Step-by-step visa guide
Read these tips for applying for your visa.
status
8 Steps

Step-by-step visa application guide:
1
Accept your offer and pay your deposit
Paying your deposit is a great way to show your commitment to ASU — and it helps us move your application forward.
2
Complete your Financial Guarantee Form
Fill out all sections of the Financial Guarantee Form, showing you have enough funds for one academic year at ASU.
Tips for completing the form:
1. Funding
The exact amount you need, for I-20 purposes, is listed on your Financial Guarantee Form — check it carefully. We recommend you show a little more than the minimum amount. This helps avoid problems if exchange rates change. If your documents show even $1 less than required, your I-20 will be delayed.
You must show that you have enough money to study at ASU for one academic year (9 months). This includes money for tuition and fees, living expenses (housing, food, etc.), health insurance, books and visa-related costs.
2. Source
- List all sources (e.g., family, scholarship, loan)
- If you’ve received funding from ASU (i.e., scholarship or assistantship), list this as a source and provide proof
- A co-signed loan = family funding
If you’re not transferring, please select ‘No’ when answering “Do you have an active SEVIS ID?” — don’t leave this question blank. On status, see if anything is missing, and track your I-20 status.
3. Dependents
Fill this in if your spouse/children are joining you on F-2 visas.
3
Prepare your documents
- Loan letter (if applicable)
- Sponsor/scholarship letter (if applicable)
- Assistantship letter (graduate students)
- Valid passport scan (if applicable)
- Passport copies of your dependents if they are joining you on an F-2 visa
4
Upload documents to My ASU portal
5
Complete your F-1 visa application
6
Pay your SEVIS fee
All students need to pay the I-901 SEVIS fee before the Department of State can issue a visa.
7
Attend your visa interview
Attend your visa interview at a US Embassy or Consulate in your country of nationality or residence.
Check out the guide below for tips.
8
Wait for a decision and receive your F-1 visa
Good to know
Check your visa wait times
Visa wait times will vary by country and may even change from week to week. Make sure to check the wait time for your country and visa type.
Visa info for J-1 visa students
The application for a J-1 visa is similar to that of the F-1 visa process, but with a few key differences:
- 50% of your funding must be provided by an accredited sponsor
- J-1 students require a DS-2019 form — not an I-20 form. The DS-2019 will be issued by the sponsor
Mark as complete
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If you have any questions, concerns, or want to discuss your study options, we’re here to help every step of the way.