Embassy of the United States Manila, Philippines

The U.S. Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) provides three nonimmigrant visa classifications for persons wishing to study in the United States. At an educational institution approved by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), the "F" visa is for academic studies, and the "M" visa is for nonacademic or vocational studies. For exchange visitors who will study in the United States, there is also the “J” visa classification. 

Students accepted at academic institutions will receive, from the school Form I-20A-B, Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant Student Status for Academic and Language Students (F-1). Nonacademic or vocational institutions issue Form I-20M-N, Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant Student Status for Vocational Students (M-1). J visa applicants will receive Form DS-2019, Certificate of Eligibility for Exchange Visitor (J-1) Status. 

Any returning students or exchange visitors, who departed the United States on or after 15 February 2003, must bear SEVIS-generated documents, and SEVIS rules apply.

All continuing students and exchange visitors must present SEVIS-generated Forms I-20 or DS-2019, respectively, to fulfill the statutory requirement for electronic verification of student and exchange visitor status. All student and exchange visitor data entered into the Interim Student and Exchange Authentication System or ISEAS prior to 15 February 2003 will remain available to Consulates for verification purposes.

Please be aware that U.S. Department of Homeland Security regulations state that holders of F, M, or J nonimmigrant visas will not be admitted to the United States UNTIL thirty days or less prior to the beginning of the program date, or start date, as given on the Form I-20 (for F or M visas) or DS-2019 (for J visas). Please consider that date carefully when making travel plans to the United States.

How To Apply   

To apply, please check the Nonimmigrant Visa Application Procedures page. In addition to the basic documentary requirements, the applicant must submit/comply with the additional documentary below. 

For Principal Applicants   

1.  Original SEVIS-generated Form I-20 ( Nonimmigrant Student Status for Academic and Language Students ) for F/M applicants 

or

Original SEVIS-generated Form DS-2019 (Certificate of Eligibility for Exchange Visitor) for J applicants
 
2.  Proof of SEVIS fee payment.
3.  Evidence of the applicant’s or applicant’s parents’, if minor, ties and financial status in the Philippines 
4.  Financial evidence showing sufficient funds to cover the costs for the first year of intended study and a reasonable source of funds thereafter. 

• Academic and Language (F-1) student visa applicants must prove that sufficient funds are or will be available from an identified and reliable source to defray all living and school expenses during the entire period of anticipated study in the United States. Specifically, applicants must prove they have enough readily available funds to meet all expenses for the first year of study, and that adequate funds will be available for each subsequent year of study.
• Exchange visitor (J-1) visa applicants must have sufficient funds to cover all expenses, or funds must be provided by the sponsoring organization in the form of a scholarship or other stipend.
• Nonacademic or vocational (M-1) applicants must have evidence that sufficient funds are immediately available to pay all tuition and livings costs for the entire period of intended stay. 

Students are advised to apply for a visa and plan for travel as early as possible. Original Form I-20 is recommended but not required at the time of the interview. Students do not have to be in possession of Form I-20 to make an appointment. Student visa, however, can only be issued after the submission of an original Form I-20.

Please note that students needing to leave earlier than their scheduled appointment dates can submit requests for early appointments.  

Participants to Official U.S. Government-Sponsored Educational and Cultural Exchanges

J visa applicants participating in exchange visitor programs sponsored by U.S. Government agencies (program serial numbers G-1, G-2, and G-3) or in a federally-funded national research and development center program (program serial number G-7) are exempt from paying the machine-readable visa (MRV) processing fee.  Please refer to your Form DS-2019 to determine your program serial number. 

If you are a J visa applicant and your serial number is NOT mentioned above, you must pay the MRV processing fee and then schedule an appointment.

If you are exempt from paying the MRV processing fee for the J visa, you may proceed to Window 20 of the Nonimmigrant Visa (NIV) Unit, any workday except Wednesday, between 7:30 a.m. and 8:30 a.m.  Please e-mail the NIV Unit at ConsManilaNIV@state.gov not less than two business days before coming to the Embassy to arrange for access inside the premises.

For Dependents   

The spouse and unmarried children under 21 years old of the F, J or M visa holder may be given F-2, J-2 or M-2 visas, respectively, if they seek to accompany or "follow to join" the primary visa holder.

1. Copy of principal’s SEVIS-generated Form I-20 ( Nonimmigrant Student Status for Academic and Language Students ) for F/M applicants 
2. Copy of principal’s SEVIS-generated Form I-20 ( Nonimmigrant Student Status for Academic and Language Students ) for F/M applicants
3. Copy of principal’s SEVIS-generated Form DS-2019 (Certificate of Eligibility for Exchange Visitor) for J applicants 
4. Evidence of the applicant’s or applicant’s parents’, if minor, ties and financial status in the Philippines  

Note:  

• In certain cases, additional documents may be requested. 
• All documents must be originals.  Photocopies will not be accepted, unless specified. The applicant must submit these documents to the interviewing consular officer during the interview. The Nonimmigrant Visa Unit does not accept documents before the interview. Any documents received will not be returned and will be destroyed. Please note, however, that presentation of the documents will not guarantee visa issuance. Applicants must still qualify under INA Section 214(b). 

Important Information for F/M Visa Applicants        

Being accepted by a U.S. school and being issued a Form I-20 will not by itself result in issuance of a student visa. 

Students must demonstrate that the primary purpose for their travel to the United States is for study. Under Section 214(b) of the U.S. Immigration and Nationality Act, applicants still must prove that they will leave the United States upon expiration of their authorized period of stay. A school admission as demonstrated by the Form I-20 is only one of the factors we must consider. 

Student visas cannot be used to circumvent ineligibility for other types of visas. On occasion student visa applications are submitted for children, whose family members have immigrated to the United States, it is often difficult for such applicants to qualify, as it is difficult to prove that the applicant intends to return to the Philippines.   

Student visas will generally not be issued solely for English language study. As the Philippines education system is conducted in English, individuals pursuing study in the United States should generally be proficient in English at the time of their application to a U.S. school. 

Plans of study must indicate a reasonable course of academic progress. Applicants planning to pursue a community college degree after already having received a four-year undergraduate degree in the Philippines are unlikely to be issued student visas, as in most instances the proposed program of study does not appear to be a plausible "next step." Applicants who already have a BA/BS degree from an institution in the Philippines are encouraged to pursue graduate study or at least a second BA/BS degree, with credit for prior undergraduate study.

For further information on the following, please visit the official website of the U.S. Department of State by clicking here.   

• When do I need to apply for my student visa? 
• What is SEVIS and SEVP? What should you know about it? 
• What items does a returning student need? 
• How long may I stay on my F-1 student visa? 
• Public Schools

Important Information for J-1 Visa Applicants   

Section 212 (e) of the U.S. Immigration and Nationality Act requires that certain "J" exchange visitors meet a two-year residency requirement in their home country prior to leaving to live or work in another. Exchange visitors should return to their home-country or last country of residence immediately after the completion of training/education and take residence in said country for at least two years. Please click here for more information.

The Exchange Visitor Program (EVP) Committee in the Philippines, through the Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO), requires Filipino exchange visitors (J-1 visa holders) to attend a Pre-Departure Registration And Orientation Seminar. The seminar aims to inform the participants about the conditions and requirements of the EVP as well as the participants’ responsibilities as J-1 visa holders. Please visit their website for more detailed information.

Please feel free to visit the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) page if you need more information about nonimmigrant visa processing.