Many people mistakenly believe that after receiving an admission letter from a US university and paying the deposit, they can apply for a visa. In fact, there is a very important procedure between admission and visa application - applying for an I-20 form from the school that confirms admission.

To help classmates
Successfully completed the preparation before entering American university
Today, we will introduce the processing guide for I-20 form
Hurry up and copy your homework!

Regarding I-20    Usage scenario     Apply

01. ABOUT I-20

The I-20 form is one of the important documents for international students to legally reside in the United States. It records the student's study and accommodation information, and determines the student's identity type and visa category. Once students obtain the I-20 form, they can begin preparing their visa application materials.

It is recommended that students apply for the I-20 form from the school that confirms their enrollment as soon as possible in order to prepare adequately for their visa application. At the same time, students should consult professional study abroad consulting agencies or lawyers to ensure understanding of all application procedures and requirements and avoid any potential errors or misunderstandings.

02. I-20 usage scenarios

► Entry:

When entering the country, you need to present your I-20 form. For convenience, it is recommended that you hold the form in your hand. US Customs and Border Protection personnel will instruct you to present your I-20 upon entry. You can enter the country up to 30 days earlier than the start date on your I-20.

► Applying for F-1 student visa:

The I-20 form will list the time when you can enter the United States. The F-1 visa can be issued as early as 120 days before the start of your school year. Your student visa type must be consistent with the I-20 type (F-1 visa for academic students).

► Apply for benefits:

Your I-20 form proves your legal right to study in the United States. Therefore, when you apply for benefits for Class F students, you may need to use your I-20 form. If you can apply for a driver's license or social security number, remember to bring your I-20 with you.

► Pay I-901 SEVIS Fee:

Before you pay the I-901 Student and Exchange Visitor Information System Fee, you will receive an I-20 form from the school you have decided to enroll in. The information you need to pay will be provided above. The I-901 SEVIS Fee is a fee that must be paid before entering the United States.

TIP: The relationship between I-20 and F1

01 I-20 Form

It is issued by schools certified by the US government to prove the applicant's student status, admission eligibility, and legal status for studying in the United States. It is the only proof of legal residence for students in the United States. If students want to legally stay in the United States to study as students, they must have a valid I-20.

02 F1 visa

It is a pass for students to enter the United States. Anyone coming to the United States needs to apply for a corresponding visa, such as an F1 student visa. The F1 visa is a type of visa issued to foreign students studying full-time at schools recognized by the US government.

Highlight

The F1 visa can only be applied for after the school issues an I-20. That is to say, for international students pursuing a master's degree, if the I-20 is given to you for 2 years, even if your passport expires, as long as the I-20 has not expired, your student status will remain valid and legal. However, if your F1 visa has expired outside of the United States, you must reapply for the F1 visa in order to re-enter the United States.

03. How to apply for I-20

Step 1

Login and register through the portal

After paying the deposit to the school where you enrolled, you will receive the username and password for the student registration portal sent by the university. Follow the school's instructions to log in to the student registration portal.

Step 2

Process the material list for 1-20

After logging into the school's student registration portal, you can view a list of all materials for application forms 1-20, including the following:

A. Deposit certificate
B. Proof of Funds Form
C. Passport Information Page
D. Admission Letter
E. If there are accompanying guardians, please provide the passport information pages of both parties
F. If you are within the United States, you need to provide a Form 1-94 Exit Entry Certificate
E. Pay the admission fee

Step 3

Once the relevant materials are prepared, you can log in to the school and create an admitted student personal account to upload the materials.

The information and documents provided by each school are mostly the same, and there may be slight differences. Everyone must check and verify the required materials list according to their enrollment form 1-20 to ensure that the prepared materials are correct.

Precautions

After confirming that the address for mailing the 1-20 form from the American university is correct, please submit the application for the 1-20 form. After receiving and reviewing the materials, the school will mail paper 1-20 to the student's address.

2. After receiving the complete I-20 application materials at school, the process of issuing a new I-20 form will begin. The average waiting time is 4 weeks. So it is recommended that students start the I-20 application process as early as possible after confirming their enrollment in the school, leaving sufficient time for subsequent visa applications.

04. Travel Signature

Travel Signature is a visa certificate required by the US Department of Homeland Security for non immigrant international students and exchange visitors to apply to the school's Office of International Student Affairs before leaving the United States, to prove that the SEVIS records of international students are valid.

The travel signature is valid for one year (six months if you are in OPT status) or until the end of your academic program. If your current travel signature is still valid, there is no need to apply for a new travel signature for each trip.

How to obtain a new travel signature

Step1

Contact the school ISS. According to ISS's requirements, submit the I-20 replacement request form online and select the option that requires a Travel signature.

Step2

Wait, remember to sign it yourself after receiving it.

If you don't have time to wait for the email to be sent to your home, you need to contact ISS's advisor and handle it through Emergency Travel.

►Emergency travel

When entering the country, the customs will give you an I-515 form, which allows you to stay in the United States for 30 days. Within these 30 days, you need to go to ISS to obtain an updated signature and send I-515 back to the address written on the form, but ISS mentioned that they cannot guarantee whether customs will recognize your entry.

precautions

You need to submit an updated travel signature application at least two weeks before planning to leave the United States.
Confirm that your return date to the United States is before the end date of your academic program displayed on your I-20.
Check and confirm that your passport and US visa are both valid for smooth entry into the United States.
When applying for a new travel visa, you should only check the latest I-20 you have.

Do you guys have a clearer understanding of how to obtain an I-20< br> Want to consult more about studying abroad matters
Please follow the Cain Credit Certification Center
ICAC will provide you with more study abroad tips
Make your journey of learning worry free and easier~

1 Project Introduction

The ICAC program is established to address the issue of credit imbalance between domestic and overseas universities. Its main goal is to transfer course credits obtained domestically to overseas universities and enable domestic students to obtain bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees in a short period of time. The ICAC program has broken down the barriers between domestic and international credit transfer, allowing international students to choose their learning paths and schools more flexibly.

2 Forms of International Credit Transfer Programs

Junior college students; Up to 90 credits can be transferred; Studying abroad for one year can earn; Foreign Bachelor's Degree

Junior college students; Up to 90 credits can be transferred; Studying abroad for one year can earn; A bachelor's degree from abroad plus one year of study abroad can be obtained; Master's degree abroad

Second year vocational students; Up to 60 credits can be transferred; Studying abroad for 2 years can earn; A bachelor's degree from abroad plus one year of study abroad can be obtained; Master's degree abroad

Undergraduate students; Integrated Master's and Doctoral Programs& nbsp; 1+2=3 years; Can be obtained; Foreign doctoral degree

3 Recommended Universities

01 W i l l i a m  J e ss u p  U n i v e r si t y

Offering over 20 undergraduate and over 50 graduate degree programs in various professional directions

02 P a t t e n  U n i v e r si t y

We specialize in application-oriented professional courses and are committed to providing students with the ultimate experience of integrating education and technology through business management degree programs 

03 L i n c o l n  U n i v e r si t y

Offering Bachelor of Business Administration and Bachelor of Science degrees, as well as Master of Business Administration and Doctoral degrees in Computer Science and Law

ICAC serves as a guide for international students on their credit journey

Dedicated to providing professional support and assistance to every student

If you encounter difficulties in studying abroad

Don't hesitate, contact our team immediately

ICAC will clear the obstacles on your road for you

Make it easier for you to move forward

Escort your dream journey!

-The image is sourced from the internet. If there is any infringement, please contact us for deletion-