Visa Tips
What an unmarried RJC J3 must provide:
The simplest things you'll have to get:
- Application fee
- Passport-size photo taken within the past 6 months
- I-20 form – your college will send you a personalized one
From Singaporean authorities:
US State Department forms you need to complete:
Evidence of financial resources — Who is supporting you?
EITHER: Evidence that you have accepted a scholarship;
OR: Letter from parents stating that they will provide support for your studies in the US ;
OR: Sponsor (if other than the above) must complete an affidavit of support witnessed by a notary public or commissioner of oaths. Affidavit should state specifically (1) the relationship between the sponsor and the student and (2) the kind of financial evidence used to demonstrate support.
Evidence of financial resources — can sponsor afford it?
You must show evidence that your sponsor has sufficient funds immediately available to meet all expenses of the first year of study, as well as sufficient income to fund subsequent years of study.
EITHER: Letter from the sponsor's bank, specifically citing (1) the accounts maintained, (2) current balances, and (3) the average monthly balance over the past year;
OR: Bank passbooks or monthly statements of sponsor.
Tips on getting started with the visa application
There are several ways to submit your forms (including I-20 and supporting documentation):
Through a travel agent, then wait for a letter notifying you of your interview appointment.
Mail them directly to the embassy, then wait for that letter.
Go in person to the embassy. You will be told when to come back for an interview.
Apply early, as soon as you receive your I-20 form. Visas can take more than a month to clear nowadays, because your information has to go back to the US to be keyed in before you can get your visa in Singapore .
Arriving early for a holiday in Disneyland before school starts? Then apply for a visitor visa at the same time as your student visa. You do not need a visitor visa if you're just arriving two weeks early for Orientation. Note that your parents can probably enter under the Visa Wavier program
Your visa interview.
The consular officer may not issue a student visa unless satisfied that the applicant: (1) has a residence abroad, (2) has no intention of abandoning that residence, and (3) intends to depart from the United States upon completion of the course of study.
What exactly is your interviewer looking for?
You have strong family ties in your home country (or at least somewhere outside the US ). You are going to have to work harder to prove this if your brothers and sisters are already studying overseas. If you are a foreign scholar in Singapore , immigrations officers may not be convinced about your intentions to return to China or even Singapore since you have already spent so long away from your family.
You will be able to find a job after graduation in your home country (or at least somewhere outside the US ). So research your job prospects very thoroughly: read the classifieds, go to job fairs, talk to companies. If your degree makes it difficult to find a job in your field outside the US , you'll have to do your planning extra well to be convincing.
Some final advice
Don't be afraid to speak up and explain yourself. Students are sometimes denied visas just because they were too panicked to remember something that would have helped their case.
Above all, APPLY EARLY so you have the chance to try again. A different officer will review your application. You can apply as many times as you like — just make sure your career plans are better next time round!
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