United States Consulate

In general any person interested in studying in the United States, has to apply for a student visa.

EXCEPTION: A B1/B2 business/tourist visa can be used to study in the United States only if the course of study is incidental to the tourist or business trip. Almost everyone going to study to the United States has to apply for a student visa. Before registering in an English course while on vacation in the United States, you should check with the school and see if the program requires a student visa or not.

Student visas are not issued for kids in public day care, public preschools, or public schools up to the 8th grade. This also applies to adult education that uses public funding. If you are interested in studying in any of those areas, the only option you have is to attend private schools.

PRIVATE HIGH SCHOOL / COLLEGE / POSTGRADUATE UNIVERSITY (F1)

The first thing you need to do is contact your school and request the I-20 (A-B) form. This form has to be completed and signed by the authorized school official. You cannot apply for a student visa without the I-20 form. If you have received the I-20 (A-B) form you can present it at the Consular Section, up to 120 days before your schooling begins. In general, an F-1 visa holder can enter the United States 30 days before the start of their classes and stay up to 60 days after they’ve completed their course of study.

You must pay the SEVIS fee before you go to your interview at the Consular Section. Your visa will not be approved if you don’t bring your SEVIS fee receipt.

VISA F2 (Spouses and underaged children of an F1 visa holder)

The spouse and single children under the age of 21 can apply for an F2 visa to accompany the holder of an F1 visa to the United States, unless they are going to enter the United States with another purpose, in which case they’ll have to apply for another type of visa.

Visa applications for family members should be submitted to the Consular Section at the same time as the principal applicant submits his/her application. The school will register the name of the principal applicant in the SEVIS system, as well as the name of any family members that will be traveling with him/her, in order to be able to generate an I-20 form for each one. Each family member must have their own I-20 form.

• In general, family members are not allowed to work;
• Children with derivative F2 visas are allowed to attend private or pubic schooling.

Requirements:

1. Demonstrate sufficient knowledge of English to allow the pursuit of the intended studies or, alternately, prove that the school will offer sufficient language training to permit you to pursue the intended studies;
2. Proof that you have sufficient funds to cover all the expenses for the first year of schooling and access to enough funds to cover the cost of the subsequent years of schooling, while in the United States;
3. Show satisfactory evidence of having a permanent residence outside the United States to which you have to present intent to return and that you have binding ties with Uruguay, that will compel you to leave the United States after your studies are completed.

Documentation:

1. The I-20 form (A-B) generated by the SEVIS system. This form must be completed and signed by the authorized school official and signed by the applicant. Each applicant must have their own I-20 form;
2. Academic transcripts or evidence of other qualifications, as required by the school;
3. Only for the principal applicant: Proof of payment of the SEVIS fee;
4. Applicants 16 years old and older only: A completed form DS-158, which covers contact information and work history;
5. Only for dependant applicants F2:
a. If the principal applicant is not applying at the same time: a copy of the principal applicant’s documents: copy of the principal applicant’s F1 visa and a letter from the exchange school stating that the principal applicant is currently attending classes at the school;
b. Proof of relationship, such as birth or marriage certificates;
6. General application documents.

Important Notes:

• University medical students do not need a student visa in order to carry out “voluntary clerkships” at a United States university hospital without remuneration from the hospital. They may apply for a visitor visa;

• If you are enrolled in a language course (up to 18 hours a week) while you are on vacation in the United States, you can qualify for a visitor visa. You should ask the school if the program you’re enrolled in requires you to apply for a student visa or not.

Information on reentry:

You can reenter the United States after a short absence of five months or less presenting the following: A valid passport; A valid student visa; A new I-20 form generated by SEVIS or the third page of the I-20 form properly endorsed for reentry, if your data is updated.

Information for Work:

You will not be able to work off campus during the first year at school. Nevertheless, if the University authorizes you to work on campus, you can do so. After your first year as a student, you may apply for a job off campus, as long as you have USCIS’s authorization. For further information, consult your student advisor.

PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOLS:

The first thing that you have to do is to contact the school and request the I-20 (A-B) form. This form has to be completed and signed by the authorized school official. You cannot apply for a student visa without the I-20 form. If you have received the I-20 (A-B) form, you can apply for a visa at the Consular Section, up to 120 days before your academic program starting date. An F-1 visa holder can enter the United States up to 30 days before the start of classes.

You have to pay the SEVIS fee before attending the visa interview at the Consular Section. Your visa will NOT be issued without the SEVIS fee payment receipt.

