Visa Application

Parents & Families
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Apply For Your Visa

Applying for a student visa can feel overwhelming, but you don't have to navigate it alone. Our team is here to guide you through the process, answer your questions, and help you understand the requirements so you can focus on preparing for your academic journey.

1

Get Admitted to EWU

Apply for admission, submit the required documents to complete your application, and be admitted to EWU before you apply for your visa.

Apply Now

2

Confirm Acceptance to EWU

Once you have been admitted to EWU and are ready to join the Eagle family, confirm your acceptance and pay your confirmation fee. This lets us know that you are committed to enroll at EWU.

Confirm Your Enrollment

3

Contact EWU's Global Office to Get Your I-20

Contact EWU Global and our International Student Advisor/SEVIS Coordinator, Jamal Benhamou, at jbenhamou@ewu.edu to start your I-20 and begin the visa application process. You will be required to submit official financial statements to show proof of your financial ability. 

  • Statements must provide evidence of your ability to cover Certificate of Eligibility (I-20) Requirements for the first academic year.
  • Statements must be less than six months old.
  • Statements must be in English or sent with an official certified translation.
  • Statements must show either a savings account or bank draft account.
  • If a sponsor is supporting your studies in the United States, your sponsor must submit financial statements.
  • Statements must clearly show the name of the student or the student’s parent, guardian or sponsor.
  • All government-issued financial guarantee or sponsor letters must be addressed to EWU.

Documents you should not send as proof of financial ability
These documents will not be accepted as official:

  • Tax forms
  • Statements from investment funds (stocks, bonds, mutual funds, brokerage account, etc.)
  • Letters from employers
  • Your credit card limit

Supporting Documents
If your education will be paid for by a parent, guardian or sponsor, they will be required to sign an affidavit of support acknowledging that fact.

To get an idea of the financial statement requirements you will need, visit our international tuition fees page.

4

Pay the SEVIS Fee

The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) requires F-1 and J-1 visa applicants to pay a one-time fee for administration and maintenance costs of the Student and Exchange Information System (SEVIS). You must pay the fee at least three business days before you apply for your visa.

Here’s how to pay online:

  • Find the Form I-901 at the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement website.
  • Complete the form online and pay by credit card (Be sure to write your name exactly as it appears on your I-20 form).
  • Print a copy of the online receipt.
  • Make copies of your receipt and keep it with your other important immigration documents.
5

Submit Visa Application and Schedule Interview

You should apply for your visa at least 60 to 90 days before you plan to travel. You must also submit the DS-160 online nonimmigrant visa application form before your visa interview.  To access the form and to review the frequently asked questions, visit travel.state.gov. You may also be able to access the application form through the consulate or embassy website.

After you have completed the DS-160, print the confirmation page with the barcode. You will need to bring this confirmation page with you to your visa interview.

What to Bring for Your Visa Interview

It is important to gather all of the documents needed for your visa interview before you go to the embassy or consulate. You will need to check with the embassy or consulate in your area for a full list of required documents, but here is a list of commonly required documents to get you started:

  • Passport: Must be valid for at least six months beyond your period of stay in the U.S.
  • I-20 form: Signed by the P/DSO
  • I-901 SEVIS payment receipt
  • DS-160 application confirmation page
  • Letter of Admission to Eastern Washington University
  • Financial documents: Must show that you have sufficient funds to cover your expenses during your time in the U.S. Usually, financial documents must be originals and issued by the bank or institution.
  • Social Media: Must make social media profiles public prior to your visa interview.

What to Expect in the Interview

In general, F-1 non-immigrant visa interviews are very short. The consular officer will ask questions to determine whether you are qualified to receive the visa and review the documents that you bring and any information in the government database.

The F-1 visa is a non-immigrant visa, which means that you will need to show that you intend to return to your home country after your program is completed. It is your responsibility to prove that you will return home after your program by showing Home Country Ties. The following are examples of Home Country Ties:

  • Employment in your home country
  • Family residing in your home country
  • Community ties in your home country
  • Property that you own in your home country

Note: A round-trip airplane ticket by itself may be insufficient to show Home Country Ties.

Fingerprinting: Ink-free, digital fingerprint scans will be taken as part of your application process. They are usually taken during your interview, but this may vary based on location.

Administrative Processing: In some cases, the consular office may require additional time to review your application. If your application is given administrative processing, please contact EWU as soon as possible. There is no definite timeframe for administrative processing, and it is important to work with us while the consulate is conducting the review of your application.

Visa Approval: When the visa is approved, you may need to pay a visa issuance fee if one applies to your nationality. When your visa is issued, all students will be required to pay a $250 visa integrity fee. You will be informed how your passport with visa will be returned to you. You can also find information on picking up your passport on the US Department of State travel website: travel.state.gov.

Double-check: Check your visa carefully to make sure that it has the correct program and biographical information. If the information is incorrect, contact the consulate or embassy immediately.

*To learn more about the interview process, please contact EWU Global Student Services at global@ewu.edu.

You Have Your Visa—Now What?

Contact EWU Global and let us know that you received your visa and what your travel plans are. Please note that you cannot enter the United States prior to 30 days before the program start date on your I-20.

Register for your classes before arrival. If you haven’t talked to our Center for Academic Advising and Retention (CAAR) yet, you will need to do that in order to register for classes.

What To Do if Your Visa Is Denied

  1. Notify EWU immediately. Please contact Global Student Services at global@ewu.edu or 509.359.4868.
  2. If it’s your first visa application, you should always re-apply.
  3. Contact your consulate for special re-application instructions. You may have to wait before you can re-apply.

The SEVIS fee will not be refunded. However, if you re-apply for a new F-1 visa within 12 months of the denial, you will not have to pay the fee again.

Be prepared to show additional evidence or explain in a different way how your situation has changed since the first application. Think again about your ties to your home country. These might include family relationships, job, home or farm ownership, or other commitments. Is there any additional evidence that you could present? Did you explain your situation clearly? Did you answer all the questions?

You can learn more about visa denials at the U.S. Department of State. 

Frequently Asked Questions

No. At this time the SEVIS fee can only be processed by the Department of Homeland Security online.

The SEVIS fee is not required when transferring schools, changing to another degree program or level, requesting a program extension, renewing an F-1 visa or using F-1 program benefits such as practical training. If you are in status when you travel internationally and are not physically outside of the United States for more than five months, you will not be required to pay the fee.

F-2 dependents do not have to pay the fee.

Yes, but you must submit the I-20 form with the SEVIS ID number that you listed on the I-901 form with you to the U.S. consulate/embassy. For change of status or reinstatement applications, please see the next question.

  • Obtain the appropriate Form I-20 from a DHS-approved school.
  • Pay the SEVIS fee online.
  • Submit DS-160 application to obtain the F-1 visa interview.