There is a common misperception today that it is hard to obtain a US visa. In reality, it is easy to obtain a US student visa if you are honest and prepared. Each year, between 10,000 - 20,000 student visas are issued to people in Kenya alone! Most visa request refusals occur because individuals do not present truthful information or because they are unprepared. The following suggestions are given to assist you when you go for your student visa interview.

Apply early!
You may apply for a student visa no earlier than 90 days before your intended date of beginning your studies in the USA. As soon as you have your necessary paperwork and you are within the 90 day restriction, go ahead and apply for your visa. Contact the consular section of the nearest US Embassy. Use the link to the right to locate the nearest embassy. The busiest times for visa processing are November to January and July to August. Be prepared for longer waits during these months.

Be prepared
You only have several minutes to convince the US Consular officer at the Embassy of your legitimate need for a student visa. Do your research before arriving. Know about the school you will be attending, basic information about the city, and the names of the professors under whom you will be studying. Know your career objectives and goals, and how studying in the USA will help you fulfill those goals. Be able to explain why you chose a particular university for your studies.

Bring appropriate documentation to your interview
As already stated, you only have several minutes for your student visa interview. You will need to have all necessary documentation with you including:

• Completed I20 form
  If you have been accepted to several schools, only bring the one I20 form from the University at which you will be studying. Be sure a university official has signed it, as well as yourself.
   
• Completed DS-156 Visa Application
  To complete this form online or to print a copy, go to the Download Visa Applications link to the right.
   
• Valid Passport
  It must be at least six months valid from the indended date of return from the United States.
   
• Evidence of your academic preparation
  This should include documents such as:
  • National examination certificates
  • TOEFL certificate
  • SAT Score Report
  • School transcripts and leaving/graduation cerficates
  NOTE: Even if the school you are attending does not require the TOEFEL or other standardized tests such as the SAT, not taking these tests may lead the Consular Officer to believe you are not serious about your studies, and hence lead to your request being refused.
   
• Evidence of sufficient funds
  These documents should prove your ability to pay for your entire first year expenses, as well as how you plan on paying for additional years of study.
  • Notarized affidavit of suppor from the sponsor with a written statement explaining why they wish to support you
  • Proof of the sponsor's income and investments as well as original bank statements for the past 12 months of the sponsor
  • Scholarship or financial aid confirmation letters
   
• Additional documentation including standard 2 inch by 2 inch passport photograph. For a complete list of required documents, see the official US government page on Visa Application Requirements that is linked to on the right. Also note that there is a $100 (US dollars) non-refundable cost that you must pay when you apply for a student visa.

Be completely truthful!
Consular officers interview hundreds of students each week, and are very good at detecting when a person is not truthful. Lying to the officer or presenting fraudulant documents may lead to your arrest or being permanently banned from entry to the USA. US embassies have a very effective fraud document detection center and officers know when ndividuals are lying. They now have in place a fingerprint scan. If you are dishonest once, the likelihood of ever being able to go to the USA is very low.

Other suggestions
Americans rely heavily on eye contact and body posture to judge a person. In your interview with a consular official, sit upright, be confident, and make good eye contact (even if that is not part of your culture's acceptable norms). These small steps will help you greatly.

The bottom line...
The bottom line is that the USA does want to grant study visas. However, you must convince the interviewer that you do not intend on permanently staying in the USA. Many visas are refused because the person applying is intending on staying the USA after completing their schoolwork, or not studying at all and just using the student visa to gain access to the country. If you are a legitimate student who plans on eventually returning home, you have nothing to fear. Just tell the truth, be prepared, and be confident!