🇮🇳 India → 🇺🇸 United States: Entry Requirements
F-1 visa required before travel — admission and a Form I-20 come first, then the SEVIS fee, DS-160 and an interview.
✓ Verified · 7 November 2026
| Requirement | What the official source says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Visa | F-1 student visa required before travel Indian passport holders going to a US university or college need an F-1 visa before travel. You cannot study on a visitor (B) visa or under the Visa Waiver Program. |
travel.state.gov — Student Visa Checked 7 November 2026 |
| First step: admission & Form I-20 | Admission to a SEVP-approved school, then Form I-20 The process starts with the school, not the visa: apply to a SEVP-approved school; if it accepts you, it registers you in SEVIS and issues your Form I-20. Only with the I-20 in hand can you apply for the visa. |
travel.state.gov — Student Visa Checked 7 November 2026 |
| SEVIS I-901 fee | Pay the I-901 SEVIS fee before your visa interview A separate federal fee that funds the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) and SEVIS — it is not part of the visa application fee. Pay it online at fmjfee.com after your Form I-20 is issued and before your interview, and keep the printed payment confirmation. This site describes the step, not the amount — confirm the current figure on the payment site before you pay. |
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) — I-901 SEVIS Fee Checked 7 November 2026 |
| How you apply | Form DS-160 online, then an interview in most cases Complete the DS-160 online and print the confirmation page, pay the visa application fee, then schedule and attend an interview at the U.S. Embassy or a consulate in India. The post’s own instructions govern fee payment and booking. |
travel.state.gov — Student Visa Checked 7 November 2026 |
| Visa application fee | $185 The non-petition-based nonimmigrant application processing fee; the F student category sits in this tier. The fee is non-refundable, including after a refusal. |
travel.state.gov — Fees for Visa Services Checked 7 November 2026 |
| Documents for the interview | Passport, Form I-20, DS-160 confirmation, fee receipt, photo Take a passport valid for at least six months beyond your period of stay, your signed Form I-20, the DS-160 confirmation page, the application fee payment receipt, and a printed photo if the DS-160 upload failed. The officer may also ask for academic records and test scores, evidence of how you will pay all educational, living and travel costs, and evidence of your intent to depart after your course. |
travel.state.gov — Student Visa Checked 7 November 2026 |
| Interview | An interview is required in most cases A consular officer interviews you to decide whether you qualify for the visa; ink-free digital fingerprint scans are taken as part of the application process. |
travel.state.gov — Student Visa Checked 7 November 2026 |
| Timing & interview waits | Apply early — a new student’s visa can be issued up to 365 days before the course starts Wait times for interview appointments vary by location, season and visa category, so apply early — our Visa Wait Times page carries the State Department’s current estimates for the India posts. You may not enter the United States on the student visa more than 30 days before the start date on your Form I-20. |
travel.state.gov — Student Visa Checked 7 November 2026 |
Free tool
Turn this route into a preparation checklist: Destination Ready — 🇮🇳 India → 🇺🇸 United States Student (F-1).
Guides for this route
- F-1 Visa Preparation for Indian Students: Application to Arrival
- F-1 Visa Documents Checklist: Required and Supporting Evidence
- DS-160 Guide for F-1 Students: Completing the Online Visa Application Form
- F-1 Visa Appointments in India: Checking Availability and Planning
Corrections & updates
- 7 November 2026 — Cell created from passage-level reads of travel.state.gov (Student Visa; Fees for Visa Services) and ICE’s I-901 SEVIS fee page on the day. The I-901 fee is described as a step only — its amount is never printed on this site.
- 7 November 2026 — Round 79: Destination Ready checklist added — every step traces to this cell’s verified records (round-78 claim table); the I-901 step states the mechanism only, as everywhere on this site.
General information only. This guide is based on official sources publicly available and checked on the date shown on this page. Visa rules change, and consular and USCIS officers decide every case on its own facts — nothing here is a confirmation or a guarantee for your individual case, and this is not legal advice. Always confirm the current requirement on the official page linked in this guide before you act, and consider a qualified immigration attorney for your specific situation.