international students
INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS
M1 Visa for International Students
M1 Visa for International Students
What is the M1 Visa
The M1 visa is for students who want to enroll in vocational studies in the United States. You can go to any technical school to study Computer and get your Information Technology Certification. You can take Cooking classes, technical courses etc.
The M1 does not have a cap so any student who meets the requirements could be granted a visa without any restrictions on the number of people.
What Can I do With an M-1 Visa in USA?
“Dade Institute of Technology is Proud to announce that it has been approved by SEVP (Student and Exchange Visitor Program) to issue I-20 to foreign students to request a M1 student visa to come to study at our campus in the US.”
Students on an M-1 visa are allowed to complete their vocational studies full-time and get an associate or another type of degree. They can get a driver’s license, open a bank account, transfer schools within the first six months of their program, have access to healthcare, and work in certain circumstances.
How Do I qualify for an M-1 Visa?
M-1 students have to be accepted at an SEVP institution. The Student Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) has a list of vocational and non-degree bearing institutions where M-1 students are accepted. To be eligible to apply for the M-1 visa, you need to apply and get admission at an approved institution like Dade Institute of Technology that is qualified to make you eligible for the M-1 visa. After you get accepted, the school will register you into the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) and give you a Form I-20, Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant Student Status. An M-2 nonimmigrant is a foreign national who is the spouse or qualifying child of an M-1 student.
What is SEVP
The Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) is the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) program that administers the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS). SEVP provides approval and oversight to schools authorized to enroll F and M nonimmigrant students and gives guidance to both schools and students about the requirements for maintaining their status.
What is SEVIS
SEVIS is a web-based system for maintaining information on international nonimmigrant students and exchange visitors in the United States. It is the core technology for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in this critical mission.
What are your financial responsibilities?
To get the M-1 visa you should prove that you can cover your expenses while studying and living in the U.S. Your I-20 form contains an estimate of the expenses for one year, so you should submit financial documents that prove you have that amount readily available. If your dependents are also joining you in the U.S, your financial situation should be even better, proving that you can also finance their stay in the country.
M-1 Visa Application Process
These are the necessary steps you should take if you want to study in a vocational school in the U.S such as Dade Institute of Technology with an M-1 visa.
1- Contact Dade Institute of Technology to Get your I-20 Form
After you are accepted into Dade Institute of Technology, we will give you the I-20 form. With that form, you can initiate the application process.
2- Submit DS-160 form online
Your DS-160 form is the first form that you have to submit online. You should fill in all the necessary information which are relevant to your background, objectives in the U.S and your program of study. At the end when you submit the form, you will get a confirmation code and page which you will need later on for the interview and document file.
3- Pay the visa application fee
The visa application fee for the M-1 visa is $160. This is a non-refundable fee which means that even if you don’t get the visa, you will not get the money back. Besides this fee, there might be additional fees depending on the Embassy that you are applying in. If you are from specific countries, you might also have to pay a visa issuance or reciprocity fee, which is determined by the U.S Embassy. Keep the receipts which prove you have paid all fees.
4- Pay the SEVIS I-901 fee
Since all international students in the U.S are registered in SEVIS, there is also a fee which needs to be paid. The SEVIS I-901 fee for the M-1 visa is $200. You should pay and keep the receipt as you will need it later.
5- Schedule your interview
You will have to schedule an interview for your visa appointment. Try to do this as early as possible, since U.S Embassies have a high workload and it might take a while for them to find you an appointment. After you schedule the interview, you will get your interview appointment letter which you need to attach to your documents file.
6- Compile your document file
Your document file should be completed with all necessary forms. You should have it with you when you go to your visa appointment. The file should contain the following:
· A valid passport for 6 more months after the expiration of your visa.
· Your DS-160 confirmation page.
· Your visa appointment letter.
· Receipts which prove you have paid your fees.
· Your original I-20 form and one copy.
· Proof of your educational qualifications such as:
o Degrees and diplomas.
o Transcripts.
o Standardized test scores, etc.
· Proof of your financial stability, such as:
o Bank statements for the last 3 years.
o Tax information for the last 3 years.
o Loans to finance your stay in the U.S (if applicable).
o Scholarship for your education in the U.S, provide all relevant information (if applicable).
o If you will be supported by an individual in the U.S, submit Form I-134, Affidavit of Support and the person’s bank and tax return information for the last 3 years.
7- Attend your interview
Finally, attend your visa interview. Have all of your documents ready and be prepared to answer the interview questions. The M-1 visa interview questions will revolve around your intentions for going to the U.S, your financial situation, and the ties to your home country. If you are bringing dependents, such as a spouse or children, you will also be asked to prove the relationship to them.