Visa Application Process & Frequently Asked Questions

Steps to Apply for the Certificate of Eligibility (I-20)

STEP ONE

Secure financial resources for the cost of attendance

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WSC Application for International Student Financial Aid

Complete the WSC Application for Financial Aid for the academic year for which you have applied and submit it with any applicable letters of interest (see individual scholarship requirements).

Sources of Support

Begin to finalize your various sources of support: church, individuals, personal savings, third party scholarships, etc. Gather all documentation that gives evidence of finances that are devoted to funding your cost of attendance at WSC.

STEP TWO

Document financial resources

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Financial Resources:

If your application is accepted, you will then want to submit documentation of financial resources for both the cost of seminary education as well as living expenses (see Planning for Cost of Living for an estimated financial budget).

Have individual or church sponsors complete the WSC Financial Support Agreement form and submit them to the Office of Admissions.

Gather bank statements or other official evidence from applicable sources that document funds reserved specifically for your support during seminary.

WSC I-20 Application:

In order to gather the necessary information that we need to process I-20, we require all international students to complete the WSC Application for the Certificate of Eligibility (I-20) and submit it to the WSC Office of Admissions.

Processing the I-20:

Once all documentation has been received and financial requirements have been met, the Certificate of Eligibility (I-20) will be issued to the student by the Designated School Official (DSO). The I-20 will be sent to the student via postal mail using either expedited or certified mail.

STEP THREE

Pay I-901 fee and schedule visa interview

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I-901 Fee:

This fee is required by the SEVP (International Student and Exchange Visitor Program). When you apply for the F-1 visa at a U.S. consulate, you’ll be required to show documentation that you have paid this fee. You will need the SEVIS (Student and Exchange Visitor Information System) number from your I-20 to complete the transaction. For more information or to pay the fee, please see the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement website.

Visa Process Overview:

The visa process can be daunting to many international students. WSC strongly encourages you to review the Student Visa overview found on the U.S. Department of State website.

Visa Interview:

Each international student must schedule an interview with the U.S. consulate in their country of citizenship in order to apply for the F-1 visa status.

Scheduling Your Interview: Due to the wait times often involved in obtaining an interview with your U.S. consulate, plan to schedule this well in advance. For suggestions about when to schedule the interview, see the U.S. Department of State’s recommendations.

Required Documentation: Please review the required documentation for your visa interview on the U.S. Department of State website.

U.S. Consulate Locations: For a list of links to U.S. consulates by continent and country, see the U.S. Embassy webpage.

STEP FOUR

Review information on F-1/F-2 visa policies

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For many international students who have never traveled outside of their home country before, the visa process can be daunting and confusing. At Westminster Seminary California, we desire to be of assistance to you during this process; however, most of the responsibility involved in obtaining a visa and maintaining visa status is on the part of you, the student. Therefore, the following information and resources are provided in order to assist you with understanding the F-1 visa. This information is a reference only and is subject to change. The student should consult U.S. government agencies such as the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), U.S. Department of State, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

Visa FAQs

What is a visa?

A visa is issued to a citizen of a foreign country who wishes to enter the U.S. for a specific reason. A visa does not guarantee entry into to the U.S.; rather, its purpose is to verify that your application has been reviewed by a U.S. consular officer at an American embassy or consulate and has been found acceptable. This process is under the oversight of the U.S. Department of State.

Once you arrive at a U.S. port of entry (U.S. airport or border), your visa and paperwork are reviewed by an immigration officer. He or she determines whether or not you may enter the country and how long you can stay. For almost all F-1 visas, the officer marks them with “D/S” (i.e. Duration of Status), meaning that you are eligible to remain in the country for your duration of status as an F-1 student, which is until the end date listed on your I-20. Immigration processes are under the oversight of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

The F-1 visa is a non-immigrant visa and is the only visa for which admitted students are eligible to apply. Non-immigrant visas are for those with permanent residence in a country other than the United States who wish to enter the U.S. temporarily.

What is the difference between the I-20, the F-1 visa, and “immigration status”?

I-20: This is the document issued by WSC to the admitted student to provide confirmation that a Designated School Official (DSO) at WSC has reviewed your application file and documentation of your financial resources and determined that you are both eligible and able to pursue studies at WSC. It also demonstrates that you are registered in the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS). The I-20 document is required by U.S. consulates as part of your visa application.

F-1 VISA: As described above, a visa is documentation that you have met the U.S. consulate requirements to legally enter the U.S. Your visa and I-20 are reviewed by an immigration officer who is responsible to grant or deny you entry. If you leave the U.S., you must have a valid U.S. visa in order to re-enter.

IMMIGRATION STATUS: When an immigration officer at the port-of-entry grants you entrance to the U.S., you are given an immigration status which is listed on your I-94 card and your I-20. Typically your visa type and immigration status are the same unless you change your immigration status after entry to the U.S. To maintain legal immigration status on an F-1 (academic student) visa, be sure to register each semester as a full-time student in correlation with your program outline in the Academic Catalogue. Also, pay attention to the end date on your I-20. If you need to extend your program end date beyond the date listed on your I-20, please notify a DSO at WSC as soon as possible so that he or she may determine if your reasons for extending your program are legitimate according to F-1 student policies.

How do I obtain an F-1 visa?

Please follow the steps above to apply for the Certificate of Eligibility (I-20).

What does the date on my visa signify?

The date in your visa does NOT show how long you can legally stay in the U.S.. Rather it shows the last possible date you may seek entry to the U.S. Thus, while you are able to stay in the U.S. beyond the date on your visa as long as you are in-status (i.e., for your duration of F-1 status), you are not able to re-enter the country beyond the date on your visa.

If you anticipate needing to re-enter the country after the date on your visa but before your duration of status as an F-1 student is complete, you will need to arrange to renew your visa at the U.S. consulate in your country of citizenship. If you make arrangements to renew your visa while a student at WSC, please notify a DSO at least one month in advance of your departure from the U.S. so that you may obtain the necessary documents that you need from WSC for visa re-application.

What is an F-2 visa?

An F-2 visa is the type of visa that is issued to the dependents of the F-1 principal (you, the student). The F-2 visa is only necessary if your dependents (spouse and/or children) intend to travel and stay with you during your studies at WSC.

In order to receive dependent I-20 forms so that your dependents may apply for F-2 visas, you will need to provide WSC with documentation of the necessary financial resources to support your dependents’ cost of living (in addition to your own as described on the Apply for Certificate of Eligibility (I-20) page).

The process to apply for an F-2 visa is the same as the process you followed to apply for an F-1 with the additional requirement of proof of each dependent’s relationship to you.

Where can I get more extensive information on F-1 and F-2 visas?

Student and Exchange Visitors: U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
Student Visas: U.S. Department of State
Visa Information: U.S. Department of Homeland Security “Study in the States” site
SEVIS I-901 fee: U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
U.S. Embassy and Consulate Websites: U.S. Department of State
Students’ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ): U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement