F1 Visa – Academic study
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The student visa that is also a nonimmigrant visa has the 3 types of classification, namely: F1- student visa for an academic program to study or language courses from a registered institution, college, and university, M1- for a vocational courses and non academic program, J1- for the student exchange visitor program. The F1 visa allows prospective international students to study full time in the United States to any recognized and accredited institution from elementary, language, academic schools, high school, college and university duly authorized by USCIS to accept the international students to study full time.
The holder of F1 Visa is not allowed to engage in any off campus employment, but working on campus while studying is acceptable, subject to a certain restrictions in which the student may have an option to work part time 20 hours per week during the course has commenced in the United States. It is crucial to note of working on campus should meet the conditions of ‘work’ that is within the campus, such as working with the college or university’s affiliated establishment, or if the work is related to educational affiliated activities of the institution. One cannot work to exceed more than 20 hours per week (except for holidays), as this would violate the conditions of your student visa and taking an unauthorized employment outside the scope of working on campus is considered as illegal employment for the international students.
Further to this, if the international students has studied after one academic year, he/she may eligible to apply to work part time Off campus- this option would only then possible if you receive an authorization from the USCIS to take up employment for several types of work depending on your individual circumstances such as: To work in (a) Curricular Practical Training (CPT), or (b) Optional Practical Training (OPT) (pre-completion or post-completion), or (c) for Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and optional Practical Training Extension (OPT). Also, in qualifying to work off campus it is the school’s official who would recommend and endorse your application at USCIS on the basis of their assessment, evaluation, eligibility made on your claim to work off campus, for you to obtain the authorization in working off campus legally. As working without the proper authorization from USCIS may face illegal immigration status.
How to Apply For F1 Visa
One may apply for F1 Visa if he/she is a genuine student to study full time in the U.S., and able to provide the financial resources to cover the tuition fee cost, travel cost, living costs and other expenses incurring for the entire study in the United States. After the submission of your application to the college or institution in the U.S. and you are able to meet the criteria to qualify for that program, and pay the related fees such as application or registration fee and or tuition fee – which may vary according to the location, duration of the course, type of academic program course, among others respectively. In addition to this, the school, a college or institution dully authorized by USCIS to accept international students will issue a Form I- 20, along with the ‘letter of acceptance’, thereafter, the student would need to complete online DS- 160 nonimmigrant online application and provide the supporting documents as per the criteria of student visa of USCIS, and pencil his schedule to attend for a personal interview.