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M-1 Vocational Student Visas

Foreign students seeking to study in the U.S. may enter in the M-1 category provided they meet the following criteria:

  • The student must be enrolled in a vocational program;
  • The school must be approved by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (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 student must maintain a residence abroad which he/she has no intention of giving up.

Frequently Asked Questions

Applying for a Visa – Key Points to Keep in Mind

In order to apply for a visa at a U.S. embassy or consulate, you must first have a SEVIS (Student and Exchange Visitor Information System)-generated document (either an I-20 or DS-2019) issued by a U.S. college or university or Department of State-designated sponsor organization. You will be required to submit this form when you apply for a visa. The U.S. academic institution or program sponsor will provide you with the appropriate SEVIS-generated form only when you have been academically admitted to the institution or accepted as a participant in an exchange program. The institution or program sponsor will also send you additional information about applying for the appropriate visa, as well as other guidance about beginning your academic program in the United States. (For more information about SEVIS, see below.)

Once you have all the required documentation, you may apply for the visa, even if you do not intend to begin your program of study for several months. It is best to apply early for the visa to make sure that there is sufficient time for visa processing.

Planning Ahead for the Visa Process
One of the most important things you can do to ensure that you will be able to arrive in time for the start of your study program in the United States is to plan well in advance for the visa process. This means you will need to request and receive the appropriate visa-qualifying document (either an I-20 or DS-2019) from the U.S. institution or program sponsor well in advance of your planned departure to the United States.

You will also need to make an appointment for your visa interview. Please consult the U.S. Embassy or Consulate nearest you to find out how long it may take to get an appointment.

Applying for a Visa – Key Points to Keep in Mind
Among the things you’ll need to do is pay the SEVIS fee, pay the visa processing fee (the procedure will differ from one U.S. Embassy/Consulate to another, so visit the website of the U.S. Embassy, and make an appointment for the visa interview (again, procedures will differ, so visit the website of the U.S. Embassy).

You should also make sure you have all the documentation you will need when you go for the interview, including the visa-qualifying document (I-20 or DS-2019), financial support documents, proof of payment of the SEVIS and visa fees, and a completed visa application form. Ensure that you complete the visa application correctly by following the Department of State website procedures carefully.

Key Information about Visas and Entering the United States
There are two additional bits of information that are useful to know.

The first is that the U.S. Embassy/Consulate cannot issue an M-1 visa more than 120 days before the actual start of the program in the United States. However, visa applicants are encouraged to apply for their visa as soon as they are prepared to do so. Thus, if the college or university to which you have been admitted states on the I-20 that the program will start on September 1, a visa cannot be issued before May 1.

Second, even if you have been issued a visa to enter the United States, you will not be allowed to enter the country more than 30 days before the start of your program, if you are an initial entry student. Returning students do not have this requirement. Using the earlier example, if the program of study starts on September 1, you will not be permitted to enter the United States until August 1 or later.
Where can I find more information about the visa application process in my country?

Most of the procedures and requirements for applying for the various types of student visas, as well as for the Exchange Visitor visa are standardized. Some procedures vary from country to country, for example, how to pay the visa application processing fee and how to make an appointment for an interview. For details on applying for a Student or Exchange Visitor visa in the country in which you are located, please visit the U.S. Embassy or Consulate nearest you. If you have specific questions about visas that are not answered by the embassy website, please contact our office for individual guidance.

EducationUSA Advising Center Workshops about Visas
Some EducationUSA advising centers offer workshops about the visa application process. If the advising center in your country offers such a workshop, you should sign up to attend. It is important to know all you can about this extremely important element of your proposed study in the United States. EducationUSA advisers communicate frequently with U.S. consular officers and will be able to help you prepare for the visa application process and the visa interview.

What is SEVIS?

The Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS), administered by the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), is an Internet-based system that maintains data on foreign students and exchange visitors before and during their stay in the United States. For more information about the SEVIS program, visit the ICE website.

In order to enroll students from other nations, U.S. colleges and universities must be approved by the School Certification Branch of the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP). Most U.S. institutions of higher education have received this approval.

 

Help with Vocational Student Visas

D.Ray Mantle assists students in obtaining positive immigration results in a timely, personal, and professional manner. Your individual circumstances are carefully reviewed by an experienced immigration attorney to determine which options are available to you. Mr. Mantle provides guidance and help in gathering the necessary information and documents for your case, prepares all of the necessary application forms, and also ensures that your final application meets all government requirements.

If you would like to understand more about the application process and to find out if you qualify for a vocational student visa, please contact D.Ray Mantle for a consultation.