Pre-Arrival Information
Obtaining a Visa
In order for you to enter the
United States, it will be necessary for you to obtain a visa from a US Embassy
or Consulate. In most cases, you must obtain the visa at the US Embassy or
consulate in your home country. Click
here to find the closest US Embassy or Consulate.
Please note: if you arrive with
a B1/B2 “tourist” visa, you will not be able to register for classes! This page
will discuss the process for obtaining an F1 “Student” visa.
In many cases, it will be
necessary to make an appointment for a visa interview. Please contact the
consular section of the US Embassy or Consulate where you plan to apply.
IMPORTANT! Before you go to the embassy or consulate IMPORTANT!
Effective September 1, 2004, you
will have to pay a US$ 200.00 SEVIS fee before you can get an F1, J1, or M1
visa. You can pay the fee by mail, or online. The Department of Homeland
Security has a website to help you understand this fee. Click here to go to the DHS
website.
Instructions on how to pay the SEVIS fee:
- Fill out the form I-901. There are two ways to
do this:
- Fill out the I-901 and pay online with a
major credit card. Click here to
fill out and pay online. You will be able to print out an I-901 receipt
immediately, and the DHS will mail you a printed receipt.
OR
- Print, fill out, and mail the form I-901 with a
check or money order payable to "I-901 Student/Exchange Visitor Processing
Fee". Click here
to get the pdf form.
- Mail the I-901 and check or money order to:
I-901
Student/Exchange Visitor Processing Fee
or
Courier
the Form I-901 and payment to:
I-901
Student/Exchange Visitor Processing Fee
1005
- The DHS will mail you a printed receipt once
it is received. Please be advised that it may take up to four weeks
to receive your receipt by mail.
You will not be able
to obtain your visa unless you have the I-901 SEVIS Fee receipt with you!!!
When you arrive at the embassy,
You will need to have several
things with you:
- A completed application for
non-immigrant visa (form DS-0156). Please note: some US Embassies and Consulates
require additional or supplementary application forms. Please check with
the US Embassy or Consulate you plan to visit. Also, Even though form
DS-0156 is available in other languages, we suggest that you use the
ENGLISH version of the form. After all, you will be studying in English!
- Your I-20 form from Georgia Perimeter College
- Your letter of admission to Georgia Perimeter
College
- Your I-901 SEVIS fee payment receipt
- Financial certificates, bank letters, proof of
financial support for your studies in the United States
- Evidence that you intend to return to your
home country following your studies in the United States. Appropriate evidence could include offers of
employment following your studies, marriage certificate showing that you
are leaving a husband or wife behind, land or property deeds showing that
you own property in your home country.
Here are some links to some
information that may be helpful for you in obtaining a visa
US Embassies Abroad http://travel.state.gov/links.html
Visa Process Guide http://www.uga.edu/gaie/gettingavisa.pdf
Special Visa Processing for citizens of
North Korea, Cuba, Syria, Sudan,.Iran, Iraq,
and Libya http://travel.state.gov/section306.html
Fees for Visa Services http://travel.state.gov/vofees.html
Visa Photo Requirements http://travel.state.gov/photorequirements.html
Visa Denials http://travel.state.gov/visadenials.html
Visas for Third Country Nationals in Canada or Mexico http://travel.state.gov/tcn.html
HS Special Notice http://travel.state.gov/specialnotice.html
Special information for citizens of
Canada and the Bahamas 
If you will be arriving in the
United States directly from Canada or the Bahamas, it is not necessary to
obtain an F1 visa prior to arrival. However, you must present your I-20 to the
immigration officer at the US port of entry, whether you arrive by sea, air or
from Canada by automobile. Do not leave the border area/port of entry until
the immigration official has marked your I-20, and you have obtained an I-94
card which has been annotated with:
“F1 D/S”
Transferring to another school
It is very important that you
attend the school that issued you the I-20 form. BEFORE YOU GO TO THE EMBASSY
OR CONSULATE, MAKE CERTAIN THAT YOU KNOW EXACTLY WHICH SCHOOL YOU WILL ATTEND
IN THE US! The embassy will print the name of that school on your visa, and you
will be required to present the I-20 from that school to immigration on arrival
to the US.
If you arrive in the United States
on GPC’s I-20, you will be required to attend at least one semester
full-time at GPC before you will be allowed to transfer to another school.
There will be no exceptions to this rule.
Conversely, If you arrive on
another school’s I-20, you will not be able to transfer to GPC until you have
completed at least one academic term at the school which issued your I-20
Making your Travel Plans
Please note: F1 students may
arrive in the United States NO MORE THAN 30 DAYS before the date listed in section
5 of your I-20 form. Please keep this in mind as you make your travel plans.
We suggest you plan to arrive as
early as possible, so that you will have time to locate appropriate housing and
transportation, open a bank account, take any required placement tests, and
attend required orientation sessions at Georgia Perimeter College.
ARRIVING IN THE US
AFTER THE DATE LISTED ON YOUR I-20 IS A VERY POOR IDEA! YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO
REGISTER FOR CLASSES!
We also suggest you contact a
reputable travel agent specializing in international travel. There are several
international travel agencies that specialize in student travel, and may often
give discounts to you.
.