The visa stamp is a travel document issued by U.S. Embassies and Consulates abroad and placed into your passport. This document is proof that the U.S. Department of State has reviewed your visa application and completed the required security checks to confirm that you intend to be a student (F-1) and are safe to enter the U.S.
All F-1 international students, except Canadians, are required to have a valid visa stamp and a valid I-20 before they can enter the U.S.
If you already have an unexpired F-1 visa stamp in your passport, you may not need to apply for a new visa stamp. Contact iss@scu.edu with any questions.
If you are a Canadian citizen, you are “visa exempt” which means that you do not need a visa stamp in your passport in order to enter the U.S. You are still required to secure an immigration document I-20 and pay the I-901 SEVIS fee before you can enter.
Visa Application Process
If you are outside the United States (and you are not a Canadian citizen and you do not already have a valid F-1 visa stamp in your passport), you will need to obtain an visa stamp in your passport before you can enter the United States.
More information about the visa application process at can be found on the designated website of the Embassy or Consulate that you will visit, however, you will generally be required to:
All F-1 and J-1 students, and scholars are required to pay a government fee which helps maintain the SEVIS immigration system. All eligible students should pay their SEVIS fee online.
If you are a from Cameroon, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, the Gambia, please see the special instructions below.
You will be required to have the following information to pay your SEVIS Fee:
- SEVIS ID Number
- Last Name (as known as Family Name, Surname or Primary Name)
- Given Name (which is your First Name and Middle Name)
- Date of Birth
- Email Address
- Country of Citizenship
- Country of Birth
- Address
- Credit Card
*You must enter your name exactly as it appears on your passport and I-20. If you have questions, contact ISS@scu.edu
The I-901 Fee Form will ask for your School Code, make sure to enter the code correctly as below:
- Santa Clara University's main campus located in Santa Clara, California (all students except the Jesuit School of Theology) is SFR214F00607000
- Jesuit School of Theology located in Berkeley, California is SFR214F00607001
Learn more about the SEVIS Fee Payment Process
- This application should be completed online.
- You are required to keep proof of submission.
- Prepare your application.
If the DS-160 is asking for the contact information of your school, you can use the following information:
Organization: Santa Clara University
Name: Melissa Heid
Relationship: PDSO, RO, Director of ISS
Address: 500 El Camino Real Santa Clara, CA 95053
Phone: (001) 408.551.3019
Email: iss@scu.edu
- The cost of the visa application varies by country. Learn more about visa fees.
- The process to pay your visa application fee varies by country. Please visit the website of your U.S. Embassy or Consulate to learn more.
- You are required to keep proof of your visa application fee payment.
The process to schedule your visa interview appointment varies by country. Please visit the website of your U.S. Embassy or Consulate to learn more.
If the first available appointment is after the program start date listed on your I-20, you may be eligible to request an expedited or emergency appointment. Carefully follow the instructions of your U.S. Embassy or Consulate and contact iss@scu.edu if you have any questions.
Most applicants will be required to attend their visa application appointment in person. Depending on your situation, you may qualify for an interview waiver and may be eligible to apply via mail or drop-box.
Prior to your interview you should collect originals and copies of all supporting documents. We recommend that you carry:
- Proof of I-901 SEVIS Fee Payment
- Proof of DS-160 Visa Application Submission
- Proof Visa Fee Payment
- Passport
- I-20 (F-1 students)
- Proof of funding for your time in the U.S. (must be in English, must be dated within the last 3 months)
- Proof of your admission or acceptance to SCU
- Proof of your academic qualifications for your program (TOFEL scores, admission test scores, prior degree diploma / transcripts)
- Proof that you have financial, physical and familial ties to your home country
During your visa interview you will be asked several questions about your academic and financial standing. You should always be honest. Though the interview is short (most interviews are less than 5 minutes long), they are very serious. We recommend students be formal and respectful. Students should answer questions directly and keep responses brief and to the point. Here are some common topics and questions you may encounter:
Academics
- Why did you apply to SCU?
- How many schools did you apply to?
- What do you plan on studying?
- Why do you want to study in the U.S.?
- How long will you study in the US?
- Are your courses online?
Finances
- How much does it cost to attend your school?
- Who is paying for your education?
- What business is your family/sponsor in?
- Have you received scholarships or loans?
- What is your sponsor’s annual income?
- Can you show your sponsor’s financial statements?
- What is your relationship to your sponsor?
- Why is your sponsor willing to sponsor you?
Family
- Do you have family in the U.S.?
- How many siblings do you have?
- What is your brother/sister doing in the U.S.?
- What does your mother/father do for a living?
- Where do your parents live?
Practical Considerations
- Where will you live?
- What are your plans after graduation?
- Do you plan on returning home over breaks?
- Have you visited the U.S. before?
- Why do you not want to study in your home country?
- Do you plan on working on-campus while studying at your University?
