If you would like to study as a full-time student in Saipan School, you will need an F-1 Visa (Academic Student). The F-1 Visa allows you to enter the United States as a full-time student at an accredited college, university, seminary, conservatory, academic high school, elementary school, or other academic institution or in a language training program. You must be enrolled in a program or course of study that culminates in a degree, diploma, or certificate and your school must be authorized by the U.S. government to accept international students.

· You must be attending an academic institution or a language-training program;
· You must be enrolled as a full-time student;
· The school must be approved by the USCIS (U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services)
to accept foreign students;
· You must show sufficient financial support to complete the study;
· You must prove that you do not intend to abandon your foreign residency.

1. Before you can apply at a U.S. embassy or consulate for an F-1 Visa, you must first apply to and be accepted at choosed School, a SEVP-approved (Student and Exchange Visitor Program) school. To be accepted, you must:

a. Complete the following forms:
i. Application for Admission (may be completed online)
ii. Application for Form I-20 (to be completed by student)
iii. Affidavit of Support (to be completed by sponsor/guardian)
iv. Application of Sponsorship of Foreign Student

b. Submit the following documents:
i. Official transcript and/or other evidence of academic qualification
ii. Original or certified copy of the student’s birth certificate
iii. Copy of the student’s valid passport with a minimum 18 months prior to
expiration
iv. Two current, color photo, size 2x2 of the student
v. Police clearance if the student is 18 years old or older and must have
been issued within the last 3 months
vi. Proof of maintenance of average bank balance of $3,000 (bank
certification or bank statements covering the preceding three
month period)
vii. Proof of medical insurance sufficient to cover $3,000 in medical
expenses of foreign student
viii. Notarized affidavit of guardianship (to be provided by parents)
ix. Copy of sponsor’s/guardian’s passport
x. Copy of sponsor’s/guardian’s Visa, if applicable
xi. Police clearance of sponsor/guardian which was issued within the
last three months

1.  When you are accepted at selected school, you will be enrolled in the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) and you will receive a Form I-20, Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant (F-1) Student Status. Before issuance of the Form I-20, payment of the entire registration fee must be made at the School Business Office.

2. You must pay the SEVIS I-901 Fee. Visit the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) website to learn more about SEVIS and the SEVIS I-901 Fee.


3. Complete the Online Visa Application: There are several steps to apply for a visa. The order of these steps and how you complete them may vary at the U.S. embassy or consulate where you apply. Please consult the instructions available on the embassy or consulate website where you intend to apply.


4. Schedule an interview: While interviews are generally not required for applicants of certain ages, consular officers have the discretion to require an interview of any applicant, regardless of age. You must schedule an appointment for your visa interview at the U.S. embassy or consulate in the country where you live.


5. Attend your visa interview: Bring the following to your interview-passport, Visa application, Form I-20, and evidence of financial support. Review the instruction for how to apply for a visa on the website of the embassy or consulate where you will apply. Additional documents may be requested to establish that you are qualified.

New Students: F-1 student visas can be issued up to 120 days in advance of your course of study start date. However, you will not be allowed to enter the U.S. in F-1 status earlier than 30 days before your start date.

A new student who has been issued an I-20/F1 Visa must report to school within five (5) working days upon arrival on the island and:

1. meet with the Designated School Official (DSO) or Primary Designated School Official (PDS) to register and update the Student Exchange Visitors Information System (SEVIS) database;
2. submit a health insurance policy to the Business Office;
3. submit a health certificate;
4. make changes to any information as applicable (guardianship, residence, contact numbers, etc.)

Continuing Students: May renew their visas at any time, as long as they have maintained student status and their SEVIS records are current. Continuing students may enter the U.S. at any time before their classes start.