Obtaining a Student Visa
Most international students living outside the U.S. need a student visa to enter the country. This page provides information on how to obtain the appropriate visa status (F-1 or J-1).
Immigration Documents (I-20 or DS-2019)
The Office for International Programs (OIP) helps international students obtain the immigration documents necessary to apply for a student visa. Before OIP can assist you, you must be admitted to Loyola University Chicago.
To apply for the F-1 student visa, you will need a form I-20 certificate of eligibility. The DS-2019 is necessary if you wish to apply for a J-1 student exchange visitor visa. If you are not sure what kind of visa is appropriate for you, please contact us.
There are several pieces of information we need from you before we can issue your document.
Financial Proof
First, OIP must check your financial documents to verify that you are financially eligible to enroll at Loyola. You need to prove that you already have enough money for tuition and living expenses for a period of 12 months, with the understanding that you will be able to fund your entire education at Loyola.
The financial proof may take the form of an original bank statement or a letter from any agency, government or employer offering to cover your tuition and living expenses. You may also receive financial support from a family member or another source. To determine the amount of support you need for your particular program of study, please contact us.
If you will receive support from a family member or another sponsor, you must provide a letter from the sponsor stating that they will pay your educational expenses. You must also provide an original bank statement from your sponsor for the current academic year, showing an amount to cover at least a year of tuition and living expenses. This is a non-negotiable requirement of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service and must be shown before OIP can issue an I-20 or DS-2019 form.
Bank statements must be originals, written in English and converted into U.S. dollars. We will not accept any statement that is over 6 months old.
Personal Information
In addition to financial documents, please submit to our office the following information:
- Your complete name as it appears on your passport
- Complete mailing address & phone number
- Country of citizenship
- Country and city of birth
- Date of birth
- Home country address if different from mailing address
- Your e-mail address
- Dependent information (accompanying family members)
If you are bringing dependent family members in F-2 or J-2 status with you to the U.S., you must provide financial evidence that you will be able to support them. In addition to providing financial verification for your own education and living expenses, you will also need to provide financial verification in the amount of $5,600 for a spouse and $3,800 for each child.
OIP will also need personal information about any dependent family members in F-2 or J-2 status, including full name, date of birth, city/country of birth, country of citizenship and relationship to you.
You may send all of the above required documents and information to the following address:
Office for International Programs
Loyola University Chicago
6525 N. Sheridan Rd.
Chicago, IL 60626
U.S.A.
Alternatively, your dependents may apply for F-2 visas and enter the U.S. at a later date. For more information about that process, please see Dependents in F-2 Status.
Application Procedures
Upon receiving your I-20 or DS-2019, you will need to do the following:
- Sign and date the I-20 at Line 11 or the DS-2019 at the bottom of page one
- Follow instructions for pre-payment of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security SEVIS Fee, which must be paid before your visa appointment
- Take the I-20 or DS-2019, your passport (valid for at least 6 months), your admission letter and proof of your finances to the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate. Some embassies require you to make an appointment in advance. Please contact the embassy or consular office directly for more information.
- If your dependents will join you at the consulate to apply for F-2 visas, you will also need to bring their unexpired passports and I-20s, proof of your financial capability to support them while in the U.S., and proof of your relationship to them, e.g., marriage certificate translated into English, proof of birth for dependent children
- When you apply for the F-1 student visa or J-1 exchange visitor visa, you should be able to prove to the U.S. consular official that you intend to return to your home country after you complete your degree. Such proof may consist of a job offer in your home country, immediate family in your home country, a bank account or property that you own in your home country. For more information about this process, please see Visa Tips.
- If the consular officer hands you documents in a sealed envelope, do not open it. You may be asked for these documents at the time of your entry to the U.S.
Please do not use the B-2 tourist/visitor visa or the Visa Waiver Program to enter the United States. Students entering the U.S. on the Visa Waiver Program may stay in the U.S. only 90 days and may not change their status or extend their stay. People who enter the U.S. using the B-2 tourist/visitor visa are only allowed to stay in the U.S. for a short period of time and are not eligible for any form of employment.
According to government immigration regulations, it is not legal to begin a course of study in the U.S. on a B-2 visa. Intending students cannot begin their studies until they apply for and receive a change of status from visitor to student. Changing status may be difficult after arriving in the U.S.