F.A.C.T-VISA Consultancy, documentation and application process

VISA Documentation and Guidance Program

This is the last and the most delicate of the steps while planning to study in the United States. Most students are scared and tensed by the time they reach this stage. But they need to understand that by being tense; they are increasing the chances of failure rather than reducing it. Instead, if they collect all the relevant information, make thorough preparation, and feel confident, there is nothing that can stop them from achieving their objective.

VISA Consultancy at FACT
FACT provides comprehensive visa documentation and interview training to its students. We are an international education consulting company. We have 10 years of experience handling all types student visas. We are specialists who handle only student visas and related matters. Our expertise lies in the fact that over the years we have handled all types of students with a very high success rate. Although ethically and by law, we cannot guarantee the outcome of any case, our rate of success is extremely high. The visa approval rate for 2006 semesters has been 100% and our approval rates have never gone below 97% in any year.

Requirements of student’s visa

What Visa Officers look for while issuing visa?

A. Evidence of Residence India: The consular officer may not issue a student visa unless satisfied that the applicant:
(1) has a residence abroad (India)
(2) has no intention of abandoning that residence, and
(3) intends to depart from the United States upon completion of the course of study.
Applicants generally establish their ties abroad by presenting evidence of economic, social, and/or family ties in their homeland sufficient to induce them to leave the United States upon the completion of studies.

How to Apply
All first time applicants of F-1 visa would need to make an appointment on the website www.ttsvisas.com. You have to take a hard copy (print-out) of the appointment made by you after the confirmation of the appointment. You can directly take the appointment page printout or if any mail that was sent to your mail-id by the TTS. Without this printout of your appointment you will not be allowed to the interview.

Postponing the appointment with TTS: If you are unable to keep your appointment, you must cancel the appointment 24 hours in advance through the “Modify/Cancel Reservation” link at www.ttsvisas.com If you fail to cancel your appointment, you will not be able to schedule another appointment until 90 calendar days from the date of your initial appointment.

SEVIS & BCIS: SEVIS (STUDENT AND EXCHANGE VISITOR INFORMATION SYSTEM). Beginning January 30, 2003, all I-20 forms issued by academic educational institutions, must be created within the SEVIS system. As of January 30, 2003 all new I-20s issued on or after that date must be SEVIS compatible documents. These forms are printed on a single sheet of paper and will have a large black bar code on the top right hand side of the form.
SEVIS is basically a system to enable U.S. academic institutions to maintain accurate and timely data about foreign students, their dependents, and communicate this information to the now BCIS formerly known as U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) and Department of State in real time.

VISA documentation
A.A. Consulate Documents:
a) Copy of Web appointment (TTS).
b) Form DS-156.
c) Form DS-157 (for all males in the age group of 16 to 45 years)
d) Form DS-158 (for applicants seeking visas in F category) –
e) Non-immigrant visa application fee as on today RS. 5502 Courier service fee of US $ 100 to pay by credit card.
f) One Photo on form DS-156. (Photo guidelines are given. Kindly follow them as described.)
g) Passport - Each applicant must possess an individual passport valid for travel to the U.S. with a validity date at least six months beyond the intended period of stay.
Important: Please write your complete name and passport number on the back of each draft

B. US University Documents:
a) An I-20 Form, Please be sure to submit both pages of the I-20 form, signed by you and by a school official.
b) HSC certificates or provisional certificates, mark sheets, and transcripts from all previous institutions attended.
c) Scores from U.S. standardized tests such as the TOEFL, SAT, GRE, GMAT
d) Financial evidence showing you have sufficient funds to cover your tuition and living expenses during the period of your intended study. You must demonstrate that funds are immediately available to cover the first year’s costs, and show evidence that funds will be available for all subsequent years.

C. Proof of Funds Documents:
a) Proof of ability to finance the education
b) Scholarship letters,
c) Bank letters,
d) Salary slips of parents and other sponsors if any,
e) IT returns for last 2-3 years etc of parents and other sponsors if any.
f) Rental receipts of own shops or buildings if any with revenue stamps.
g) Sponsors Business P/L Account duly certified by a CA if sponsor is a businessman.
h) Pension Papers - if sponsor is retired.
i) 6 months of Bank records - i.e. Bank statements or Bank Passbooks of sponsors.
j) Affidavit of supports by sponsors and student separately.
k) Loan approval letters (if you want to show loans.)

VISA interview
Try and gather information on the current trend, what the visa officer is expecting, why visa is being rejected, etc. Look for decisions and experiences particularly in the consulate where you will be appearing for the interview. Knowing what to expect helps!
When you go for the visa dress well. Speak slowly and clearly. Don’t appear tense and don’t look desperate. Showing self-confidence helps. They should never feel that you will have any sort of difficulty language, finance, racial, religious, etc.

Risk of VISA rejection
Yes. It is true that if your visa is rejected, all your efforts and money put into the process of studying in the United States go waste. But you can always apply for a second time and get your visa approved. As per the new rule, you can apply as many numbers of times as you want. (The application fee is to be paid every time). But the best way is to go well prepared right in the first time.