The information below provides an overview of the immigration steps you can begin to work on today:

• Send in a copy of your passport and submit a confidential bank statement.
  It is our strong recommendation that you refrain from paying your enrollment deposit until you have completed your appointment with the embassy and have been approved for your F-1 visa.
  Send a bank statement to the Office of Undergraduate Admission. The bank statement should show that you have access to the funding needed to complete your first year of studies at the College. A scanned copy can be sent to admission@annamaria.edu or mailed to:
  Anna Maria College
  50 Sunset Lane
  Paxton, MA 01612
  Anna Maria College accepts payments wired through Flywire. Click here to get started.

• Obtain an Immigration Document
  Our Registrar will issue your immigration document (I-20). This generally takes 2-3 weeks. We will mail this document via courier service to the address listed on your Anna Maria College application for admission. You will need to submit the I-20 Request Form here.
• Apply for the Student Visa
  After you receive your I-20, you will be ready to apply for your U.S. Visa.

Apply for the Student Visa

You must apply for your visa well in advance of your arrival, as it can, in some instances take several weeks, and occasionally longer, to obtain the student visa. To apply for a U.S. visa, you will need to present the following documents at the U.S. embassy or consulate nearest to you:

• Your Form I-20
• The SEVIS Fee receipt
• A copy of your financial support documents, i.e. evidence that you have sufficient funds to meet the expenses of studying at Anna Maria, e.g. bank statement.
• A valid passport
• Passport-size photographs
• Completed visa application forms (Visa application forms are available on individual consular Web sites.)

An application fee and an interview will also be required.

Special Notes
When applying for your student visa, pay careful attention to the following:

• The U.S. The Department of State has instructed U.S. Consulates that they may issue an F-1 visa no more than 120 days in advance of the program start date. However, an application for an F-1 visa can be submitted more than 120 days in advance of the I-20 start date in order to accommodate longer processing times. Again, check the Web site of the consulate where you will apply for a visa for detailed instructions.
• You must pay particular attention to the starting date noted in this document (Item #3), as you must enter the U.S. by this date. If you cannot enter the U.S. by this date, the Office of the Registrar
• In addition, you may enter the U.S. no more than 30 days prior to the starting date noted on the I-20 Form. If you try to enter the U.S. more than 30 days before the start date on your I-20, you may not be permitted to enter the U.S.
• Your I-20 (sent to you in the mail from Anna Maria College after you have been admitted) is required when applying for an F-1 student visa at an American Embassy or Consulate and for entry into the United States. This I-20 has been produced by the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) and is an acknowledgement that your record is in the SEVIS system. The form includes your SEVIS ID number, which is the number in the upper right-hand corner above the bar code (usually starts with an N).
• All new students coming in F-1 status must pay a $350 SEVIS fee prior to applying for your visa.

Fill out the Transfer Release Form

Please fill out the Transfer Release Form if you are an incoming international student with a valid F-1 visa in place. The following additional requirements are also necessary to transfer your F-1 Visa.

• You must currently be maintaining F-1 status
• You must have an offer of admission from Anna Maria College
• If you already graduated or completed OPT, you must still be within your 60-day grace period.
• The start of classes at your new school must be within 5 months of one of the following:
  • academic program completion at Anna Maria College
  • last day of enrollment at Anna Maria College (if not graduating from Anna Maria College)
  • OPT authorization end date
  • For students not completing OPT period, the requested SEVIS I-20 transfer/release date
  • If the period of time between F-1 activities is longer than 5 months, your SEVIS record is not eligible for transfer. Your new school must issue a new initial I-20 with a new SEVIS number.

Preparing for your Visa Interview

On Your Visa Interview Day
Bring copies of your acceptance letter, financial aid award, passport and I-20. You will need these for the interview. You can access them in your admissions portal. You should have also paid your I-901 SEVIS fee before your visa interview. If you have not paid the I-901 fee, here is the link with information about how to pay the I-901 fee for your F-1 visa.

