Getting a US Study Visa

Preparing the study visa application is a pretty easy thing to accomplish, but what with work and procrastination, it took me nearly two weeks.

A study visa falls under the category of non-immigrant visas so this procedure applies:
PROCEDURE FOR NON-IMMIGRANT US VISAS

Once you receive the I-20 from your school, you have to pay the visa fee (see my post on payment thru BPI), fill in the online DS-160 form, prepare your pictures and pay the SEVIS fee before you can schedule your interview. Visa payments are valid for a year so you can do this ahead of time, along with the pictures. You also have to upload a copy of your picture on the online form -- I highly recommend you to use the photo tool available on the DS-160 website so that you are assured that the photo you're uploading will be accepted by the system.

These links were pretty useful for the parts of the DS-160 form that I found confusing:
GUIDE FOR FILLING DS-160 FORM
AVOIDING DS-160 PITFALLS

I had noticed that the embassy procedure emphasizes that applications should state the Mother's Complete Maiden Name but the DS-160 form merely asks for the Mother's Complete Name. I was confused by this so I called up the Embassy to ask. The rep who answered my inquiry told me to just answer the form directly (!!!) -- if it wasn't asking for my mother's maiden name, I can just use her "married" surname.

For the SEVIS, you just have to fill in the online I-901 form and pay the SEVIS fee ($200). You can pay via credit card; just print out the online receipt to bring on the day of your visa interview. This is the link to the SEVIS Main Page:

SEVIS MAIN PAGE

After this, you will then be ready to schedule your visa interview. I had finished my online application last April 26 (I think) and the earliest slot available was on May 3. I had dreaded that there would be a long wait before I'd have my interview, but it wasn't actually a problem. I guess they have a number of slots specially reserved for study visa applicants on each day. I went the online route to schedule my visa interview (way easier than via phone).

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On the day of my interview, I arrived two hours earlier than my appointment. The interview location is actually at the US Embassy Annex, which is located by the footbridge near the UN Avenue-Roxas Boulevard intersection. Bring fans, umbrellas, a black ballpen, and a book to help you pass the time. Cellphones and other electronic devices aren't allowed inside.

Look for a guard and ask him what batch of applicants are already being asked to line up. (The batch refers to the time of appointment -- eg. 8:30, 9:00, etc.) Those whose batch has been called will already be in orderly lines in the grassy area in front of the annex. The embassy personnel will then check your passport and DS-160 confirmation form, and will review the list of applicants scheduled for that batch to see whether your name is there. They will give you a pink piece of paper that you have to fill in. Then, your batch will go through a security check and go to a counter where you will be assigned individual numbers. After this, the waiting begins.

Once your number is called (by a greeter shouting out batches of numbers), you enter the building proper, go through another security check and fall in line for a preliminary review. After this, you will have to wait for your number to be flashed on the board before you undergo the fingerprint-capture. After yet another wait, your number will again be flashed on the board to direct you to the window of the consular officer who'll be interviewing you. What could make the waiting time quite long is the fact that the numbers flashed on the board are in no particular order. (The "randomness" occurs within a group of around 30-40 consecutive numbers -- from what I observed -- so you can somehow estimate how long you still have to wait.)

My interview was pretty quick (less than 5 minutes, I think). What I didn't bring to the interview that the consul asked for? My undergrad transcripts. The consular officer didn't even check my financial documents.

All in all, I took 2.5 hours to finish the application process. I heard a greeter tell an applicant that the passport will be delivered in 3-5 days. I haven't received mine yet; hopefully, it's on its way.


NOTE: Even if your visa is granted, it does not guarantee your entry into the US. This is ultimately up to the INS [The immigration and Naturalization service]. It is also the job of the INS to determine how long you may remain in the United States.

At the US port of entry, an INS official validates Form I-94 (Record of Arrival-Departure), which states the length of stay permitted. This will be a small white card issued by the INS upon your entry to the U.S. The form I-94 is your permit to stay in the U.S.