You need to know that the United States federal laws require you to pay for the full, unsubsidized per capita cost of education for your intended period of study. You should communicate with the school or superintendent of the school district to find out which is the total amount you’ll have to pay. Then make the payment and keep the original receipt. No student visas will be issued without this receipt. Some schools may tell you that they do not change the total amount to international students. Nevertheless, since immigration is a federal matter, you have to pay for the full, unsubsidized per capita cost of education for your intended period of study in the United States, in order to be eligible for a student visa;

Requirements:

1 Demonstrate sufficient knowledge of English to allow the pursuit of the intended studies or, alternately, prove that the school will offer sufficient language training to permit you to pursue the intended studies;

2. Proof that you have the access the means to pay for the full, unsubsidized per capita cost of education for your intended period of study while in the United States;

3. Show satisfactory evidence of having a permanent residence outside the United States to which you have the present intent to return and that you have binding ties with Uruguay, that will compel you to leave the United States after your studies are completed;

4. You may not accept a paid job while in the United States;

5. Do not attend a public high school for more than one year.

Documentation:

1. I-20 form, generated by the SEVIS system. Each student will need their own copy of this form. This form must be completed and signed by the appropriate school official;

2. Proof that of payment in full of the unsubsidized per capita cost of education for your intended period of study while in the United States. The I-20 form is not enough proof of payment.

3. Academic transcripts or evidence of other qualifications, as required by the school;

4. Only for the principal applicant: Proof of payment of the SEVIS fee;

5. Applicants 16 years old and older only: A completed form DS-158, which covers contact information and work history;

6. General application documents.

Important Notes:

• If you change schools before your first entry into the United States you have to apply for a new student visa with the I-20 form from the new school;

• If you have already started school and are changing schools you can return to the United States with the valid student visa you already have and the new I-20 form from the new school. Please take into account, that the immigration officer at the port of entry (POE) will be the one deciding if you may enter the United States or not (immigration officers may request that you get a new student visa in order to be able to reenter the United States, and for that reason we recommend students that are in this situation to apply for a new student visa before reentering the United States.).

• In general, F1 visa holders are able to enter the United States 30 days before their program starts and are authorized to stay up to 60 days after classes have ended.

Reentry information:

You can reenter the United States after a temporary absence of 5 months or less presenting the following: A valid passport; A valid student visa; A new I-20 form generated by SEVIS or the third page of the I-20 form properly endorsed for reentry, if your data is correct.

Frequently asked questions about student visas

1) When is it possible to utilize a business/tourism B-1/B-2 visa to study in the United States?

The business/tourism B-1/B-2 visa can be used to study only if your studying is incidental to your business or tourism trip to the United States. Most individuals wishing to study in the United States will have to apply for a student visa.

2) Can I attend a public primary and secondary school in the United States?

Due to a change in the 1996 legislation, student visas cannot be utilized to study at public primary schools. Foreign students can study up to one year in public secondary schools (within 9th and 12th grade). They should be able to show that they have paid for the full, unsubsidized per capita cost of education for their intended period of study in the United States;

3) What happens if I want to stay in the Unites States for a longer period of time than the one authorized by the Department of Homeland Security when I entered the country?

If you want to stay for longer the period of time than the authorized by DHS and stamped in your I-94 form, you will have to apply for an extension of stay with the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) in the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in the United States. If you stay longer than DHS permits without obtaining an extension of stay, you are may encounter difficulty in qualifying for a visa in the future.

4) I have a valid student visa but I wish to change schools. What should I do?

Those who have a valid student visa (F or M) decide to change university and have a new I-20 form from the new university, does not have to get a new student visa. Nevertheless, the student should report the change to the old university, the new one and to the (USCIS) United States Citizenship and Immigration Services.

If you have already started studying and have changed schools, you can return to the United States with the valid student visa you already have and the new I-20 form from the new school. Please take into account, that the immigration officer at the port of entry (POE) will be the one deciding if you may enter the United States or not (immigration officers may request that you get a new student visa in order to be able to reenter the United States, and for that reason we recommend students that are in this situation to apply for a new student visa before reentering the United States.).

5) I have a valid student visa and I wish to continue studying after my visa expires. Do I need to apply for another visa?

It depends. If you are staying in the United States until your studies are completed and continue studying after your student visa expires, you can do so as long as you get your new I-20 form in a timely manner. If you decide to return to Uruguay for some time, on vacation, etc. (for a period no longer than 5 months) and decide to return to the United States to continue studying, you will have to apply for a visa at the Consular Section in Montevideo, before returning to the United States. In order to do that, you’ll have to request an appointment date and time through our Visas Information Service.

It is often permitted for students to enter the United States for a period that’s called “duration of status” which means that while they continue studying in the United States and have their valid I-20 forms, they are considered in legal status, even though their visa has expired. It is important for you to know that if you leave the United States, you cannot reenter the country if your visa has expired, you will have to request a new visa.