2005, more than 565,000 foreign students enrolled in U.S. higher education institutions and U.S. officials say they would like to see that number increase.  India has been the leading country of origin for international students in the United States for the fourth consecutive year.  (See related article (http://usinfo.state.gov/scv/Archive/2005/Nov/14-84697.html).)

Ironfield said there is no congressionally mandated limit for issuance of student visas and that the majority of student visa applications from India are approved.

Ironfield outlined key steps for students in India interested in studying in the United States: 

Pay application (currently 4600 rupees) and VFS appointment and courier delivery system fees (currently 276 rupees) at a designated HDFC Bank. Schedule an appointment and complete application forms at http://www.vfs-usa.co.in/. Ironfield said students would need the HDFC Bank receipt in order to schedule the appointment. Students must have an I-20 document from the school they wish to attend in the United States. This document also requires a payment for the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS). The school may have made this payment for the student, and will send the student confirmation information, which will be necessary to present at the interview. Questions on SEVIS payments should be directed back to the school or answers may be found at www.fmjfee.com (http://www.fmjfee.com/).   SEVIS, administered by the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement within the Department of Homeland Security, is an Internet-based system that maintains data on foreign students and exchange visitors before and during their stay in the United States. When a student departs the United States or transfers to a different school, the system is updated to reflect the change, Ironfield said.

More detailed U.S. visa information (http://www.educationusa.state.gov/usvisa.htm) is available on the State Department's Education USA Web site.

The State Department also supports a network of 450 EducationUSA advising centers in 170 countries to aid prospective students in selecting suitable schools that meet their needs.  The centers offer accurate, comprehensive, objective and up-to-date information on education opportunities in the United States, assisting roughly 25 million prospective students each year, either in person, by telephone, through e-mail or on the Internet.  (See related article (http://usinfo.state.gov/scv/Archive/2006/May/29-817334.html).)

(Begin transcript)

USINFO WEBCHAT MODERATOR: Welcome to USINFO webchats! We look forward to hearing from you on June 13, 2006 at 1500 Delhi time (5:00 a.m. Washington, D.C).

Please submit each question separately. To refresh the webchat text, please click on the text CLICK HERE seen above in the blue band.

WEBCHAT MODERATOR: We are about to begin the web chat with Non-Immigrant Visa Chief, Sally Ironfield. Please submit your questions anytime throughout the webchat.

Note that you will NOT see your questions immediately. Only after Ms. Ironfield answers a question, will you see both the question and her answer posted on the webchat.

Thank you for your interest and please keep those questions coming!

SALLY IRONFIELD: U.S. Embassy New Delhi: Hi, everyone. I am happy to be here today. Let me start out by saying that we're very happy to see that there's been an increase in student visa applications this year, and we hope to surpass last year's total of 18,000 student visa applicants processed. So, let's get started with your questions. I am not prepared to address individual cases today; this is a general discussion about policies and procedures for applying for student visas. Here we go!

QUESTION [Chatter]: How does India rank in terms of numbers of student visas issued annually? 

ANSWER [Sally Ironfield U.S. Embassy New Delhi]: India sends the largest number of students to study in the United States worldwide. There are currently 80,000 Indian students studying in the U.S. There are a lot of Masters and Doctoral candidates applying for visas, and this year we are having a sharp increase in applicants wishing to pursue undergraduate studies.

Q [Sajal Agrawal]: How much money I can carry in the USA?

Will I get part time job in USA?

If I am specialized in a particular field and want to earn some money so will I earn it in the USA?

What type of questions are asked at the time of Visa approving?

A: Students generally are not eligible for employment the first year they are studying in the U.S., however there are opportunities to pursue on-campus employment and other types of employment upon approval of the school's administration.

According to the Immigration and Naturalization Act, all applicants for a non-immigrant visa are considered to be immigrants until they prove that they have strong ties outside the United States that the interviewing officer believes would lead the applicant to depart the United States. During an interview, the officer considers the general overall status of an applicant, and does not make a decision based on any one factor. They consider and will ask questions about family, employment, longevity of work history, income, travel history, purpose of traveling to the U.S.

Q [Chatter]: Do you know what percentage of Indian students whose visa applications are approved here in India?

A: The majority of student visa applications are approved.

Q [American Center New Delhi]: I am an MBBS graduate and I want to know about further study options there.

