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Exchange Visitor Programs
Exchange Visitor Programs cover temporary visas that allow visitors to enter the United States to participate in exchange programs. They are run by: the U.S. State Department, which runs the F, J, and M visas (for educational and cultural exchange programs), and the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Department, which runs the Q visa (for international cultural exchange programs).According to the U.S. State Department, "the Q-1 visa is for certain international cultural exchange programs designed to provide practical training and employment, and sharing of the history, culture, and traditions of participants home country in the United States" (from their information site located here).
The requirements for a Q-1 visa are as follows:
- Culture-sharing must take place in a school, museum, business or other establishment where the public is exposed to aspects of a foreign culture as part of a structured program;
- The cultural component must be an essential and integral part of the participant's employment and training, and must be designed to exhibit the attitude, customs, history, heritage, philosophy and/or tradition of the participant's country of nationality; and
- The employment and training aspects may not be independent of the cultural component.
If your program of study is less than 18 hours a week, you may be
able to use a visitor visa. For higher workloads, you will need a
student visa to study in the U.S. There are three types of Visas
you can have as an international student, namely F-1 (for most
international students), M-1 (for a skilled trade or vocational
skill program), and J-1 (for a sponsored exchange program).
There are some basic requirements if you would like to become an international student in the U.S.:
There are some basic requirements if you would like to become an international student in the U.S.:
- The student must be enrolled in an "academic" educational program, a language-training program, or a vocational program;
- The school must be approved by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS);
- The student must be enrolled as a full-time student at the institution;
- The student must be proficient in English or be enrolled in courses leading to English proficiency;
- The student must have sufficient funds available for self-support during the entire proposed course of study; and
- The sudent must maintain a residence abroad which s/he has no intention of giving up.
Apply Early
The U.S. Department of State has the following advisory on
their site, verbatim (in content and format):
Visa applications are now subject to a greater degree of scrutiny than in the past. For many applicants, a personal appearance interview is required as a standard part of visa processing. Additionally, applicants affected by these procedures are informed of the need for additional screening at the time they submit their applications and are being advised to expect delays. The time needed for adjudication of individual cases will continue to be difficult to predict. For travelers, the need for an interview will mean additional coordination with the embassy or consulate is needed to schedule an interview appointment. We recommend that individuals build in ample time before their planned travel date when seeking to obtain a visa.
Most official forms you need will be located here or here, at the U.S. Department of State site.
Visa applications are now subject to a greater degree of scrutiny than in the past. For many applicants, a personal appearance interview is required as a standard part of visa processing. Additionally, applicants affected by these procedures are informed of the need for additional screening at the time they submit their applications and are being advised to expect delays. The time needed for adjudication of individual cases will continue to be difficult to predict. For travelers, the need for an interview will mean additional coordination with the embassy or consulate is needed to schedule an interview appointment. We recommend that individuals build in ample time before their planned travel date when seeking to obtain a visa.
Most official forms you need will be located here or here, at the U.S. Department of State site.
What Type of Student Visa Should I Apply For?
See the diagram below for the answer to this question:
Visa Denials
If your visa application is denied, don't panic. It happens to many people around the world, so you are not alone. Your consular officer will probably mention Section 214(b) as the reason for the denial. Here's a transcript of this section of the Immigration and Nationality Act:Every alien shall be presumed to be an immigrant until he establishes to the satisfaction of the consular officer, at the time of application for admission, that he is entitled to a non-immigrant status...
What this means, in actuality, is that the onus is on the applicant to prove that s/he does not intend to leave the home country permanently. You can prove this by providing official evidence of your ties to your native or home country (permanent residence, family ties, property ownership, work contract, etc).
A visa denial is not permanent. Contact your local U.S. embassy or consulate to inquire about reapplying, and make sure to include any supporting evidence you may not have considered the first time around. Your goal is to show evidence of strong ties outside the U.S. that prove compellingly that you are not seeking immigration.
Image Credit: Two Roses
Post Comments
MayMay said – Tue, 04 Nov 2008 19:49:47 -0000 ( Flag Edit Link )
Hi there Mandip,
I’m glad to hear that you are interested in studying abroad. Before I can help you answer your question, could you please specify the area of focus that you’d like to complete a PhD in.
Thanks!
lucyinthesky said – Tue, 04 Nov 2008 19:45:48 -0000 ( Flag Edit Link )
That’s great! Check out this lesson outlining the basics of obtaining a PhD. After that, you can also take a look at the various Schools in the SchoolFinder to find schools or programs that are of interest to you!