The United States is the home to many of the world’s finest colleges and universities. In fact, U.S. News & World Report listed five California-based schools in the top 20 of its 2019 global rankings.
Securing admission to an American school is a significant achievement. Of course, for foreign students, acceptance is only one step in the process — global students who want to study in the United States must obtain the appropriate visa. Here, our Los Angeles student visa attorney highlights five of the most common errors that could result in your visa application being denied.
1. Applying for the Wrong Type of Student Visa
There are actually multiple types of visas that are sometimes referred to as “student visas”. Most notably, this includes the F-1 visa and the M visa. An F-1 visa is for foreign students who are planning to enroll in a traditional academic program. On the other hand, an M visa is reserved for individuals who are pursuing nonacademic or vocational studies.
2. Missing Important Deadlines
Similar to any other type of immigration application, the deadlines matter. If you miss an important deadline, for any reason, it will seriously undermine the viability of your application — it could even result in your student visa application being denied outright.
3. Submitting an Incomplete Application
A proper student visa application is a comprehensive student visa application. When key documents or important information is missing, a student visa application will almost certainly be delayed or denied. If you are having trouble getting access to all of the information or records that you need to submit your application, be ready to seek professional help.
4. Lack of Candor in a Student Visa Interview
One of the single biggest mistakes that you can make when applying for a student visa is providing false information. Lack of candor will always be a serious problem. That is not to say that you should feel stressed out or overwhelmed for your interview. With proper preparation, you can succeed in your visa interview.
5. Insufficient Evidence of Financial Support
Finally, you must show evidence that you have adequate financial resources to support you through your studies at an American educational institution. Whether you are getting financial support from your own personal savings, from your parents or relatives, or from a scholarship or grant, you need to show that you will have enough funds to get you through the program. Remember to be specific — proper documentation of sufficient financial support will dramatically increase your chances of getting your student visa application approved.
Get Help From a Student Visa Lawyer in Los Angeles, California Today
At the Goldstein Immigration Lawyers, our immigration attorney in Los Angeles has the skills and experience needed to handle the complete range of student visa cases. To request a confidential initial case evaluation, please call us. We represent students attending colleges and universities in Los Angeles and throughout Southern California.