USA Visa

Many times, students may need to extend their F-1 visa status or OPT if the company wishes to hold back the student for a longer time. This is when these students will require transit from an F1 visa to an H1B visa. A cap-gap extension permits them to stay in the US at the time of the gap between the end of F-1 OPT or OPT STEM work authorization and the beginning of H-1B status.

With an OPT, international students can get only 12 months of employment. Those who wish to work for a longer duration will need an H1-B visa.

CPT full form is Curricular Practical Training. Whereas, OPT stands for Optional Practical Training. You can apply for both of these simultaneously. However, it should be noted that the CPT can be authorized only until the last day of the final quarter.

The duration of US student visa depends on the applicant's course duration, snce F-1 visa holders have a full-time course, their visas longer than six months of duration. Similarly based on the other visas, applicants' stay in USA will depend on their intent of stay and course or exchange programme duraton. Hence, it varies for all kinds of students visa holders in the USA. 

Yes, as per rule, US universities can grant offer letters to students one year prior to the commencement of their course in the USA. This step was taken to curb the piling of student visa applications in the US consulates. Students can apply for their student visas once they get their offer letters and I-20 forms. The payment of SEVIS fee is valid for a period of one year and applicants have to schedule their student visa interviews before the SEVIS fee tenure lapses. Once the interview slots are booked after paying all fees, applicants can schedule their interviews for student visa. 

In order to submit a student visa online for USA, applicants will have to first obtain their I-20 form from their universities from where they have got an acceptance letter from. Secondly, applicants will have to pay the SEVIS and MRV fee and once the fee is paid, they can schedule an interview at the nearest US consulate. All documents need to be in sync and all fee receipts have to be in place too when scheduling for a student visa application in the USA. 

F-2 visa holders are basically dependents of F-1 visa holders in the USA, and there are certain rules that they have to abide by to avoid breaching the student visa. Some of the rules are as follows for F-2 visa holders:

• F-2 visa holders cannot enter the USA before or without the F-1 visa holder.
• The F-2 visa holders cannot work full-time or part-time while in the USA.
• No social security number can be allocated to F-2 visa holders. 
• Also, no applicant can pursue a full time course at US universities or colleges on an F-2 visa. 

No, SEVIS fee is an important aspect of the US student visa interview and applicants are required to pay the fee max to max three days prior to the student visa interview. The receipt of SEVIS and MRV fee are both important in order to qualify for the student visa application in the USA. Thus, if there is any missing document, the applicants may be required to submit them within a stipulated time period and they may be issued 221 (g) slip also. So, it is advised that applicants submit and keep all documents handy. 

Yes, F-1 visa holders in the USA are allowed to work part-time on and off campus for 20 hours a week. While the students work part-time in the US, they also have to maintain their attendance and avoid exceeding the already set 20 hours a week for work. Exceptions can be made for US student visa holders if their universities are closed for holidays, they are permitted to work for up to 40 hours a week. This rule is only when there are official holidays going on or when the univeristies are closed for summer break.