The M1 visa is a nonimmigrant visa for international students who wish to pursue a course of study that is not principally academic in nature at an established vocational or other recognized nonacademic institution such as a post secondary vocational or business school.
You can enter the U.S. as a fulltime vocational student
B.
You can legally work part-time on campus. You may also work off campus if necessary (with prior approval from the USCIS)
C.
You can freely travel in and out of the U.S. while on a valid visa
D.
Your dependents can live with you as long as you maintain your M1 status
E.
M1 visas are issued quickly
II.
Requirements for the M1 Visa
To qualify for a student visa, you must prove that:
A.
You have successfully completed a course of study normally required for enrollment
B.
You have been accepted for a full course of study by a vocational institution approved by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). The institution must send you a Form I-20M-N, certificate of eligibility for nonimmigrant (M1) student status for vocational students
C.
You are sufficiently proficient in English to pursue the intended course of study, or the school you intend to attend has made special arrangements to teach you the English language
D.
You have sufficient funds to cover the first year of study, and access to sufficient funds to cover subsequent years
E.
You have a permanent residence in your home country, which you do not intend to abandon
F.
You intend to depart the U.S. upon completion of the course of study. You may establish this by presenting evidence of economic, social and/or family ties in your homeland sufficient to induce you to leave the U.S. upon completion of studies
G.
Your proposed education in the U.S. would be useful in your homeland, and therefore induce you to leave the U.S. upon completion of studies
III.
The Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS)
The Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) system replaces the Interim Student and Exchange Authentication System (ISEAS), which the Department of State had been using since mid-2002. All new I-20s and DS-2019s dated after February 15, 2003, must be created within the SEVIS system.
The purpose of SEVIS is to monitor the visa adjudication process and oversee the academic career of foreign students and their dependants who enter the U.S. using an M1 or M-2 visa.
Under the SEVIS guidelines, the student's proposed U.S. school must submit specific information electronically before a student visa may be issued. The required information is:
A.
The full name of the student
B.
Date and place of birth of the student
C.
Nationality/Citizenship of the student. The school's code/program number
D.
The school/program name
This information can only be entered by the U.S. schools - students cannot enter the information on their own behalf.
