Student Visa
Whether or not you need a visa to study abroad depends on the program and duration of your enrollment. If you are studying in the United States, you will need a student visa when you want to take more than 18 hours of classes per week.
ESTA
The Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) is a system that collects information about people traveling without a visa, before they enter the United States, and checks for security risks. Students holding passports from the countries listed below do not need to apply for a student visa as long as they take part-time classes that do not exceed 18 hours per week.
The application process is carried out via the website of the American Embassy. An application fee of $14 is payable by credit card.
Upon application, you will be assigned an application number; please ensure you retain this number.
- Must Be a Citizen or National of a VWP Designated Country*
You must be a citizen or national of the following countries* to be eligible to travel to the United States under the VWP.
- Andorra
- Australia
- Austria
- Belgium
- Brunei
- Chile
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- Estonia
- Finland
- France
- Germany
- Greece
- Hungary
- Iceland
- Ireland
- Italy
- Japan
- Latvia
- Liechtenstein
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Malta
- Monaco
- Netherlands
- New Zealand
- Norway
- Portugal
- San Marino
- Singapore
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- South Korea
- Spain
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Taiwan*
- United Kingdom**
- Andorra
- Australia
- Austria
- Belgium
- Brunei
- Chile
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- Estonia
- Finland
- France
- Germany
- Greece
- Hungary
- Iceland
- Ireland
- Italy
- Japan
- Latvia
- Liechtenstein
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Malta
- Monaco
- Netherlands
- New Zealand
- Norway
- Portugal
- San Marino
- Singapore
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- South Korea
- Spain
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Taiwan*
- United Kingdom**
Important Notes about ESTA
- The validity period is two years after application. If you are applying for ESTA for the first time, it is recommended that you apply around two weeks before you travel. (You must apply within 72 hours of boarding your flight at the latest.)
- If your passport expires within the two years of the ESTA validity, your ESTA will also expire.
- Having an ESTA does not guarantee entry to the United States. There are certain prerequisites for entering the country, and the immigration inspector will examine each person’s possibility for entry.
- The period for ESTA is 90 days. Staying in the United States beyond that is illegal. You will be able to depart if you stay longer than 90 days, but you may be denied entry the next time you enter the United States.
- The application procedure is simple, so it’s possible to use a smartphone, but it is recommended to apply from a PC since you need to answer important questions.
Illegal Activities
Whether you're travelling on an ESTA or on a visa, always avoid doing anything illegal.
You may not be able to travel to the United States in the future.
Please be careful not to commit any illegal activity during your stay.
For travel on an ESTA
- Staying beyond ninety days
- All criminal activities, such as illegal work, fraud and theft; and illegal sexual activities
- Drunk driving
For travel on a student visa
- If you receive a 60-day grace period after your Form I-20 has expired, you must complete the transfer process within 60 days or leave the United States.
- If you drop out, you will not receive the 60 days’ grade period, so please check with the DSO at your school.
- All criminal activities, such as illegal work, fraud and theft; and illegal sexual activities
- Drunk driving
- Be careful with your school selection. If you are issued only with the I-20 that is necessary to legally stay, and enroll in a school that does not have classes, you may be forced to return to your home country when the school is caught.
- If your Form I-20 is terminated by the school, leave the United States immediately to avoid staying illegally. You may be able to apply for Status Reinstate, please check with your school's DSO.
New directives effective August 9, 2018
A student visa is basically a visa until the end of your studies. This period is called Duration of Status (D/S). People who enter the US on a student visa will have their passport stamped with D/S.
Your stay is legal as long as the Form I-20 is valid. The question of “When does a stay become illegal?” in regards to instances where illegal activities are committed has been clarified.
In the past, it has been considered as an illegal stay from the point of a decision being made in court, even if the offence was apparent beforehand.
Following the new directives effective August 9, 2018 onwards, the Immigration Department counts a stay as illegal from the date it determines an illegal activity has been committed, without waiting for a court judgment.
For example - someone has been working illegally for 6 months and been discovered by the Immigration Department. It is not counted as an illegal stay from the day the Immigration Department finds out about the illegal activity. If the Immigration Department determines that you have been committing an illegal activity for six months, those past six months will be counted retroactively towards your illegal stay.
If it has been determined that you have stayed illegally for 180 days, you will be prohibited from entering the United States for three to ten years. You will be prohibited from entering the United States for periods any longer than a year.