A: The consular section of the Embassy does not provide advice on studying in the U.S. You should contact the U.S. Education Foundation in India (USEFI) for more information. I'll post their email address/website in a few moments.

Q [Tamal]: I was in the US from the 6th of Sept. 2005 to 15 Mar. 2006 on a J1 Visa. Since how long I will not be in position to apply for any other visa. How can I apply for H1B visa and when? Thanks.

A: A J1 can apply for an H1B visa if their J1 had no 212(e) restrictions, which requires them to spend two years in their home country upon completion of their J visa before they can apply for an H visa.

You are still eligible, however, to apply for a tourist visa.

Q [American Center New Delhi]: What should our application consist of at the undergrad level?

A: Everyone applying for a visa to the U.S. must follow these steps: 1. Pay application (currently 4600 rupees) and VFS appointment and courier delivery system fees (currently 276 rupees) at a designated HDFC Bank. 2. Schedule an appointment and complete application forms at http://www.vfs-usa.co.in/. You will need the HDFC Bank receipt in order to schedule the appointment. Current wait time for a student visa interview in India is approximately 3 weeks.

For student visas specifically, you must have received from the school a document called an I-20. This document also requires a payment for the SEVIS (Student and Exchange Visitor Information System) registration system. The school may have made this payment for you, and will send you confirmation information, which will be necessary to present at the interview. Questions on SEVIS payments should be directed back to the school or answers may be found at http://www.fmjfee.com/

Back to USEFI - here's their website: http://fulbright-india.org/

Q [Nilanianhajra Question from Prithvijit Mitra, Times of India, Calcutta]: Is there any possibility of the number of student visas for India being raised?

A: There is no congressionally mandated limit for issuance of student visas. Possibilities are limitless. Sponsoring schools register with the Department of State and are then authorized to issue I-20s for international students.

Q [Tamal]: If I want to attend a conference/seminar, etc. in US during the 212(e) restrictions period, which kind of visa I shall apply for? Should it be considered as tourist visa?

A: You can apply for a B1/B2 visa, which is a business/tourist visa, at any time.

Q [American Center New Delhi]: What is the ideal time to apply for visa? What are the documents one should be prepared with?

A:  The good time to apply for a student visa is as early as possible, usually once you've received your I-20. You can arrange an interview up to 90 days before the start date on your I-20, and you can enter the U.S. ten days prior to the commencement of classes.

Q [American Center New Delhi]: Hi Sally, I am looking for undergrad engineering options for my son aiming at 2007. Do students who get admission in tech institutes in the US automatically qualify for visa?

A:  As I have already said, the majority of student visa applications are approved, and we look at each case individually. 

Q [Chatter]: Why is the US so tough about giving student visas that are valid only just before I need to be at school? You know it takes time to settle and get used to a new environment...more time would be helpful.

A: I must apologize, I mistyped earlier. Students may enter the U.S. up to 30 days prior to the start date on their I-20, not the ten days I specified before.

Q: [Kingshuk Banerjee, Ananda Bazar Patrika, Calcutta]:

1. Could you tell us the number of Indian students currently studying in the U.S.?  If possible, how many are from West Bengal?

2. Tell us about the trend of Indian students going to the U.S. over the last 10 years, including numbers from West Bengal or Eastern India

A: The number of Indian students going to the U.S. has steadily increased over the last ten years, although there was a small dip in applications following the 9/11 attacks. We are now on an upswing, and are on track to outpace last year's number of 18,000 student visas issued.

Right now, I don't have the number of cases processed by each consulate, so I cannot provide you with a definitive number of students from West Bengal. There are approximately 80,000 Indian students currently studying in the U.S., the largest number of students in the world studying in the United States.

Q [American Center New Delhi]: What is the approximate time we are allowed to stay in the U.S. after getting our visa?

A: After completion of your studies, you are permitted to stay in the U.S. on your student visa for a maximum of thirty days.

Q [American Center New Delhi]: What is the normal duration of a visa interview?

A: Each visa interview lasts only a few minutes, because what you write on your application, combined with the I-20, provides most of the information needed for an officer to make a decision.

Q [American Center New Delhi]: May I know how much money will be required for being eligible for getting a visa?

A: The I-20 indicates who is financing the education, whether it be personal, family, or school funds. The applicant needs to demonstrate that there are sufficient funds available for the first year of study, and sources that can cover the remaining years of study.

