Embassy of the United States

Non-Immigrant Visas

Student/Exchange Visas

The U.S. Embassy in Abu Dhabi accepts applications from individuals intending to travel to the United States for educational purposes or exchange programs, who are resident in the emirate of Abu Dhabi, and who already possess an I-20 or DS-2019 on a walk-in basis, without an appointment at 8:00 a.m. on Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday (excluding holidays). Please be advised that an application for a student or exchange visa is not a guarantee that a visa will be issued. Approval is determined at the time of the personal interview by a consular officer. In addition, some cases may require administrative processing that may delay issuance.

Applicants should follow the instructions provided in our General Instructions page. Additionally, applicants for student and exchange visas must provide the following items at the time of the visa interview:

1. Proof of SEVIS fee payment: Persons applying for student and exchange visitor visas (‘F’, ‘M’, and ‘J’ visas) with I-20 or DS-2019 forms with an issuance date of September 1, 2004, or later are required to pay a $100 SEVIS surcharge fee before applying for their visa. Applicants must present their I-901 receipt as proof of payment. For more information, please visit our SEVIS fee web page.
2. F visa applicants: a completed Form I-20A-B Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant Student Status for Academic and Language Students, issued by the U.S. academic institution. The form must also be signed by you and by a school official in the appropriate places. Please provide the original and a copy.
3. M visa applicants: a completed, signed Form I-20M-N Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant Student Status for Vocational Students, issued by the U.S. academic institution. Please provide the original and a copy.
4. J visa applicants: a completed, signed Form DS-2019 Certification of Eligibility for Exchange Visitor, issued by the U.S. academic institution. Please provide the original and a copy.
5. Both the primary applicant and each of his/her dependents must FULLY complete FORM DS-158: Contact Information and Work History for Nonimmigrant Visa Applicant. The form must be fully completed, i.e. list ALL family members required by the form (spouse, children, parents, brothers and sisters) and all employment experiences.
6. All student applicants must provide proof of financial resources to meet the cost of schooling, such as parents’ bank statements or scholarship awards.
7. All student visa applicants, including continuing and transferring students, should be prepared to provide recent transcripts, TOEFL results, and/or standardized test scores, if requested.
8. A certified copy of your grades from the school in which you are currently or last enrolled.
9. An applicant for a student visa should be prepared to explain his/her reasons for studying in the United States, including post graduation plans. A student visa is not permission to work or remain in the United States following completion of your studies.
10. Spouses and minor children accompanying the student to the United States should bring marriage certificates and birth certificates with them to the interview, to prove the relationship between themselves and the principal applicant. It is preferred that families apply for visas at the same time, but if the spouse and children must apply separately at a later time, they should bring a copy of the primary visa holder’s passport and visa, along with all other required documents.

More information on Student Visas

If you are going to the U.S. primarily for tourism, but want to take a short course of study of less than 18 hours per week, you may be able to do so on a tourist visa. However, if your course of study is more than 18 hours a week, you will need a student visa. Please read this information for general information on how to apply for an F1 or M1 student visa.

Keep in mind that June, July, and August are the busiest months in most consular sections, and interview appointments are the most difficult to get during that period. Students need to plan ahead to avoid having to make repeat visits to the Embassy. To the extent possible, students should bring the documents suggested below, as well as any other documents that might help establish their ties to the local community.

Changes introduced shortly after September 11, 2001 involve extensive and ongoing review of visa issuing practices as they relate to our national security. It is important to apply for your visa well in advance of your travel departure date.

When Do I Need to Apply for My Student Visa?

Students are encouraged to apply for their visa early to provide ample time for visa processing. Students may apply for their visa as soon as they are prepared to do so.

The consular officer may need to get special clearances depending on the course of study and nationality of the student. This can take some additional time. For more information on applicants who may have additional processing requirements see Special Processing Requirements.

Students should note that the Embassy is able to issue your student visa 90 days or less, in advance of the course of study registration date. If you apply for your visa more than 90 days prior to your start date or registration date as provided on the Form I-20, the Embassy will hold your application until it is able to issue the visa. Consular officials will use that extra time to accomplish any of the necessary special clearances or other processes that may be required.

Students are advised of the Department of Homeland Security regulation which requires that all initial or beginning students enter the U.S. 30 days or less in advance of the course of study start/report date as shown on the Form I-20. Please consider this date carefully when making travel plans to the U.S.

A student who wants to an earlier entry in the U.S. (more than 30 days prior to the course start date), must qualify for, and obtain a visitor visa. A prospective student notation will be shown on his/her visitor visa and the traveler will need to make the intent to study clear to the U.S. immigration inspector at port of entry. Before beginning any studies, he or she must obtain a change of classification, filing Form I-506, Application for Change of Nonimmigrant Status, and also submit the required Form I-20 to the Department of Homeland Security office where the application is made. Please be aware that there is an additional fee of $140 for this process, and that one may not begin studies until the change of classification is approved.

For the issuance of a student visa, United States Law requires that the applicant have a residence abroad that will not be abandoned. This residence is usually established by showing ties to the home country. You should be prepared to present evidence of your ties, if requested. Such ties may include proof of employment, proof of ownership of a business or property, and a bank statement. Presentation of such documents will not ensure the issuance of a visa.

How long may I stay on my F-1 student visa?

When you enter the United States on a student visa, you will usually be admitted for the duration of your student status. That means you may stay as long as you are a full time student, even if the F-1 visa in your passport expires while you are in America. For a student who has completed the course of studies shown on the I-20, and any authorized practical training, the student is allowed the following additional time in the U.S. before departure:

• F-1 student - An additional 60 days, to prepare for departure from the U.S. or to transfer to another school.
• M-1 student - An additional 30 days to depart the U.S. (Fixed time period, in total not to exceed one year). The 30 days to prepare for departure is permitted as long as the student maintained a full course of study and maintained status. An M student may receive extensions up to three years for the total program.

As an example regarding duration of status, if you have a visa that is valid for five years that will expire on January 1, 2001, and you are admitted into the U.S. for the duration of your studies (often abbreviated in your passport or on your I-94 card as "D/S"), you may stay in the U.S. as long as you are a full time student. Even if January 1, 2001 passes and your visa expires while in America, you will still be in legal student status. However, if you depart the U.S. with an expired visa, you will need to obtain a new one before being able to return to America and resume your studies. A student visa cannot be renewed or re-issued in the United States; it must be done at an Embassy or Consulate abroad.

Public School

There are certain restrictions on attending public school in the U.S. Persons who violate these restrictions may not receive another visa for a period of five years.

The restrictions apply only to students holding F-1 visas. They do not apply to students attending public school on derivative visas, such as F-2, J-2 or H-4 visas. The restrictions also do not apply to students attending private schools on F-1 visas.

The restrictions are:

Students who attend public high schools in the U.S. are limited to twelve months of study. Public school attendance in the U.S. prior to November 30, 1996 does not count toward this limit.

F-1 visas can no longer be issued to attend public elementary or middle schools (Kindergarten - 8th grade) or publicly-funded adult education programs.

Before an F-1 visa for a public school can be issued, the student must show that the public school in the U.S. has been reimbursed for the full, unsubsidized per capita cost of the education as calculated by the school. Reimbursement may be indicated on the I-20. Consular officers may request copies of canceled checks and/or receipts confirming the payment as needed.