Question about Int'l student visa & proof of funds

<p>When an int'l student gets his visa to come, is the visa given for all 4 years? Or, is it given for one year, and then it needs to be renewed annually?</p>

<p>Also, when applying as an incoming freshman (as an Int'l) do you have to show funding for all 4 years at one time, or do they let you show funding for one year at a time? </p>

<p>I guess this all depends on how the visa is done. I'm guessing that if the visa is for 4 years, you'd need to show proof of funds/FA for all 4 years. But, if the visa is only for one year, and needs to renewed annually, then at the time of each renewal, the student could show funding for the coming school year.</p>

<p>How does this all work?</p>

<p>Thanks a bunch :)</p>

<p>“When you enter the United States on a student visa, you will usually be admitted for the duration of your student status. That means you may stay as long as you are a full time student, even if the F-1 visa in your passport expires while you are in America.”</p>

<p>Normally, the college required one year of funding in bank note.</p>

<p>^^</p>

<p>So…if a student is going to school at a place that will cost $30k per year, he only has to show funding for $30k??</p>

<p>I thought the point of the proof of funding was so students don’t come here and then become stranded because they don’t have the money to pay.</p>

<p>When my D got her F1 visa we only had to show proof of one year for funding and her visa is good for the duration of her undergrad. We were told that if we do not pay the fees on time the school will notify homeland security and she will not be allowed to enter the US until it is paid. We had looked at a few college though that required you to show all 4 years in your bank account before they would accept the student. I don’t know how anyone now can show $150,000+ US in their bank account, I know we can’t</p>

<p>Depending on what university you are planning to go to, there should be an international students office that can answer questions like this for you.</p>

<p>When my D got her F1 visa we only had to show proof of one year for funding and her visa is good for the duration of her undergrad. We were told that if we do not pay the fees on time the school will notify homeland security and she will not be allowed to enter the US until it is paid.</p>

<p>But…what if the parents don’t pay the second year fees on time, the student is already in the country? </p>

<p>That’s why I’m asking whether 4 years of COA needs to be shown.</p>

<p>**Depending on what university you are planning to go to, there should be an international students office that can answer questions like this for you. **</p>

<p>Yes, but they’re closed until Monday, so I was hoping you all might know. :)</p>

<p>True, the student might already be in the country. However, not paying the tuition bill will devalidate the current student visa and may make the student ineligible for future visas. Unless someone is planning to never leave the country again, they either want to pay their college bills or leave the country when they run out of funds.</p>

<p>My personal experience matches percussiondad’s. I provided proof for one year’s worth of funds and got a visa that was valid for four years.</p>

<p>Ok! :)</p>

<p>Thanks! I hope that’s what most other colleges expect, too.</p>

<p>Same here, except D got a 5 year visa. On the other hand, some schools required a proof of funds as part of the application file, whereas the school she goes to asked for it after she had been accepted, in order to send the I-20 form necessary to get the visa.</p>

<p>

</p>

<p>The student’s visa would be revoked…and they could be asked to leave the country. Homeland security is more on top of these things than ever before.</p>

<p>So, I hope I’m understanding this all correctly, if the school asks for evidence of funding during the application process, then it’s ok to just show evidence of funding for one school year?</p>

<p>mom2ck - my experience identical to what you have been told by other posters. Proof of funds for one year in order for I-20 to be issued. Visa issued for 4 years. Believe me the US Department of Immigration works very closely with the Colleges. Plus the actual issuing of the visa depends on a huge no of factors not just the financing - if the US Immigration Official in the counry where the visa is being issued picks up the smallest sniff of anything untoward the visa will be rejected</p>

<p>^^^</p>

<p>Thanks, the student in question was concerned that he would have to show all 4 years of funding, and his parents will be adding funds over the next 3-4 years to his education account.</p>

<p>WE were very worried about all of this also. When our D applied we had to show the college proof of finances for one year before they would issue the I-20 form. Once that was taken care of it was a breeze as long as we had everything ready to go. OP you did not say where you were from but if you are in Canada you can plan on going to any border crossing and getting the F-1 Visa there. It took my D about 20 minutes but the only thing you really need to be aware of but I cannot explain why is do not go for the F-1 more than 30 days before classes start. We actually tried to get hers mid summer when we were down opening bank account and getting cell phone but Homeland Security was very helpful and told us that is advantageous apply no more than 30 prior to school. Your college can give you all of the info needed or you can search F-1 Student visa and get everything you need to know. Good luck again, not knowing where you are from if you need some advice on a reasonable cell phone plan since you likely do not have an American Credit rating it is difficult and can be very expensive. Feel free to PM me if you want.</p>