Office of International Students & Scholars

Visa & Immigration

TO BE ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE AN I-20 (F-1 visa) or DS-2019 (J-1 visa) from the Office of International Students & Scholars, a prospective international student must follow the requirements listed below:

You must be admitted to a degree program of study.
You must submit proof that you will have sufficient funds to meet the tuition, fees, and living expenses for your program and stay in the United States (12 months). You also need to show that you will have sufficient funds to meet the living expenses of your dependent family members, click here.

AFTER receiving a letter of admission, submit either a bank statement or the notarized Certificate of Financial Responsibility (CFR), made available by the OISS, within 30 days of your admission, click here. OISS will not issue an I-20 or DS-2019 form until the following items have been received: current bank statement, or the CFR form, or assistantship/fellowship letter.

Once you have an I-20/DS-2019 form from URI, you can make arrangements to obtain a visa from the US Embassy or Consulate that serves your country. If you are bringing dependents, OISS will prepare I-20's/DS-2019's forms for each one of your dependents.

Steps to follow:

To obtain an F-1 or J-1 visa from the American Consulate in your country, follow the steps listed below:

Read all information on I-20 A-B or DS-2019 forms carefully, especially page 2, which explains your legal responsibilities as a F-1 or J-1 student.
Sign and date at the bottom of page 1.
Examine your passport. The passport must be valid for at least six months into the future, at all times.
After paying the SEVIS I-901 fee, make an appointment for a visa interview date.
Take your passport, F-1 A-B or DS-2019 form and I-797 SEVIS receipt (payment of SEVIS fee) or the Internet generated receipt to the nearest U.S. Consulate or Embassy.

Consular Appointment:

The appointment will be in English, not in your native language.

You must prove to the Consular Officer that you are entering the US with the sole intent of obtaining a degree or participating in training.
You must demonstrate to the Consular Officer that you have strong ties in your home country, and that you intend to return home.

Documents you must take to the Consulate/Embassy:

Passport, valid for at least 6 moths into the future
Two passport-size photos, to see the exact specifications, click here

Letter of acceptance to URI
Official TOEFL, GMAT, GRE scores
I-20 or DS-2019 from URI
Receipt of I-901 payment
URI Award Letter of Assistantship (when appropriate)
If sponsored by your government, school, or other agency, you must show an official letter of award to the Consular Officer
If your support is from personal and/or family funds, you must show bank statements, letters of credit, or proof of annual salary and/or total available or anticipated assets
Documents that indicate you have strong ties to your home country (land deeds, parents employment documents, your employment documents, etc.)

NOTE:

You cannot enter the US more than 30 days before the date noted on item 5, 2nd line of the I-20 form or item 3, line 2 of the DS-2019 form.
Students from Canada or Bermuda do not need to get a visa stamp in their passports. However, these students MUST pay the SEVIS I-901 fee, NO LATER THAN three days prior to their departure and have a printed copy of their payment receipt available for the Port of Entry Officer.
Do not enter the US on a B-1/B-2 visa. B-1/B-2 visa holders cannot attend school under any circumstances.

Documents required at the point of entry (airport, border):

Passport valid for at least 6 months into the future
All documents and envelopes given to the student /scholar at the US Embassy/Consulate
Proof of financial responsibility

Entering the US:

Upon arrival, a US Customs and Border Protection Officer will review all your documents and ask you specific questions regarding your stay in the US.
Once admitted, you will receive an I-94 card (arrival-departure form) stamped with the notation F-1/J-1 D/S (duration of stay). Duration of Stay or D/S indicates that you have been admitted to the US until the end date noted on your I-20/DS-2019.
Please be aware that at this time you will have your two index fingers scanned by an inkless device and a photograph of your face will be taken.

Arrival at URI:

Within 10 days of your arrival on the URI Campus you MUST report to the Office of International Student and Scholars, 37 Lower College Road. Bring your passport, I-94 and your I-20 or DS-2019 so that these documents are photocopied. The OISS MUST report your arrival to the Department of Homeland Security. Students that fail to report to the OISS WILL BE reported to the US Department of Homeland Security as non-arrivals, leading to the termination of their F-1 or J-1 status.

University of Rhode Island • Office of International Students & Scholars • International Center • 37 Lower College Road; Kingston, Rhode Island, 02881

Office of International Students and Scholars

Visa & Immigration

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