# Student visa & permits in United States

> Student visa, residence permit, registration, fees, deadlines and document guidance for studying in United States.

Source of record: https://versityspot.com/study-abroad/united-states/visa
Confirmation: 26 of 26 sections confirmed against their official source (last 2026-08-08).

## Visa & Immigration

The normal academic student visa is F-1. The sequence is: admission to an SEVP-certified school, issuance of Form I-20, payment of the SEVIS I-901 fee, completion of Form DS-160, payment of the nonimmigrant visa application fee, and usually a consular interview.

The SEVIS I-901 fee for an F or M student is USD 350. The Department of State's current fee schedule lists USD 185 for the non-petition-based F visa application fee. These are separate charges.

A 2025 federal law also created a Visa Integrity Fee of at least USD 250 for many nonimmigrant visa issuances. The statute says it is charged at visa issuance and provides for inflation adjustment and a possible reimbursement mechanism for compliant travellers. Implementation has been unusually messy: as of 8 August 2026, the State Department's public visa-fee schedule still does not list a collection line for this fee. Do not build a precise total around it without checking the instructions of the embassy or consulate where you will apply.

The F-1 interview focuses heavily on whether you qualify as a genuine temporary student and can finance the programme. There is no single national maintenance number: your school establishes the estimated tuition and living costs on the I-20 and requires evidence of funding before issuing it. Consular officers can examine the source and credibility of that funding.

The visa in your passport lets you travel to a US port of entry; it does not itself determine how long you may remain after admission. Your I-94 admission record and F-1 status rules do that.

*Source: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/visa-information-resources/fees/fees-visa-services.html*

## Residence Permit

This is the most time-sensitive part of the US guide. As of 8 August 2026, F-1 students are still governed by the long-standing Duration of Status (D/S) system. That changes on 15 September 2026.

DHS published a final rule in the Federal Register on 17 July 2026 replacing D/S with fixed periods of admission for F, J and I nonimmigrants. For F-1 students admitted under the new system, the admission period generally runs to the programme end date on Form I-20, capped at four years, followed by a 30-day departure/status-change period. Students who need more time must obtain an extension of stay from USCIS rather than relying only on a DSO-issued programme extension.

The transition rules matter. F-1 students who were properly maintaining D/S status on 15 September 2026 do not simply lose status that day. DHS provides a transition based on the programme end date or qualifying EAD end date, subject to a maximum transition period. The final rule also preserves a 60-day departure period for certain students covered by that transition, while the new fixed-admission system uses 30 days.

Travel can change which rule applies. If you are already in F-1 status around September 2026, do not rely on a generic internet summary before leaving the United States, changing programmes, transferring schools, extending an I-20, or filing OPT. Ask your DSO how the transition provisions apply to your exact I-94 and SEVIS record.

*Source: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/07/17/2026-14439/establishing-a-fixed-time-period-of-admission-and-an-extension-of-stay-procedure-for-nonimmigrant*

## Common questions

### What should international students know about visa in United States?

F-1 via an SEVP school and I-20. SEVIS fee USD 350; current State Department F-visa application fee USD 185.

### What should international students know about residence in United States?

D/S still applies on 8 Aug 2026; DHS fixed-admission rule takes effect 15 Sep 2026, generally capping new F-1 admissions at 4 years.