Carefully follow the instructions from your U.S. Embassy or Consulate about your visa appointment. Many consulates will have limitations on how early you can arrive, instructions on how to queue, as well as limitations on what you can bring with you (most U.S. Embassy or Consulates ban cell phones, laptops, and other electronic devices).
Your interview will only last a few minutes, but it is important that you are professional, respectful, and on time for your interview.
After your interview, the Consular Office will take your passport for visa issuance.
If you qualify for a visa interview waiver, please follow the instructions for submitting your documentation carefully.
Once the visa stamp has been affixed to your passport, your passport will be returned to you. Passport return process varies by U.S. Embassy and Consulate (some return via courier delivery, some via pick-up).
For more information, see the U.S. ICE website.
- Must be an international money order or a foreign draft
- Must be drawn on a financial institution in the United States
- Must be payable in United States currency
Checks must be from one of the following:
- Banks chartered or operated in the United States
- Foreign subsidiaries of United States banks
- Foreign banks that have an arrangement with a United States bank to issue a check, money order, or foreign draft that is drawn on a United States bank
Make checks and money orders payable to: I-901 Student/Exchange Visitor Processing Fee
When paying by check or money order there are two options:
- Internet-generated coupon
Visit the fee payment website, enter basic information, print out a coupon, and then mail a check or money order with the coupon to a lock-box address in Missouri. Once the information and fee are processed, SEVIS will be updated with the fee payment information. - Paper option
Students & scholars can download or otherwise obtain Form I-901, fill it in, and mail it, with a check or money order, to the specified address in Missouri. Once the information and fee are processed, SEVIS will be updated with the fee payment information.
The mailing addresses for paying by check or money order using the coupon or the paper Form I-901 are:
- P.O. Box Mailing Address:
I-901 Student/Exchange Visitor Processing Fee
P.O. Box 970020
St. Louis, MO 63197-0020 - Street Address for Courier/Express Delivery:
I-901 Student/Exchange Visitor Processing Fee
1005 Convention Plaza
St. Louis, MO 63101
United States
Phone Number: 1-314-425-1809 (U.S. Country Code 011)
A receipt notice will be issued when the fee is processed.
Beware of Western Union Scams! Instructions for paying using this option can be found on the SEVIS website.
F-2 dependent applicants should always carry originals and copies of the following documents:
- Proof of DS-160 Visa Application Submission
- Proof Visa Fee Payment
- Passport
- I-20 (F-2)
- F-2 Spouse: Proof of Marital Relationship (such as, marriage certificate, with translation)
- F-2 Child: Proof of Parental Relations (such as, birth certificate, with translation)
- Proof of additional funding for time in the U.S. (must be dated within 3 months and in English)
If an F-2 dependent is applying separate from their F-1 family member, they should carry the above documents as well as proof of the family member’s F-1 or status, including:
- Copy of F-1 student's most recent SCU I-20
- Copy of F-1 student's passport
- Copy of F-1 student's visa stamp
- Copy of F-1 student's I-94 (print here: https://i94.cbp.dhs.gov/I94/#/home)
- If the F-1 student is a currently enrolled in classes:
- Copy of the admission letter
- Enrollment verification letter or transcripts
- Class schedule print out
- If the F-1 student has graduated and is on OPT / STEM OPT:
- Copy of your OPT / STEM OPT EAD card(s)
- Letter from company verifying the OPT / STEM OPT employment
- 3 Pay-stubs showing the OPT / STEM OPT employment
Visa Application Processing Time
Processing times for visa applications vary depending on your country of citizenship, the time of year you are applying and your area of study.
You can review general processing times online, but we recommend that you begin your visa application process 1-3 months before your expected arrival in the U.S.
Expedited / Emergency Appointments
Occasionally, the first available appointment is after the start of your academic program. In this case, you will need to request an emergency or expedited appointment.
Each Embassy or Consulate has their own procedures to make this request, but typically you must book the first available appointment and then make the request in the same system that you used to book your original appointment.
If you can’t find the process to request an expedited or emergency appointment on your Consulate or Embassy’s website, email iss@scu.edu and we can help you.
Required evidence is always your I-20. Do not attempt to request an emergency or expedited appointment without this document.
Visa Refusal, Administrative Processing, Denial
Occasionally the U.S. Consulate or Embassy requires extra time to review the details of your application to ensure you have the right security background and the required non-immigrant and bonafide student intent. This can lead to a delay in your visa application called administrative processing.
If you receive any notifications from the Consulate or Embassy about your visa processing being delayed or denied, please contact our office immediately before taking any additional actions.
Visa Approval
Once your F-1 visa has been issued, your passport will be returned to you and you will be able to arrange for your travel to the United States. You may enter the United States up to 30 days before the program start date listed on the I-20. Please consider processing times and your program start date carefully when making your travel plans to the United States.
Next Steps
