International Students and Scholars Office

We recommend that you present the following documents when you apply for an F-1/J-visa: 

• Valid Passport (valid for at least 6 months into the future)

• Your Form I-20/DS-2019 (with a valid travel signature)

• Enrollment Verification Letter

• Evidence of Financial Support-You will need financial documents which provide proof of sufficient funds for at least one academic year as specified on your Form I-20 / DS-2019.  You can present various documents as evidence of financial support.

  • Scholarship/Financial Aid Letter- If you are receiving funding from Brandeis, you must have an up to date letter from Student Financial Services or your department which specifies the amount and conditions of your scholarship, fellowship, loan or financial assistance.

  • Bank Statements-If you are funded by personal or family funds, you must have a bank statement in your name or a bank statement with a letter from your financial sponsor/account holder.

F-1 visa applicants must demonstrate "nonimmigrant intent."  Be prepared to answer questions about your plans to return home following the completion of your degree.

If you travel outside of the U.S. during your OPT or STEM OPT period, after your F-1 visa has expired , you will need to renew your F-1 visa before returning to the U.S.  Remember, OPT/STEM OPT is an extension of your F-1 status.

We recommend that you present the following documents when you apply for an F-1 visa: 

• Valid Passport (valid for at least 6 months into the future)
• Most Recent Form I-20 showing OPT approval dates and updated employer information (with valid travel signature not more than 6 months old)
• Employment Authorization Document (EAD)
• Job Offer Letter
• Evidence of Financial Support-You will need either pay stubs from your OPT employment or bank statements to prove that you can financially support yourself for the duration of your OPT/STEM OPT period.

We recommend checking the website of your local U.S. Embassy or Consulate to see if they have additional required documentation for visa renewal.

F-1 visa applicants must demonstrate "nonimmigrant intent", even while on OPT.  Be prepared to answer questions about your plans to return home following the completion of your practical training.

Applying for a visa in a country which is not your home country (called a "third country") can be more difficult than applying at home. It may take more time to apply for a visa in a third country, and there is a higher risk of denial. If your visa application is denied by a consular officer in a third country, you must return to your home to apply for a new visa before you can return to the U.S. in student status.

The ISSO recommends that international students seeking to renew their visas do so in their home countries if possible.

The Department of State (DOS) may delay the issuance of visas to some students due to the need for further time for additional review and/or security clearances.  This is called "Administrative Processing" and it takes place after the visa interview. The student should receive a 221(g) letter indicating that their visa application is subject to further administrative processing. 

The duration of the administrative processing will vary based on the individual circumstances of each case. Visa applicants are reminded to apply early for their visas, well in advance of the anticipated travel date.

It is impossible to know which applications will require additional processing. However, additional processing is more common among applicants:

• Who were born in, or are citizens of certain countries
• Specializing in potentially sensitive fields of study or research (e.g., sciences, technology, or engineering)
• Having common names that are likely shared with other people

If you suspect your application may require administrative processing, we recommend that you request a letter from your department to offer additional details about your program or work in the United States. This letter may include:

• Your name, degree level or academic appointment title
• An overview of your research including a detailed non-technical description of your research and whether it is basic or applied research.
• Specify whether the research has military or defense applications

• Your Source(s) of funding
• Contact persons in the United States
• Any other information that establishes the legitimate, non-military purposes of your stay
• When you are expected to return to Brandeis to continue your studies or research position

The letter should be written in English, with limited use of technical terminology or jargon. You may present this letter at the time of the visa interview, as needed. While  a letter will not prevent your application from being subject to security clearance, the letter may help to provide information and speed processing along. Once a security clearance is granted, it remains valid for up to four years for subsequent visa renewals.

In addition, we recommend that you submit a letter from your Principal Investigator or Department Chair describing briefly, in non-technical terms, the specific area of your research and how it fits into the overall research goals of your research group.

While this may not prevent administrative processing, it could result in a quicker resolution of your case.