Q [Nilanianhajra Q from Sulogna, The Statesman, Calcutta]: Can students take-up part-time jobs while going to study in the U.S.?

A: As I said earlier in this webchat, there are many different variables to consider. I suggest you check the Department of Homeland Security's website for more information: http://uscis.gov (http://uscis.gov/)/

Q [Nilanianhajra Q from Patrick, The Telegraph, Calcutta (American Center)]:  The extension of 120 days (from 90 days) is surely more of a streamlining measure. What are the other measures taken in the Rice - Chertoff "Joint Vision" that fulfill the keeping of U.S. Borders secure and how does this relate to student visas?

A: The SEVIS system I described earlier tracks all student and exchange visitors and verifies their status and location in the U.S. When a student departs the U.S. or transfers to a different school, that system is then updated to reflect the change.

Q [American Center New Delhi]: What if the I-20 itself states that the student is getting full financial aid? In that case, are we supposed to show our personal funds?

A: No, he doesn't. But as part of his qualifications, he needs to demonstrate that he has strong ties outside the United States, and the financial status of the applicant and/or their family may factor into the interview.

Q [American Center New Delhi]: What are the documents required for the visa interview?

A: Besides the documents already mentioned, the application and the I-20, the consular officer may ask you for your mark sheets, degree, GREs, SATs, TOEFL scores. Depending upon who's paying, they could also ask for the financial status of the individual financing your studies. For more information, I suggest you visit the Visas section of our website: http://newdelhi.usembassy.gov (http://newdelhi.usembassy.gov/)/

Q [Parveen]: What are the probable reasons for rejection of a student visa?

A: On occasion, a student may not receive a visa because the student is unable to convince the officer that he or she is a credible student, that he/she is unable to finance the studies, or does not have a credible plan to return to India. These cases are infrequent, however. Bringing documentation is helpful, but it is not in place of an interview with the officer. The applicant needs to be able to discuss his or her eligibilities clearly during the interview.

Q [American Center New Delhi]: What are the indicators which convince that the student will come back after studies and maybe a short work experience?

A: Prior to the boom in the technology industry here, many Indian graduates remained in the U.S. after their studies, adjusting their visa status to H1B. Now we have seen an increasing number of students returning to India to join hi-tech firms or establish their own companies. We are confident that the India of today will continue to attract the return of its graduates. Working in the U.S. on an H1B visa further enhances their marketability in India.

A final clarification on the period prior to studies in which a student may apply for the student visa: It had been 90 days prior to the start date on the I-20. I just received confirmation from the DHS office here in New Delhi that the official period has expanded to 120 days. I apologize for misspeaking earlier. We are now well within the 90 days prior to start of classes, however, so we are currently accommodating all requests for student visa interviews in and average of three weeks.

Q [Nilanianhajra Q from Sujoy Dhar, IANS, Calcutta (American Center)]: By putting so much emphasis on financial strength of a candidate, can you do justice to deserving students from India's educated but not so rich families? 

A: If a deserving student can demonstrate that there are sufficient funds -- be they family funds, scholarships, bank loans, etc. -- to pay for their studies, there is no bar to eligibility due to the student's financial situation.

Q [Chatter]: So what if I had a student visa and then I graduate? I want to get a job in the US. Do I have to change visas? Do I have to come back to India to get a new visa?

A: I suggest you visit the Department of Homeland Security's website for more information about adjusting status while in the U.S.: http://uscis.gov/. 

Sally Ironfield U.S. Embassy New Delhi

I hope that this has been a helpful session for you. If you have questions about a specific visa case, you are welcome to email us at nivnd@state.gov. I encourage you to visit these other websites for more general information about studying in the United States:

USEFI: http://fulbright-india.org/

US Embassy: http://newdelhi.usembassy.gov (http://newdelhi.usembassy.gov/)

Bureau of Consular Affairs: http://travel.state.gov/

VFS: http://www.vfs-usa.co.in/

DHS/ICE website: http://www.ice.gov/graphics/sevis (http://fulbright-india.org/)

SEVIS: http://www.fmjfee.com/

Thank you all very much for your time. I look forward to doing this again soon. Sally Ironfield.

WEBCHAT MODERATOR: Today's web chat has ended. Thank you for joining us. In just a few minutes a transcript of this chat will be made available on this website.

Thank you.

(End transcript)