F1 Visa Interview DOs:

DO bring all required documentation.
According to the US State Department, you are required to bring the following:

• Passport valid for travel to the United States
• Nonimmigrant Visa Application, Form DS-160 confirmation page
• Application fee payment receipt, if you are required to pay before your interview.
• Photo – You will upload your photo while completing the online Form DS-160. If the photo upload fails, you must bring one printed photo in the format explained in the photograph requirements.
• Form I-20 Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant (F-1) Student Status
• Bridge acceptance letter
• Letter of university conditional admission (if applicable) You may be required to present additional documentation, such as:
  • Transcripts, degrees, or certificates
  • Standardized test scores. Please make the Consular staff aware that we are a test-optional school. There is test-optional information here.
  • Proof of your intent to depart the USA upon completion of your study. It is extremely important that you make clear that you have NO plans to stay in the US after you finish school.
  • You can do this in a variety of ways. Some include simple statements. My family needs me to assist in their business as soon as I return. (If your family has a business)
  • My work in my program is directly tied to my interest in a career in your major. Business, Health Science, Criminal Justice, Law, Medicine, Social Work, Psychology, Nursing, etc. I feel that I can best do this in my home country.
  • Proof of how you plan to pay for your study (bank statement, sources of income, etc.

The State Department advises checking with the embassy or consulate where you will interview to verify what documentation is needed.

DO re-read your visa application before the interview to remember your answers.
It is easy to get flustered and forgetful at the moment of the interview, so taking some time to review your application beforehand will help you to stay on track when you answer questions

DO practice.
You can expect your interview to cover questions about your study plans, college of choice, academic capability, personal finances, and post-graduate plans. Ask a friend or relative to do a practice interview with potential questions.
It will help you to be more relaxed and confident on the big day. It is important to make sure that the embassy official understands that you are the only one here to complete your degree and that you plan to return home after you graduate.

DO clarify any doubts you have about your program.
Be prepared to answer specific questions about your program of study. If you have any doubts, contact your admissions department before you go in for your interview. Spend time learning a little more about Anna Maria College.
Be able to state that you learn best in a small school, that our location near Boston in the Worcester Mass area (the second-largest city in New England) is attractive to you, and that the college’s location also provides access to students at 11 other colleges.
Learn more about the campus by completing a Virtual Tour.

DO tell the truth.
One of the top reasons for F1 visa rejection is presenting untrue information. Avoid temptations to gloss over details or exaggerate to make your case more appealing

DO be prepared to make further payment for your visa if necessary.
There is a chance you will be charged additional fees for your visa. Be prepared with a check or credit card in the event that you need to make a payment.

DO stay calm and take your time answering questions.
A great way to stay calm and centered is to take a deep breath each time you are about to start speaking. Deep, conscious breaths will keep you centered and grounded throughout the process.

F1 Visa Interview DO NOTs

DO NOT be too casual.
Wear proper business attire for your interview, as if you are interviewing for a job. It will show you are professional, serious, and prepared.

DO NOT stress out.
Find a way to stay calm and centered and the whole process will be a lot easier! Prepare your documentation well in advance to avoid last-minute scrambling, and be sure to review all of your information. Get to bed early the night before and leave with plenty of time to arrive early at your embassy or consulate.

DO NOT rely on the Internet for the most up-to-date information.
This might sound strange, but visa requirements change frequently, so although you will find useful resources online it is important to contact your embassy or consulate for the most up-to-date requirements.

Questions? 

Please contact one of our DSO (Designated School Official)

Paul Vaccaro at PVaccaro@Annamaria.edu – Graduate Students

Nancy Dowd at NDowd@Annamaria.edu – Undergraduate Students

John Delaney at JDelaney@Annamaria.edu – Continuing Students

Christine Holms at CHolmes@Annamaria.edu – Continuing Students

Bill Purnell at WPurnell@Annamaria.edu – Continuing Students

John Hamel at JHamel@Annamaria.edu – Undergraduate, Graduate or Continuing