Types of US Student Visa

Many international students choose the United States as their study destination, which is famous for its brilliant educational institutes, thousands of academic programs, and unmatched flexibility. They enjoy freedom in exploring their careers because, in the US institutes, they typically are not required to declare a major until the end of their second year, plus, in addition to their core subjects, they are allowed to take other disciplines. Furthermore, the degrees or diplomas that they receive can help them get highly valued jobs anywhere in the world. These benefits are just the tip of the iceberg that attracts international students toward the US. However, before going and studying there, international students typically have to apply for a US student visa whose category generally depends upon the type of their study program. In the US, there are F, M, or J student visa categories, the brief information of which is given below.

F Student Visa

Most of the international students who are aspiring to study in the US need to apply under F Student Visa category to pursue an academic program at an accredited US university or college. It has types i.e. F-1, F-2, F-3 visas.

• F-1 visa is intended for students who want to study full-time in the USA. With an F-1 visa, students can work on-campus for 20 hours or less. However, to work off-Campus, they will require permission from the USCIS (US Citizenship and Immigration Services).
• F-2 visa is intended for dependents or a spouse of the F1 visa holder.
• F-3 Visa is meant for students from Mexico and Canada.

M Student Visa

The M visa category is for those international students who want to pursue a non-academic or vocational study program in the US. Like F-1 Visa, M student visa also has M-1, M-2, and M-3 types.

• M-1 visa is intended for those international students who want to study a vocational or non-academic course for a limited time. It does not allow them to work both on and off-campus, further, may not be able to change it to an F-1 visa.
• M-2 visa category is similar to the F-2 visa category and is intended for a spouse or dependents.
• M-3 Visa is intended for students from bordering countries.

J Student Visa

The J visa category is for international exchange visitors who participate in US programs that promote cultural exchange. Like F and M category, it has a J-2 visa type but not J-3. J-1 visa is intended for individuals who participate in work and study-based exchange programs.

• J-2 visa category is similar to the F-2 and M-2 visa category and is intended for a spouse or dependents.

As mentioned above, most of the international students will require to apply for an F-1 Visa. In addition to an F-1 visa, there are many other formalities that students have to complete to study in the US, such as I20 form, bank statement with adequate funds, academic records, etc. Failing to complete them may result in visa delays or visa refusal. If you, too, are planning to study in the US, then It is advisable to you that you take the help of our experienced US visa expert. We have been providing student visa services for more than 15 years, and more than 30,000 students have taken our services. Be assured that you will get the best US student visa assistance.