OBTAINING AN F-1 VISA
To attend TAMU-Commerce, prospective students outside the United States must apply at a US consulate or embassy for an F-1 student visa. There are numerous visa types, all with alpha-numeric designations. An F-1 visa will allow you to study in the United States for an extended period to pursue an academic degree. To obtain an F-1 visa you will need a valid passport, a Form I-20 issued from an American school, a visa application, a variety of supporting documentation and proof that you have paid the SEVIS I-901 fee.
The Form I-20
A Form I-20 will be issued by the International Student Services Office after your admission to the university, usually about two months before your first semester. It is suggested that you do not make an appointment for a visa interview appointment before you know the approximate date that you will receive the I-20.
Procedure for new students who got F-1 visa on initial I-20 from other school but want to attend TAMU-Commerce in the first semester in the US.
- Enter the US port of entry with an I-20 issued by the school whose name is on your F-1 visa. To avoid problems, the name of school on initial I-20 should match the name of school on F-1 visa.
- After you have entered the US, contact and report to the international student adviser at the school whose name is on the F-1 visa as soon as possible and request them to release your SEVIS record to Texas A&M University-Commerce (School code DAL214F00099000) before attending classes at the other school. The contacting and reporting to the international student adviser at the other school may be done by phone or by e-mail. You are not required to report in person.
- Provide the international student adviser at Texas A&M-Commerce with the name, phone number, and e-mail address of the adviser at the other school and a copy of the I-20 issued by the other school as soon as possible. Information may be sent by FAX to 903-468-3200.
- You are required to attend a mandatory international student orientation at Texas A&M-Commerce on the date and time indicated on the welcome letter you received with the I-20. During your final check-in on the orientation day, make sure you inform the adviser that you are a new transfer student from the other school who was released before attending classes at the other school.
- If for any reasons, the other school does not cooperate with you and refuse to release your SEVIS record to Texas A&M-Commerce before you attending the other school, you will have no choice but to attend the other school and complete your first semester in the US at the other school then request to transfer to TAMU- C in the following semester.
Changing to F-1 Status
If you are already in the United States on a visa status other an F-1 or J-1, you may need to apply for a change of status before attending classes at this university. If your current visa status does not allow enrollment, you must apply for and receive approval for a change to F-1 status before you can start taking classes. Contact the ISSO for more information about regulations regarding your specific circumstances.
The Visa Interview
An F-1 student visa is a non-immigrant visa. That means that it is given to aliens who wish to study in the US and then return home. You will have to establish that you do not plan to abandon your residence and resettle in the US. You will also have to prove that you have sufficient funding to accomplish your educational goal. For helpful information regarding the visa process, see the US Department of State website. Prospective students may obtain I-20s from several schools during the admissions process. US government regulations require that you attend the school which issued the I-20 you use for entry into the country. The school name on your visa and the I-20 used at the port of entry should match. Be aware of the documents you are using and attend the correct school.
