World of Embassy

Visa Information
Family-Sponsored Immigrants: Persons are immediate relatives of US citizens and lawfully admitted permanent resident aliens are limited to a total of 480,000 visas per year. Immediate Relatives as listed above are included in this number, as are preference relatives. (However, there is no upper limit on the number of visas which may be issued to immediate relatives.) Preference relatives receive all of the visas not used by immediate relatives, but in no case less than 226,000 visas per year.

Student Visa Information:

Persons renewing their student visas must present full course transcripts.

Students must at all times successfully complete 12 semester hours per semester, otherwise they are in the United States illegally and risk being deported.

Your spouse and unmarried children (under age 21) are eligible to receive visas to accompany you to the United States. The visas will be of the same category of the principal applicant’s and the fees will be the same. Applicants will have to provide evidence of the relationship when applying for the visas (e.g. marriage or birth certificate). If the family applies for a visa without the principal applicant, they should bring a copy of the principal applicant’s I-20 or DS-2019 on which accompanying family members should have been noted.

F-1 students may accept on-campus employment but spouses may NOT engage in work or full-time study with dependent visas. The French status of concubinage is not recognized as marriage under US law, therefore, persons in this status are not eligible to receive dependent visas.

A student visa is not required IF the applicant is travelling to the US primarily for tourism but will incidentally attend school less than 18 hours per week (less than 12 for universities) or take a course lasting less than five weeks. Those who attend recreational schools such as tennis or golf camps do not need a student visa.

Persons with I-20 or DS-2019 forms dated from September 1, 2004 must also pay the SEVIS (Student and Exchange Visitor Information System) fee.

The fee is US$100. Certain short-term exchange visitors (au pairs, summer work/travel and camp counselors) pay a reduced fee of US$35. Individuals participating in a U.S. government sponsored J-1 program (program number prefixes starting with G-1, G-2, or G-3) are exempt from the fee.

List Of Holidays 2005