Student visa for usa age limit
Are you eligible to study in the USA if you’re under 18 years old? Will your parents have to get a dependent visa? Looking into college abroad or on vacation here? You’ll need to find out this and other info first hand by following this guide.
A student visa (also known as F-1 Visa) gives US college or university students the right to come to America for study and/or language training. It’s a very exciting time if you are an international student planning to study in the US. But before applying, you should understand their visa policy and get application requirements. In this article, you will learn more about student visa for usa age limit .
Visas, while necessary, are usually not fun to go through. This process can be long and drawn out, especially when there is a language barrier or if you have never gone through it before. By now, you’ve probably seen dozens of websites that promise to help you get a student visa. The information they give you is either impractical or just plain wrong. You might have found that other websites are outdated, to the point where they’re currently useless. These sites aren’t designed to be user-friendly so people like yourself breeze right past them. They probably even make several unfounded promises about their services that fill you with distrust. We want to change that.
Student visa for usa age limit
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) requires that international students under the age of 18 have a valid passport and a student visa to enter the country. Students who are 18 or older can travel with a valid passport but do not need a student visa.
If you are between 16 and 17 years old, you must have your parent or legal guardian present in order to apply for your visa at the U.S. Embassy or Consulate in your home country. If you are between 18 and 21 years old, you may apply for the visa yourself if you have been admitted to an accredited school in the United States, have a valid passport and one other form of proof of identity such as a driver’s license or birth certificate, and have parent(s) sign an affidavit stating they will be responsible for any costs associated with returning home while on vacation during breaks from school if necessary due to unforeseen circumstances such as illness etcetera).
The United States government has some strict rules about student visas. The most important one is that you have to be at least 18 years old, and have graduated high school or earned a GED. If you’re under 18, you can’t apply for a student visa, but there are other ways you can go to school in the U.S., including:
*Visiting for less than 30 days for tourism purposes;
*Studying at a public school (for example, if your parents are U.S. citizens);
*Taking part in an exchange program (like a foreign exchange student).
Generally, a citizen of a foreign country who wishes to enter the United States must first obtain a visa, either a nonimmigrant visa for temporary stay, or an immigrant visa for permanent residence. You must have a student visa to study in the United States. Your course of study and the type of school you plan to attend determine whether you need an F visa or an M visa.
| To enter the United States to attend: | You need the following visa category: |
|---|---|
| University or college | F |
| High School | |
| Private elementary school | |
| Seminary | |
| Conservatory | |
| Another academic institution, including a language training program | |
| Vocational or other recognized nonacademic institution, other than a language training program | M |
Students cannot travel on the Visa Waiver Program or with Visitor Visas
A student visa (F or M) is required to study in the United States. Foreign nationals may not study after entering on a visitor (B) visa or through the Visa Waiver Program (VWP), except to undertake recreational study (non-credit) as part of a tourist visit. For more information on the VWP, see Visa Waiver Program.
For short periods of recreational study, a Visitor (B) visa may be appropriate
A visitor (B) visa permits enrollment in a short recreational course of study, which is not for credit toward a degree or academic certificate. Learn more about Visitor Visas.
Study leading to a U.S. conferred degree or certificate is never permitted on a visitor (B) visa, even if it is for a short duration. For example, a student in a distance learning program that requires a period of time on the institution’s U.S. campus must obtain a student (F or M) visa prior to entering the United States.
Student Acceptance at a SEVP Approved School
The first step is to apply to a SEVP-approved school in the United States. After the SEVP-approved school accepts your enrollment, you will be registered for the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) and must pay the SEVIS I-901 fee. The SEVP-approved school will issue you a Form I-20. After you receive the Form I-20 and register in SEVIS, you may apply at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate for a student (F or M) visa. You must present the Form I-20 to the consular officer when you attend your visa interview.
If your spouse and/or children intend to live with you in the United States while you study, they must also enroll in SEVIS, obtain individual Form I-20s from the SEVP-approved school, and apply for a visa (but they do not pay the SEVIS fee).
Visit the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) website to learn more about SEVIS and the SEVIS I-901 Fee.
Visit the Department of State EducationUSA website to learn about educational opportunities for undergraduate and graduate study, and an overview of the application process. You can also visit the DHS Study in the States school search page to search for SEVP-certified schools.
How To Apply
There are several steps to apply for a visa. The order of these steps and how you complete them may vary by U.S. Embassy or Consulate. Please consult the instructions on the embassy or consulate website.
Complete the Online Visa Application
- Online Nonimmigrant Visa Application, Form DS-160 – Learn more about completing the DS-160. You must: 1) complete the online visa application, and 2) print the application form confirmation page to bring to your interview.
- Photo –You will upload your photo while completing the online Form DS-160. Your photo must be in the format explained in the Photograph Requirements.
Schedule an Interview
Interviews are generally required for visa applicants with certain limited exceptions below. Consular officers may require an interview of any visa applicant.
| If you are age: | Then an interview is: |
|---|---|
| 13 and younger | Generally not required |
| 14 – 79 | Required (some exceptions for renewals) |
| 80 and older | Generally not required |
You should schedule an appointment for your visa interview at the U.S. Embassy or Consulate in the country where you live. You may schedule your interview at another U.S. Embassy or Consulate, but be aware that it may be more difficult to qualify for a visa outside of the country where you live.
Conclusion
- There is no guarantee you will be issued a visa. Do not make final travel plans or buy tickets until you have a visa.
- For information about working in the United States during your study, review Students and Employment and Form I-765 Work Authorization Instructions on the USCIS website.
- If you have a temporary break in your study, view the information on the SEVP website under Do Students Returning from Temporary Absences Need New Visas? If your student visa is still valid, but you are outside the United States, you should consult with your Designated School Officials.
- Spouse and children
- Your spouse and unmarried, minor children who intend to reside with you during your study may apply for F-2 or M-2 visas. Although SEVIS fee payment is not required, your school must issue them an individual Form I-20, which is required to apply for their visas. You must provide a copy of your F-1 or M-1 visa and provide proof of relationship.
- Your minor children are permitted to attend school in the United States while accompanying you.
- U.S. Embassies and Consulates will adjudicate visa applications that are based on a same-sex marriage in the same way that we adjudicate applications for opposite gender spouses.
- A valid U.S. visa in an expired passport is still valid. Unless canceled or revoked, a visa is valid until its expiration date. If you have a valid visa in your expired passport, do not remove it from your expired passport. You may use your valid visa in your expired passport along with a new valid passport for travel and admission to the United States.