Visa & documents
The F-1 visa and your immigration paperwork: who decides what, and what you do
This is the part of the journey the university does not control, which is why it worries people most. This section explains each document, each agency and the order things happen in — and links to the official US government page behind every rule.
01
Five pages in this section
Each page answers one question. Read them in order if you are starting out, or jump to the step you are stuck on.
What the F-1 visa is
The visa category for full-time students: who needs one, how it differs from a visitor visa, what it does and does not permit, F-2 dependents, and what to do if a visa is refused.
→Step 2Form I-20 and your SEVIS record
The document the university issues once you are admitted and your funding is documented. What you submit to get it, how to check it, what to do when details change, and how transfers work.
→Step 3The visa interview
The DS-160 form, booking an appointment, the documents to bring, and what happens in the interview itself at the US embassy or consulate in your country.
→Step 4Arrival and entry
From holding the visa to standing at the inspection desk: what belongs in your hand luggage, what the CBP officer asks, and what your I-94 record means.
→Step 5Maintaining F-1 status
After you arrive, keeping your status is your own responsibility: check-in, full course of study, reporting address changes, working and travelling.
→02
Who decides what
Reading this table properly tells you who to ask when something goes wrong — and stops you expecting help from someone who has no authority to give it.
| Who | What they decide |
|---|---|
| Arkansas State University | Whether to admit you, whether your financial evidence is sufficient, and issuing your Form I-20. The university does not issue visas and cannot affect the outcome of your interview. |
| US Department of Homeland Security (DHS/SEVP) | Certifying schools to enrol international students, and running SEVIS, the system that holds your student record. |
| US Department of State — embassies and consulates | Reviewing your DS-160, interviewing you and deciding whether to issue or refuse the F-1 visa. That decision belongs to a consular officer under US law. |
| US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) | At the port of entry: whether to admit you to the United States, and recording your status and permitted stay on your I-94. |
| You | Telling the truth, submitting genuine documents, keeping your documents valid, and maintaining F-1 status once you enrol. |
The university and its admissions office can help you prepare and check documents. Nobody can promise you a visa in advance.
Source: travel.state.gov — Student Visa · studyinthestates.dhs.gov — Study in the States (DHS) · ice.gov — SEVIS · Updated Aug 22, 2026
03
The order of events — it cannot be rearranged
Each step is a precondition for the next. Miss a document early and the following step simply cannot happen.
- 1
Step 1
Be admitted to A-State
The admission letter comes first. Until you have it, there is nothing for the immigration side of the process to work with.
- 2
Step 2
Submit your passport and financial evidence, receive the I-20
The university creates your SEVIS record and issues Form I-20. Your SEVIS ID, printed on the I-20 and beginning with the letter N, follows you through every step after this.
- 3
Step 3
Pay the SEVIS I-901 fee
Paid on the US government site fmjfee.com at the rate currently published there, and the receipt kept. It has to be paid before your interview.
- 4
Step 4
Complete the DS-160 and book an appointment
The DS-160 is the online nonimmigrant visa application, filed at ceac.state.gov. You then pay the visa fee and book an interview as instructed by the US embassy or consulate in your country.
- 5
Step 5
Attend the F-1 visa interview
A consular officer decides at the interview, or keeps your case for further review. You are told the outcome, and the section of law behind it if you are refused.
- 6
Step 6
Collect your passport and book your flight
Under US government rules a new F-1 student may not enter earlier than 30 days before the program start date printed on the I-20 — check that date against your ticket before you buy it.
- 7
Step 7
Enter the United States and check your I-94
A CBP officer at the airport decides whether to admit you. Once you are through, check your I-94 record on the CBP site to confirm it shows F-1 correctly.
- 8
Step 8
Check in on campus and maintain your status
A-State holds an international student check-in during orientation. From that point on, keeping F-1 status is something you do every single semester.
04
Official pages worth bookmarking
These are the only places with current fees, forms and rules. Every number changes over time, so read it at the source rather than anywhere else.
Student Visa — US Department of State
The primary page on the F-1 visa: eligibility, documents, the interview, fees and frequently asked questions.
→Study in the States — DHS
The official guide for international students on the I-20, SEVIS, maintaining status and employment.
→SEVIS — ICE
The system that holds international student records, and the rules that govern what is in yours.
→Pay the SEVIS I-901 fee
The official payment site. The current amount is shown on the page itself — do not trust a figure quoted anywhere else.
→DS-160 visa application
The Department of State system for filing the online nonimmigrant visa application.
→I-94 lookup — CBP
Check your arrival record after you land: the class of admission and how long you are permitted to stay.
→05
Elsewhere on this site
The 10-step enrollment timeline
The whole journey from choosing a major to orientation week, with the visa milestones placed in sequence.
→Cost of studying at A-State
Tuition, housing, insurance and one-time charges — the basis for how much funding you need to document.
→Cost of attendance for one year
The detailed one-year figure the university uses when reviewing your financial evidence before issuing the I-20.
→Contact the admissions office
Ask about your own file. For questions that turn on immigration law, the office will route you to the university’s international student office.
→Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between the I-20 and the visa?
The I-20 is issued by the university and certifies that you are eligible to enrol in a full course of study and have documented funding for it. The visa is placed in your passport by a US embassy or consulate and lets you travel to a US port of entry and ask to be admitted. Having an I-20 does not guarantee a visa, and having a visa does not remove the need to keep a valid I-20 for as long as you study.
Can the university or the admissions office get the visa for me?
No. Nobody can apply on your behalf. The university issues the I-20 and confirms your academic record; the admissions office helps you assemble and check documents and practise your answers. The decision rests entirely with a consular officer, based on your documents and your own answers.
How much are the SEVIS and visa fees?
These are set by the US government and change over time, so this site does not quote a figure. The current amount appears on the fmjfee.com payment page and on the Department of State site. The admissions office also confirms the current amounts with you when you reach that step.
How long does it take to get a visa?
Appointment availability and processing vary by location and by season, so there is no single answer. Check real appointment availability on the booking system used by the US embassy or consulate in your country, and start as soon as you have your I-20.
Can my family come with me?
A spouse and unmarried children under 21 may apply for F-2 dependent visas, each with their own I-20 and with additional funding documented. Parents visiting you apply for a visitor visa instead — they are not F-2 dependents. The F-1 visa page covers this in detail.
Who should I ask about my own situation?
Questions about your SEVIS record, I-20, course load, employment or travel go to the A-State international student office — they are the people who sign your documents. Questions about appointments, visa fees or the outcome of an interview go to the US embassy or consulate in your country.
Source: travel.state.gov — Student Visa · fmjfee.com — SEVIS I-901 fee · ceac.state.gov — DS-160 · i94.cbp.dhs.gov — Form I-94 (CBP) · Updated Aug 22, 2026
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